MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - The Philippine government and the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) agreed today to move forward on the substantive agenda of the peace talks and allow the ceasefire committees to conduct investigations on the Oct. 18 encounter between government troops and Muslim rebels in the southern province of Basilan.
Government of the Philippines (GPH) chief negotiator Marvic Leonen said an informal meeting was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Thursday, where the Philipine government and the MILF came up with the agreement.
"Today's (Thursday's) meeting was a candid exchange where both sides cleared the air about pressing issues regarding the negotiations. We leveled off more on each other's concepts and identified our common grounds as well as our differences. As we had hoped, we agreed to move forward on the substantive agenda and meet again very soon for this purpose," Leonen said in a statement.
Regarding the recent incidents most particularly in Al Barka town, Basilan, Leonen said they had agreed that investigations through the ceasefire mechanisms shall continue to be conducted.
These include those to be done by the International Monitoring Team (IMT) in coordination with the Joint Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (JCCCH) and the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG), he said.
"We will await recommendations relating to the review of ceasefire mechanisms that may result from these investigations," Leonen added.
At least 19 soldiers were killed in the Al Barka clash.
Leonen said the MILF also reaffirmed that it would cooperate with government with respect to its efforts to interdict kidnap-for-ransom groups, criminal syndicates, and "lost commands" pursuant to the Joint Communique and Implementing Guidelines of the AHJAG.
He said the meeting was a result of the back channeling efforts between the parties following the 22nd formal talks on Aug. 22 and 23 where the government submitted its proposal.
Formal peace talks have been stalled since September following the rejection of the MILF on the government's proposed comprehensive peace compact with the Muslim rebels.
The government has been offering enhanced autonomy to the MILF, while the rebels have been seeking for a creation of a substate that will end the decades-old conflict in the southern Philippine region of Mindanao.
A final peace deal with the government will touch the issues of autonomy and the civil settlement of the rebel group's 11,800- strong guerrilla fighters.
Source: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=744331&publicationSubCategoryId=200
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Government of the Philippines (GPH) chief negotiator Marvic Leonen said an informal meeting was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Thursday, where the Philipine government and the MILF came up with the agreement.
"Today's (Thursday's) meeting was a candid exchange where both sides cleared the air about pressing issues regarding the negotiations. We leveled off more on each other's concepts and identified our common grounds as well as our differences. As we had hoped, we agreed to move forward on the substantive agenda and meet again very soon for this purpose," Leonen said in a statement.
Regarding the recent incidents most particularly in Al Barka town, Basilan, Leonen said they had agreed that investigations through the ceasefire mechanisms shall continue to be conducted.
These include those to be done by the International Monitoring Team (IMT) in coordination with the Joint Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (JCCCH) and the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG), he said.
"We will await recommendations relating to the review of ceasefire mechanisms that may result from these investigations," Leonen added.
At least 19 soldiers were killed in the Al Barka clash.
Leonen said the MILF also reaffirmed that it would cooperate with government with respect to its efforts to interdict kidnap-for-ransom groups, criminal syndicates, and "lost commands" pursuant to the Joint Communique and Implementing Guidelines of the AHJAG.
Formal peace talks have been stalled since September following the rejection of the MILF on the government's proposed comprehensive peace compact with the Muslim rebels.
The government has been offering enhanced autonomy to the MILF, while the rebels have been seeking for a creation of a substate that will end the decades-old conflict in the southern Philippine region of Mindanao.
A final peace deal with the government will touch the issues of autonomy and the civil settlement of the rebel group's 11,800- strong guerrilla fighters.
Source: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=744331&publicationSubCategoryId=200
Movers National City
Movers North Miami
Movers Piedmont
Movers Arcadia
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