World | Philippines
Malaysia remains peace facilitator between Philippine government, MILF
Negotiations between Philippine government and MILF rebels to resume in Kuala Lumpur in October
- By Barbara Mae Dacanay, Bureau Chief
- Published: 00:00 September 1, 2010
Manila: Malaysia has been chosen over Indonesia as third party mediator of the peace talks between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which will resume in Kuala Lumpur in early October, government officials, rebel leaders and sources said.
"[Malaysia] has been there ever since. It would be difficult to replace them immediately. So it's better to keep them," Edwin Lacierda, spokesperson of Philippine President Benigno Aquino, said.
He made the statement in response to a statement made by Mohagher Iqbal, chairman of the MILF's committee on information, questioning the rationale behind the reported designation of Indonesia as mediator.
"Malaysia has the institutional memory [of the talks]. We don't see any reason for the [Philippine] government to replace it [as a peace broker]," Iqbal was quoted in a Manila Standard Today report.
"It's not a question of opposing Indonesia; it's a question of maintaining the tempo [of the talks]. Malaysia is very excellent in facilitating [the negotiations]. Why replace it?" Iqbal added. Iqbal also said that the negotiations will resume after the Eid Al Fitr celebrations to mark the end of Ramadan.
Ramadan is predicted to end between September 10 and 12.
Iqbal said the MILF has a ready list of negotiators. The group will announce the members of its panel as soon as the Philippine government has designated its negotiators.
Marvic Leonen, head of the government negotiating panel, said Manila is also waiting for the MILF to name their negotiators.
Negotiators from the Philippine government and the MILF will hold peace talks in Kuala Lumpur, sources told Gulf News.
Aquino earlier said that the peace talks were to resume after Ramadan.
Political settlement
MILF leaders said they wanted to forge a political settlement with the Philippine government during Aquino's six years in office, adding they were worried that young MILF members could turn radical and militant.
In 2008, peace talks between the government and the MILF ended after the Supreme Court prevented the two parties from signing a Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain.
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