Reds welcome Oslo offer to help restart peace talks

Communist rebels have welcomed Norway’s offer to help end their more than three decades of rebellion against the government.

Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal, spokesman for the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), said that the rebel leadership is urging the Norwegian government to convince the Arroyo administration to set up an "appropriate atmosphere for peace talks."

Peace negotiations between the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF), the Left’s political arm, collapsed in Oslo last February when communist leaders rejected President Arroyo’s offer of a "final peace deal" as a "document of surrender."

Resumption of the peace talks was further undermined when the US government and the European Union moved to declare the CPP, the New People’s Army and self-exiled communist leader Jose Maria Sison as international terrorists.

Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen met Saturday with Mrs. Arroyo to discuss a possible resumption of stalled peace talks with communist rebels brokered by Norway, officials said.

"We will do our best and see what can be done," a presidential palace statement quoted Mrs. Arroyo as telling Helgesen.

"We need to work with both parties if this is to move forward," Helgesen said. "It will not be easy but we will work closely with the Filipino people."

Last Friday, Helgesen met with Foreign Secretary Blas Ople, who welcomed Norway’s "commitment to the success of our peace process," a Department of Foreign Affairs statement said.

The government suspended peace talks which were held in Oslo in June 2001 after guerrillas killed Cagayan Rep. Rodolfo Aguinaldo.

NPA rebels defended the attack as punishment for Aguinaldo’s alleged human rights violations during the Marcos dictatorship.

At the time, the two sides already were in disagreement over how to implement parts of a human rights agreement signed in 1998, including who would arrest suspected violators. - Benjie Villa, AP