SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — The three members of Bosnia's multi-ethnic presidency have failed to break a deadlock on forming a new government more than ten months after the general election.

A meeting Tuesday between Bosnia's Muslim, Serb and Croat leaders ended without an agreement on forming the new cabinet because the Bosnian Serb member of the presidency, Milorad Dodik, was against a package that would also include adopting a plan that would move Bosnia closer to NATO membership.

An agreement between the three is crucial because the lack of a government has stalled economic development in the Balkan nation that is still recovering from a devastating 1992-95 war.

Disagreements between Bosnia's pro-Russian Serbs and the other two groups over Bosnia's future relations with NATO could plunge the country deeper into crisis.