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Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Gov't-MILF ends impasse
DAVAO CITY -- The Philippine government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) initialed in Kuala Lumpur the final draft of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on Ancestral Domain that will be formally signed next week.
The initialing was done around 8:20 p.m. Sunday, on the eve of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's State of the Nation Address (Sona).
Full text of Arroyo’s 2008 Sona
Two days earlier, the talks ended in an impasse following a government proposal to reopen a previously agreed upon issue on territory and plebiscite.
MILF peace panel chair Mohagher Iqbal and senior panel member Datu Michael Mastura, walked out of the executive session at 7:20 p.m. Friday.
The government panel flew back to Manila Saturday morning and met with the Cabinet Security Cluster and on Sunday morning flew to Kuala Lumpur with Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Hermogenes Esperon accompanying the team.
Aside from government peace panel chair Rodolfo Garcia, Iqbal, and Malaysian facilitator Datuk Othman Abdul Razak, Esperon was also asked to initial the final draft of the MOA.
A five-paragraph joint statement signed by Garcia and Iqbal, announced the initialing of the final draft of the MOA.
"Having restarted the talks today, relying on the deep reservoir of goodwill and cooperation of both sides, the two panels have crafted an important document that would contribute immeasurably to peace in Mindanao, progress and prosperity for the Philippines, and strong affirmation of Malaysia - Philippine bilateral relations and multilateral cooperation for peace," the panel chairs said.
The conclusion of Sunday's session "marks the end of the negotiations on the third aspect of the Tripoli Agreement on Peace of 2001."
The two parties agreed to initial the final draft "pending its official signing by the Chairmen of the two Peace Panels in early August 2008, in Putrajaya, Malaysia."
Last week, the two parties set August 5 for the signing but this was canceled due to the breakdown in the talks Friday night.
The formal signing rites will be witnessed by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines and the Foreign Minister of Malaysia.
After the signing of the MOA, the panels will resume negotiation "on the Comprehensive Compact and finally address the Bangsamoro problem and the conflict in Mindanao." (Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pangasinan. (July 29, 2008 issue)
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