Government, MILF peace talks nearing 'cusp of history'

THE Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the separatist group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) successfully concluded their 29th formal exploratory talks after three days of difficult negotiations, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process said on Thursday.
Government peace panel chair Marvic Leonen said that in the recently concluded formal talks in Malaysia, both parties have accomplished “something which the GPH and the MILF have never achieved before.”
“These agreements may be in principle, some in detail,” he said, adding the peace negotiations between the government and the Muslim rebels are now approaching the “cusp of history.”
“For a centuries-old conflict and years of negotiations, we definitely will face the hardest questions and confront our principals with the hardest decisions yet ever to be made in these negotiations,” he added.
In the joint statement after the three-day talks, both sides have expressed confidence in their discussions on mechanisms toward realizing the new autonomous political entity (NPE), which will replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm).
The NPE is one of the 10 common standpoints indicated in the Decision Points on Principles signed by the panels in April.
In the same joint statement, the parties said they continued discussions on substantive issues, which include power-sharing and other related matters. They also agreed to meet again in August.
Despite achievements in the recent negotiation, Leonen said the government remains guardedly optimistic.
“For the GPH, there are still many issues to be resolved, including the mechanisms that will ensure the delivery of all these commitments made through broad acceptance by all our critical sectors,” he said.
Malaysian facilitator Tengku Dato’ Ghafar Tengku bin Mohamed also expressed optimism that the GPH and the MILF are “closer to the vision of the Final Peace Agreement.”
“However, we feel there is a lot of work to be done. One thing is – we are moving very fast. I think that is important. The spirit of the whole Final Agreement is understood by both parties,” he said.
On the same note, MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal agreed that the parties “have achieved something.” He congratulated everyone for enduring three days of hard discussions.
Iqbal said negotiations are always difficult, particularly in their final stages.
“The devils are in the details. We can easily agree on principles, on general framework, on general concepts. But when we discuss the details, the devils are waiting in ambush. So, it is not very difficult to understand why the last stretch of our negotiation is so difficult,” Iqbal said.
“Just wait, because the real matters are yet in the offing and I think finally it would be disclosed to everyone, to the public, to the people back in Mindanao,” he said.
Leonen said the government looks forward to the day when both sides are “able to sign the first of a series of agreements.”
“The GPH believes that we are at the door of something new, and that something new would be to sign an agreement. And then to go on to the next phase of our relationship–to actually implement and be able to achieve the just and lasting peace that our people so richly deserve,” he added.
The panel chair likewise stressed that the future of communities affected by conflict “depends a lot on the words that we craft, the goodwill that we have won, the patience that we can muster.”
“We are confident that even our working relationship that we have seen so far, that we will be true to ourselves and our principles, as well as the beliefs of our principals. That we can see a way forward,” he said.
The panels are set to hold their next round of formal exploratory talks next month.
“We expect the next meetings not to be less in terms of its intensity,” Leonen said as he anticipates discussions to get more difficult.
Iqbal conveyed hopes that both sides “will be able to achieve many things on our way to resolve the Moro question in Mindanao.”
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-news/2012/07/19/government-milf-peace-talks-nearing-cusp-history-232860

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