DFA, MILF can't attend OIC meet, says MNLF

From the Philippine Star (Oct 24): DFA, MILF can't attend OIC meet, says MNLF

A lawyer of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) claimed yesterday that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have no legal personality to attend the foreign ministers’ meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Djibouti next month. “The OIC meeting is exclusive only to member countries and the Philippines is already represented by MNLF chairman Nur Misuari,” the lawyer, who refused to be identified, said. He said the statement of the DFA that it will confront the issues raised by Misuari during the meeting of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) in Djibouti has no basis and is only a lot of “hot air” because all issues affecting the Muslims in the Philippines must be coursed through the MNLF, which has permanent observer status in the Islamic assembly. “If they (DFA and MILF) do not receive any invitation they cannot even enter the meeting site,” the lawyer said.... Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rafael Seguis said the signing of the framework agreement would be presented to the OIC meeting in Djibouti despite the pronouncements of Misuari that he would consult OIC leaders in Djibouti and complain that he was not consulted in the negotiations that forged the new Bangsamoro agreement.

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=862768&publicationSubCategoryId=63