February 12, 1998. Copyright, 1998, Graphic News. All rights reserved

NEUTRAL FLAG TO SOOTHE BOSNIAN TENSIONS
By Oliver Burkeman

LONDON, February 12, Graphic News- CARLOS Westendorp, the international High Representative in Bosnia, ended two years of wrangling within SarajevoÕs multi-ethnic government when he imposed a new flag on the nation in early February, in time for use by the Bosnian team at the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.
ÔThe triangle represents the three constituent peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina; the yellow, the sun representing the symbol of hope; the blue and the stars representing Europe,Õ said a spokesman for Mr Westendorp.
The neutral design, intended to forge unity among BosniaÕs Muslims, Orthodox Christian Serbs and Roman Catholic Croats, features no religious symbols. 
It was chosen by Westendorp Ð who has already imposed a common Bosnian currency and car registration plate Ð after the countryÕs three co-presidents failed to meet a deadline to select one of three flags devised by an independent commission.
Serbs in the administration had proposed a double-sided flag featuring Muslim-Croat and Serbian designs, while Muslim leaders had pressed for BosniaÕs blue fleur de lys, flown during the conflict with Serbia, to be retained.
ENDS

Sources: Reuter, Bosnian Embassy in London (TEL: +44 (0) 171 255 3738)