It also postponed the resumption of his trial until March 1, 2010, when the new lawyer should be ready to take over if needed.

The decision comes after he boycotted the start last week of his war-crimes trial, arguing that he had not had enough time to prepare his defense - despite being indicted in 1995 and in custody for 14 months.

Karadzic, 64, accused of masterminding Serb atrocities throughout the 1992-95 Bosnian war, faces two genocide charges and nine other counts of crimes against humanity. He has refused to enter pleas but insists he is innocent of all charges.

The decision allows Karadzic to continue to represent himself in court for now. But it said he should cooperate with the new lawyer in preparing his defense.

One of Karadzic's legal advisers, Marko Sladojevic, said Karadzic was still examining the ruling and would react next week.

"We may file a submission or a motion or even an appeal," Sladojevic said in a telephone interview.

Presiding judge O-Gon Kwon wrote that Karadzic would forfeit his right to represent himself should he "continue to absent himself from the resumed trial proceedings in March, or should he engage in any other conduct that obstructs the proper and expeditious conduct of the trial."

The prosecution gave its opening statement last week. The trial will resume with Karadzic's opening statement.

Prosecutors said Karadzic, as the top political leader of the Bosnian Serbs, commanded a brutal campaign to ethnically cleanse Muslims and Croats from territory his people coveted.

The campaign included the 44-month siege of the capital of Sarajevo, and culminated in the 1995 massacre of 8,000 Muslim men and boys in the eastern enclave of Srebrenica.

Kwon, writing for the three-judge panel hearing the case, warned Karadzic not to spend time preparing political speeches rather than a defense against the charges he faces, which carry a maximum penalty of life in prison.