BELGRADE, Serbia, July 4 (UPI) -- Serbia may resume EU association talks without arresting Bosnian Serb war crime suspect Ratko Mladic, a government minister said Tuesday.
Finance Minister Mladjan Dinkic said "chances are fifty-fifty to resume talks" with the European Union by Oct. 1, Belgrade's Beta news agency reported.
Dinkic said Serbia is working out an "action plan" to arrest Mladic with the help of the European Union and major world countries.
However, he said ministers and deputies from his G17Plus party will step down from their posts in the coalition government of Premier Vojislav Kostunica if the EU association talks are not resumed by Oct. 1.
Dinkic said the G17Plus party ministers and deputies have their resignations ready for submission if the EU talks are not resumed.
The EU put off the association talks with Serbia May 3, after Kostunica failed to keep his promise to arrest and transfer Mladic to a U.N. tribunal in The Hague.
EU officials said the talks will be resumed immediately after Mladic has been handed over to the tribunal.
Mladic is sought on genocide and crimes against humanity charges in the former Yugoslavia from 1991-95.
