Defence minister 'to step down' if Mladic not captured

Serbia-Montenegro’s defence minister yesterday pledged that he will resign unless war crimes fugitive Gen. Ratko Mladic is captured soon.

Defence Minister Gen. Zoran Stankovic also reiterated his call on the wartime Bosnian Serb army commander to surrender, or take his own life.

“I consider that a man should sometimes pass a judgement on himself if he is guilty of certain crimes,” said Stankovic.

Stankovic said that he would step down if Mladic and five other Serb fugitives sought by the UN tribunal are not located soon. He said he would resign “within a reasonable timeframe”.

“Until recently, no one has seriously worked on” capturing Mladic, Stankovic said. “Now, a serious search is underway” because the country faces a “very critical situation” if he is not extradited to The Hague tribunal.

He said that Mladic should come out from hiding, calling it “beneath human dignity”.