Government, rebels eye Libya to hold peace talks
The Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) are eyeing to hold the resumption of peace talks in Tripoli, Libya, tentatively set for January 11- 15, 2010, to finalize the drafting of a new organic act for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
Secretary Annabelle T. Abaya of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) and Prof. Nur Misuari, MNLF founding chairman, met Thursday at the Indonesian Embassy in Makati City to move forward the tripartite meeting reviewing the implementation of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement (FPA) between GRP and MNLF.
Lawyer Randolp Parcasio, one of MNLF's legal counsels and staunch ally of the MNLF leader, described the meeting as frank and cordial, which was hosted and facilitated by the Indonesia-chaired Peace Committee for Southern Philippines (PCSP) of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).
There was a common understanding between GRP and MNLF to continue the tripartite talks with a meeting of the legal panels of the two sides, he said.
Parcasio said being eyed as venue for the legal panels' meeting are Tripoli; Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; and Jakarta, Indonesia.
"The goal is to come up with a final draft of a new organic act for the ARMM that embodies the 1976 Tripoli Agreement and the 1996 Jakarta Agreement (FPA). It will contain provisions of the FPA, especially those still to be implemented by GRP," said Parcasio.
Misuari, who was acquitted by the Makati Regional Trial Court of his rebellion case on Dec. 2, voiced "hope GRP would finally honor its binding international and commitment under the 1976 Tripoli Agreement and the 1996 Final Peace Agreement."
GRP and MNLF, through the facilitation of the OIC, agreed during the third main tripartite talks in the Philippines on March 11-13, 2009 to create legal panels for the two parties.
Its mandate is for the drafting of an organic act to amend Republic Act 9054 for the full implementation of the FPA.
PCSP, OIC's special body handling the GRP-MNLF affairs, is chaired by Indonesia. Its members are Saudi Arabia, Libya, Senegal, Somalia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Brunei, Egypt, Turkey, and Pakistan.
In early November this year, Ambassador Rezlan I. Jenie, director general for Multi-Lateral Affairs of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, come to Manila and met with Misuari.
Parcasio said Jenie asked the MNLF leader if he still wanted the tripartite talks to continue.
"Chairman Misuari answered 'Yes,' because that is the only way to pursue the complete implementation of the 1996 final peace agreement and pursuant to OIC resolutions," said the MNLF legal counsel.
Parcasio said the MNLF will not abandon the FPA until it is fully implemented. Also part of the meeting is for the crafting of a new legislation that will incorporate all the unimplemented provisions of the FPA.
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/235101/government-rebels-eye-libya-hold-peace-talks