Indonesia postpones OIC-GPH-MNLF tripartite talks on Misuari's request

From InterAksyon (Sep 14): Indonesia postpones OIC-GPH-MNLF tripartite talks on Misuari's request

Indonesia has postponed the tripartite review talks on the 1996 peace agreement between the government and Moro National Liberation Front on the request of MNLF founder Nur Misuari.

The talks, scheduled for Monday, would also involve the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

Presidential peace adviser Teresita Deles said the government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, received a note verbale about the postponement from the Indonesian embassy in Manila.

 “It stated that the request was made by MNLF chair Nur Misuari due to the ‘situation in Zamboanga City’,” referring to the continuing standoff between MNLF fighters and government troops that entered its sixth day Saturday, Deles said in a statement.

Deles said the MNLF secretariat had asked Indonesia to move the tripartite review to a later date, preferably the first week of October.

”The Department of Foreign Affairs has accordingly conveyed to the Indonesian embassy that the government will respect the decision of the OIC-PCSP Chair (OIC Peace Committee for Southern Philippines),” she said.

“We consider it unfortunate that this opportunity for a face-to-face meeting that had been set precisely to discuss the status of the Tripartite Implementation review and the future of this peace process is yet again delayed,” she said.

”We conveyed to the chair of the OIC-PCSP our concern that this meeting not be indefinitely postponed,” she added. “We remain committed to our continuing engagement with the MNLF for the full implementation of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement, in pursuit of just and lasting peace in Mindanao.”

The Zamboanga standoff is the offshoot of the MNLF’s perception that government’s negotiations with the rival Moro Islamic Liberation Front would cast aside the 1996 peace agreement.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/70704/indonesia-postpones-oic-gph-mnlf-tripartite-talks-on-misuaris-request