A heavily-armed rebel guards an MILF plenum in the southern Philippines. (Photo by Mark Navales – Mindanao Examiner)
COTABATO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / July 18, 2012) – Philippine peace negotiators ended talks on Wednesday with the country’s largest Muslim rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front in Malaysia with both sides agreeing to meet again next month.
The peace panels, headed by Marvic Leonen for the Philippine government, and Mohagher Iqbal, for the MILF, discussed the proposed new political entity that would replace the current five-province Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
“The 29th round of Exploratory Talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front successfully ended today in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with both sides expressing confidence in wrapping up discussions on mechanisms towards the realization of a new political entity that would replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao as contained in the April 2012 GPH-MILF Decision Points on Principles,” said a joint statement sent to the Mindanao Examiner.
The peace talks are being supported by
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