Wednesday, August 15, 2007 MILF hails Arroyo's call for peace talks resumption
THE Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) welcomed Tuesday President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's call for a return to peace negotiations during her meeting with business leaders in Makati City Monday.
Muhammad Ameen, chair of the MILF secretariat, said in a report that Arroyo's announcement is a welcome gesture and shows her interest in the peace process.
The MILF earlier suspected that the President has lost interest in the peace process after she allegedly failed to mention it in her State of the Nation Address.
Arroyo's latest pronouncement on her willingness to pursue the peace process was made before business leaders attending the 16th annual general assembly of the Federation of Philippine Industries at the Hotel Intercon in Makati City.
Arroyo asked the police and military to "respect ceasefire guidelines" in "close consultation" with the International Monitoring Team and ordered them to "control" offensives against Abu Sayyaf bandits so civilians in Basilan and Sulu would be kept out of harm's way.
Peace talks between the Philippine government and the MILF were stalled since September 2006 after both panels could not agree over the determination of the territory of the future Bangsamoro Juridical Entity in Mindanao.
Government and MILF peace negotiators were supposed to resume talks in May this year but at the last hour government asked for cancellation due to the May 14 polls.
Peace negotiations had been cancelled for about eight times since then. (BOT)
