BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA TO GET NEW COAT OF ARMS BY 15 MAY

( Editorial: --> 3136 ) SARAJEVO, Feb 19 (Hina) - The international community's leading official in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Carlos Westendorp, has decided the country must have a new coat of arms by 15 May, finalising the process of forming joint state symbols following the three and a half year war. The High Representative's spokesman Simon Haselock said on Thursday that based on the wider authority given to him at the Bonn conference in December, Westendorp sought that the independent commission which worked on the design of the new Bosnian flag continue with its task and propose an ideal solution to the new coat of arms. Haselock said following this, the High representative for the implementation of the Dayton peace agreement would undertake measures so that a suggested solution be reached "in a fair and democratic way" and it be ratified by the middle of May. (Hina) mm mb/as 191356 MET feb 98