RP-MILF peace talks to resume this month in Kuala Lumpur

DAVAO CITY — The government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are set to resume peace talks anytime this month.

"It is anytime this month," MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said yesterday.

"No fixed date yet but we were made to understand it would be within this month. We are just awaiting advice as to when exactly the next round of talks would be held."

Kabalu said no exact date has been given as to when the peace negotiations would resume in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

"We are ready and very prepared to meet our counterparts in the government negotiating panel," he said.

Kabalu said the MILF is ready to resume peace talks whenever they are called to the negotiating table,

"We have not received any advice yet on the fixed date but we are ready and prepared for the resumption of the peace talks," he said.

President Arroyo earlier met with Othman Abdul Razal, adviser to Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi and discussed the pace of peace talks with the MILF.

Malaysia wants to speed up the talks to bring about peace and development in Mindanao.

Mrs. Arroyo and Othman were reported to have agreed that peace negotiations with the MILF be fast-tracked to gain international recognition, particularly the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).

Despite peace talks being stalled for the past five years, the two panels have continued with back-channel negotiations, including a series of meetings at the technical committee level to pave the way for the resumption of negotiations.

Since 2001, the technical committees of the two panels have been discussing the contentious issue of ancestral domain which has caused the formal peace talks to bog down.

However, the two committees were able to resolve certain disagreements on the issue of ancestral domain, although their recommendations are still subject to the approval of the main negotiating panels.

The Arroyo administration has repeatedly declared a final peace accord will be forged with the MILF.

It has not yet materialized because the separatist rebel group has remained firm in its stand not to hurry the signing until the details of the agreement are thoroughly studied.

The MILF said it refused to be coerced by the government to immediately sign a final peace agreement until every detail of it undergoes scrutiny and detailed study by the rebel group. — Edith Regalado