EU tells Serbia it must act now on Mladic

BRUSSELS, Mar 30 (Reuters) The European Union today told Serbia it must act ''without delay'' to bring top war crimes suspect Ratko Mladic to justice or run the risk of a suspension of talks on closer ties.

The 25-member bloc kept up the pressure on Belgrade ahead of a new round of talks slated for April 5 despite Serbia's warning yesterday that any break-off in the discussions could jeopardise stability and reform efforts in the country.

''Before April 5, we'll have to decide whether we can hold the negotiation round or whether this negotiation round will have to be put on hold because of lack of full cooperation by Serbia,'' EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn told reporters.

Rehn said he would receive a report tomorrow from chief UN war crimes prosecutor Carla del Ponte on the extent of Belgrade's cooperation but would leave open the possibility of talks going ahead as scheduled until the last minute.

''We can continue the negotiations on the very same day that full cooperation is reached which should lead to the arrest and transfer of Ratko Mladic,'' he said of the Bosnian Serb military commander indicted for genocide.

''We expect Serbia will achieve significant progress that leads to full cooperation with ICTY (International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia) without delay,'' Rehn told reporters after talks with Bosnian Prime Minister Adnan Terzic.

Rehn is due to meet del Ponte in Brussels tomorrow after her talks in Belgrade this week with the Serbian government.

Serbian authorities asked del Ponte to avoid urging the EU to break off preliminary talks on the long road to possible EU membership because such a step would have ''far-reaching negative consequences'' for stability and progress on democratic reforms.

Such comments are seen as a warning to the outside world that Serb ultranationalists could oust moderates from power if they rush to cooperate with the UN tribunal, where former Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic died this month.

Reuters SB KP1830