Asia-Pacific

Philippine peace talks to resume in November

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-09-16 10:56
Large Medium Small

COTABATO, Philippines - Malaysian-brokered peace talks between the Philippine government and the country's largest Muslim rebel group will formally resume in November, according to President Benigno Aquino III's peace adviser.

Related readings:
Philippine peace talks to resume in November An emergency action regime is needed to ensure safety
Philippine peace talks to resume in November Philippines searches for mother of newborn left in plane
Philippine peace talks to resume in November Tour groups cancel Philippine holidays
Philippine peace talks to resume in November Clash on Philippines voting day

Teresita Deles, presidential adviser on the peace process, told a radio station Thursday morning that representatives from both the government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is set to meet later this week to talk about issues related to resumption of peace talks in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.

According to Deles, Aquino is sincere in forging a peace deal that will benefit people affected by the decades-old conflict on the ground.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Dato Sri Anifah Aman told Philippine President Aquino earlier they would remain as "third party facilitator" in the forthcoming resumption of peace talks as he paid a courtesy call to Aquino recently.

Since 2004, Malaysia, together with Libya, Japan and Brunei, has also led the International Monitoring Team, which contributed to the comprehensive peace process in the restive southern Philippine region of Mindanao.

The MILF said recently it was ready to resume the peace talks as they formed its new five-member negotiating panel.

The MILF has been fighting government troops for decades in a bid to establish a self-rule Muslim state in the south of the predominantly Catholic country. Peace talks between the government and the MILF have stalled since August 2008 following the aborted signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain.

However, efforts are being made by both sides to revive the talks. A final peace deal with the government will touch the issues of autonomy and the civil settlements of the rebel group's 11,800-strong guerrilla fighters.