Former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic will ask the Hague tribunal to postpone entering a plea, the Belgrade newspaper Vecernje Novosti quoted unofficial sources as saying on Thursday.
Mladic is scheduled to make an initial appearance before the UN court at 10 am on Friday to enter a plea to charges of genocide, crimes against humanity and violations of the laws and customs of war committed by his troops during Bosnia's 1992-1995 war.
The tribunal's rules allow an accused to enter a plea within 30 days of their initial appearance before judges. If they refuse to do so, the court enters a plea of not guilty on their behalf.
The tribunal's Registry has appointed Serbian attorney Aleksandar Aleksic to represent Mladic at his initial appearance before the Trial Chamber and in other situations until permanent counsel has been appointed.
Mladic was captured in Serbia on May 26 after evading arrest for 16 years. He was transferred to the Netherlands on Tuesday evening and placed in the tribunal's detention unit in The Hague's district of Scheveningen.
