World leaders have hailed the arrest of the former Bosnian Serb army chief as Ratko Mladic's first appearance before the war crimes court was halted as doctors were due to assess his fitness.
World leaders have called for Ratko Mladic to be swiftly sent for trial after the arrest of the long-wanted Bosnian Serb warcrimes suspect.
US President Barack Obama has applauded Serbian President Boris Tadic for his determined efforts to bring Mladic to justice, while UN boss Ban-Ki Moon has called it an historic day for international justice.
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Meanwhile, survivors of the Srebrenica massacre and siege of Sarajevo have expressed their relief at his capture.
Hajra Catic, whose son and husband died in the massacre, says it's a very important day after 16 years of waiting.
HEARING ENDS, DOCTORS TO ASSESS MLADIC'S FITNESS: LAWYER
Ratko Mladic's first appearance before the Serbian war crimes court was halted Thursday as his lawyer said the former Bosnian Serb army chief was unable to communicate, and doctors were due to assess his fitness.
"The investigative judge tried to question Ratko Mladic but he failed because he (Mladic) is in a difficult psychological and physical condition. It is difficult to establish any kind of communication with him," lawyer Milos Saljic told reporters.
The lawyer added that the former general identified himself in court as Ratko Mladic, but "the investigative judge failed even to get his basic information".
Deputy war crimes prosecutor Bruno Vekaric confirmed that the hearing was stopped but refused to comment on the reasons.
"(Mladic) was very communicative," Vekaric said, countering the remarks from the lawyer that he was unable answer simple questions.
He added that Mladic was being assessed by doctors before and after the hearing.
"He is aware he has been arrested and where he is. The only thing he said is that he does not recognize the The Hague tribunal," Saljic said.
"The judge stopped the questioning, (and) during the day tomorrow doctors will report if he is capable of being heard in court," he added.
According to the lawyer Mladic is in no shape to stand trial before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), which has charged him with genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity for his alleged role in masterminding ethnic cleansing during the 1992-95 Bosnian war.
"In this condition I do not think anybody should move him, I believe he belongs in a health institution where he should be treated," Saljic said.
"In this condition he is not fit for the ICTY because he would not be able to tell them anything," he added.
Saljic gave some details on the arrest saying Mladic was armed but chose not to resist arrest.
"There were no problems during the arrest, he was armed with two guns but did not want to use them because he knew the people coming to arrest him were young officers doing their job," the lawyer said.
