Oslo, Norway: The Philippine government and Communist guerrillas have agreed an indefinite extension to a ceasefire to facilitate talks on a peace deal, Norway, which is playing the role of intermediary, announced Friday.
Representatives of the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front (NDF) Communist movement signed on Friday August 26, at 11:00 am (1pm in Dubai,), a joint declaration in which the two sides commit to unilateral ceasefires without a limitation in time, according to the Norwegian foreign ministry.
Norway is playing the role of go-between in the talks, which aim at ending one of Asia’s longest-running insurgencies.
The Communist Party of the Philippines launched a rebellion in 1968 that has so far claimed the lives of 30,000 people, according to official estimates.
Its armed faction, the New People’s Army (NPA), is now believed to have fewer than 4,000 gunmen, down from a peak of 26,000 in the 1980s, when a bloodless revolt ended the 20-year dictatorship of late President Ferdinand Marcos.
Talks in Oslo had resumed on Monday.
As a prelude, the two sides each agreed to a ceasefire, but the truce commitment by the Communist side was due to end on Saturday.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who took office on June 30, has made resumption of the talks a top priority.
He has even sketched the possibility of forming a coalition government with the rebels.
His government said Monday it hoped to reach a peace accord within a year.
The two sides hope to breathe new life into the process by discussing simultaneously the outstanding issues of social and economic reforms, political and constitutional changes, and an end to hostilities.
Previous peace talks have addressed one issue at a time.
Highlights
What happened on Friday: Representatives of both the government and communist guerrillas signed a joint declaration committing "to unilateral ceasefires with no time limit", according to Norwegian hosts. This will extend a truce in place since last weekend for the Oslo meeting which began on Monday.
Where is the venue of the talks: Authorities in Oslo, the capital of Norway, have offered to mediate the talks. Norway has had a role as facilitator for the Philippines peace process since 2001.On-and-off peace talks have been going on since 1986.
What happened in the past: Piecemeal talks in the past had collapsed. This is the first formal meeting in five years.
What is expected: The joint declaration marks the resumption of formal negotations between the new government in the Philippines and the (rebel) National Democratic Front of the Philippines.
What would be the best outcome: Philippine communists have waged an agriarian-inspired rebellion since 1968. The new Philippines President, Rodrigo Duterte, says he wants to end guerrilla wars with both communist and Muslim rebels that have been hampering economic development.
