GPH Chief Negotiator: GPH-MILF peace process reaches new phase

From the Philippine Information Agency (Apr 12): GPH Chief Negotiator: GPH-MILF peace process reaches new phase

Government of the Philippines (GPH) peace panel chair Professor Miriam Coronel-Ferrer on Thursday said that the peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is taking on a “new phase” never reached before by both sides.

“We are where the process has never been before. Never before had the negotiations between the government and the MILF come to the stage of actually defining and listing down powers; of actually identifying sources of funds and revenues for the new political entity that we are creating. Never before has the transformation of an armed group been discussed let alone imagined in detail,” she said in her speech during the closing ceremony of the 37th GPH-MILF Formal Exploratory Talks in Kuala Lumpur, a statement from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace (Process) said.

The panels concluded their three-day talks with the signing of the Terms of Reference for Sajahatra Bangsamoro, which is a development program jointly undertaken by the GPH and the MILF to deliver basic socio-economic services to target communities in the south.

Discussions on the normalization annex by their respective Technical Working Groups also resumed while both parties continued to discuss the remaining issues on power-sharing and wealth-sharing.

“Let us not think there is only one correct way of moving forward. After this round, we have agreed to a process of exchanging notes that will settle the unresolved issues,” Coronel-Ferrer added, thanking Malaysian Facilitator Tengku Dato’ Ab Ghafar Tengku Mohamed for his “willingness to maximize the potential of this approach in the next weeks before we convene again for the finishing touches.”

She said that both panels may possibly sign the three remaining annexes at the same time or sign each in a sequential process.

“However the actual process turns out, what is important is that we do this together, take the same path together, and reach our goal together – with the rest of the country, the whole government, its three branches, Philippine civil society and the international community behind us,” Coronel-Ferrer stated.

Overcoming challenges

The peace panel chair quoted President Aquino in describing the current stage of the GPH-MILF peace process to the difficult part called “Heartbreak Hill” in the famous Boston marathon.

“The Heartbreak Hill, it turns out, has many diversions. We are once more in this long marathon, at the crossroad where we need to stop and reflect … to get us a full second wind that will carry us through the finishing line.”

Tough round

MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal described the three-day sessions as “tough.”

He congratulated everyone “for being very professional” as they exchanged their views “in the spirit of fair play and understanding.”

“We know that in negotiations, nothing is personal, it is about issues,” said Iqbal. “Rest assured that on the part of MILF peace panel, we have only respect for our counterparts in government. I know that our counterparts in government are honorable women and men. We salute all of them.”

He stressed the need to complete the annexes the soonest possible time. “We understand that the remaining issues are very tough, very, very tough but they are not insurmountable. We can surmount all these remaining issues as long as our negotiation is (geared toward) problem-solving. We can settle these, Insha Allah.”

Based on solid ground

Coronel-Ferrer reiterated, “The GPH wants a peace agreement based on a solid foundation that will withstand scrutiny and has solid legal, political and financial grounds.”

“We are thoroughly reviewing all the issues on the table so that we can confidently sign and implement what we agree to,” she stated.(opapp.gov.ph)

http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1781365764951