Maguindanao massacre will not affect GRP-MILF peace talks
December 7, 2009 1:22 am
MANILA, Dec. 6 — Malacańang today said the gruesome massacre in Maguindanao that left 57 people killed will not affect the resumption of peace talks between the government panel and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
In a press conference in Malacañang, Press Secretary Cerge M. Remonde said the MILF “understands” what the government needs to do to resolve the Maguindanao massacre.
“They will not get in the way,” Remonde said as he expressed confidence that the talks between the government panel and MILF will push through as planned.
The government is optimistic that the resumption of formal peace talks on December 8-9 with MILF in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia will open a creative discussion that would lead to a genuine and lasting peace in Mindanao.
The peace talks between the government and MILF was stalled due to the fighting that flared up in some parts of Central Mindanao last year between the government forces and some wayward MILF rebels. It led to the non-signing of the controversial Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) which was declared by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional.
The GRP panel will be headed by Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Rafael E. Seguis with his MILF counterpart led by Mohagher Iqbal.
The formation of the International Contact Group (ICG) which the GRP and MILF agreed earlier paved the way for the formal resumption of the stalled negotiations.
The initial composition of the ICG are the United Kingdom, Japan, and Turkey as member countries, The Asian Foundation, the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, the Conciliation Resources and Muhammadiyah as international non-governmental organization (INGO) members. (PNA)
DCT/OPS/rsm
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