Government, MILF talks likely by January

THE government peace panel is eyeing to hold informal talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) starting January next year.

Chief negotiator Marvic Leonen said the government panel has been ready and awaiting confirmation from MILF panel chairman Mohagher Iqbal to welcome their invitation sent through the third party facilitator – Malaysia.

“The earliest, we hope, will be in January next year. We are open to holding the sessions anywhere, but it could be in Kuala Lumpur,” Leonen said in a press statement.

Leonen hopes that facilitation issues will be resolved soon to pave the way for the conduct of informal sessions and resumption of formal peace talks.

“It is very clear that the Philippine government wanted the best chance for a full settlement to gain acceptance from the public. So we have to settle the facilitation issues,” he said.

Leonen stressed that the government is “eager to start the talks and accomplish political negotiated settlement within the soonest possible time.”

“The President wants to implement it within the six-year period. Working backwards, that means it could be possible to have an acceptance of a politically negotiated settlement by the middle of the term,” he said.

“This means that before it happens, the settlement should be clear already to both parties,” Leonen added. (Jill Beltran/With Press release/Sunnex)