SARAJEVO, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Bosnia's three-man presidency formally accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Nikola Spiric on Monday, signaling the start of difficult talks on a new cabinet and possible early elections in the divided country.

Spiric will remain caretaker PM while the country's three rival ethnic groups -- Bosnian Serbs, Croats and Muslims -- try to find a compromise candidate for prime minister. If they cannot agree, the country must hold a general election.

Spiric, an ethnic Serb, resigned on Nov. 1 in protest at external "meddling", saying a recent measure by international peace envoy Miroslav Lajcak infringed on the autonomy the Bosnian Serbs got at the end of Bosnia's 1992-95 war.

(Reporting by Maja Zuvela; Editing by Ellie Tzortzi)

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