The Bonn Peace Implementation Council has invited the High Representative “to establish a process leading to a decision on a new flag and symbols if the parties cannot agree on their own by 31 December 1997”. With the expiration of this deadline, the High Representative announced his intention to establish an independent commission to propose alternatives for the flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as outlined in his statement of 31 December 1997.
The High Representative hereby declares the establishment of the aforementioned independent commission. The members of the commission are as follows; Mr. Mladen Kolobaric, Professor. Nedo Milicevic, Dean. Sado Musabegovic, Professor. Marco Orsolic, Mr. Ranko Risojevic, Mr. Vehid Sehic and Professor. Gajo Sekulic.
The High Representative welcomes the participation of representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s academic and intellectual community in the implementation of the peace agreement.
The commission shares the sense of urgency of the Peace Implementation Council on adopting a flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina. At a first informal encounter of the Commission on 10 January, chaired by SDHR Hanns Schumacher, the commission has agreed to submit already by 30 January 1998 its proposition for the flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the High Representative.
The High Representative, following appropriate consultations, will then give consideration to the question of which procedure would best ensure that the decision on the adoption of a flag is reached in a fair and democratic manner until 15 February at the latest.