Manila pushes plan to convince MILF separatists

Manila: The Philippine government has called on a major Muslim group with which it forged a political settlement in 1996 to join ongoing negotiations with a rival Muslim group to facilitate a new pact on the establishment of a wider ancestral domain for some five million Muslims in the country's south, a senior official said.

"The government wants the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) to participate in ongoing negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)," said presidential adviser Hermogenes Esperon.

"The agreement... on the establishment of an ancestral domain for Muslims in Mindanao should fulfil the aspirations of all the Bangsamoro people for their rights and freedoms," Esperon said.

The government was also consulting local officials and stakeholders in Mindanao for suggestions with regard to the draft of the ancestral domain agreement, he said.

After two weeks of consultations, the Philippine government and the MILF are set to resume talks and finally sign the ancestral domain agreement, said Esperon. He did not give more details.

The mandate of the International Monitoring Team (IMT), composed of armed peace keepers from member countries of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), in the country's south expires on August 31.