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Friday, October 22, 2004
RP to resume peace talks with communist group
MALACAÑANG said Thursday the government will work for the resumption of the peace talks and a ceasefire with the communist rebels but there should be no preconditions.
Lawyer Silvestre Bello III, chief government negotiator to the National Democratic Front (NDF), said the decision was relayed to the peace panel by presidential adviser on the peace process Teresita Deles Wednesday night.
Bello said Deles briefed the peace panel on what the Cabinet national security cluster agreed upon Tuesday about the review of the peace negotiations and the reassessment of the policy towards communist insurgents.
"The President made a very clear position to pursue the peace process but we have to be very sure of the sincerity of the other side. We will review our position before getting back to the negotiating table and make sure that once we go back we will discuss substantive issues, and not collateral matters," he said.
He said the "collateral" issues include the confidence-building measures and the delisting of the CPP-NPA-NDF from the list of foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) of the US and the European Union.
He said government will not allow the FTO issue to stall the talks because "it (listing) is not the doing of the Philippine government." He also said government's continued talks with the NDF despite their inclusion in the FTO list shows that government is sincere in forging a peace agreement with the rebels.
Bello said the CPP-NPA-NDF would also be asked to improve the climate for peace negotiations by reducing the number of their armed activities.
According to him, a ceasefire would hopefully to work on as soon as the government takes a position on it and President Arroyo approves it. No deadline has been imposed on the peace panel.
Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye defended the monitoring of the alleged links of the CPP-NPA-NDF with international terrorist organizations.
"The alert monitoring of terrorist links is important for our national security and stability and is being undertaken by our intelligence agencies, along side our peace efforts," he said.
He said government is offering the hand of peace but "we will make sure the process is not subverted by terror." (JMR)
(October 22, 2004 issue)
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