Bosnia government formed after 14 months

After more than a year of negotiations, political parties in Bosnia have agreed on the formation of a government.

For 14 months, election winners had quarrelled over who would run which ministry, but agreement was reached because the lack of a budget could have brought state institutions to a halt in 2012.

Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik told reporters "it's good that this has come to an end".

The deal clears the way for the formation of a government as soon as January.

Bosnia's three ethnic groups share power and distribute leading posts fairly, but after last year's October elections Croat and Serb nationalists insisted positions reserved for Serbs and Croats should go only to nationalist parties, not to a multi-ethnic party that won most of the votes.