Palace hoping for progress in talks with Reds

From ABS-CBN (Jul 13): Palace hoping for progress in talks with Reds

Malacañang is hoping for progress in the Philippine government's peace talks with communist leaders following a meeting between House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison.

''Sana po mula doon sa inisyal na pakikipag-usap ni Speaker Belmonte sa mga lider ng CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front) sa The Netherlands ay magkaroon po ng progreso hinggil sa muling pagbubukas ng diyalogo o usapan sa pagitan ng dalawang panig,'' Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a radio interview on Sunday.

Belmote and Sison met in Amsterdam last Thursday. Also present in the meeting was National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace panel chief Luis Jalandoni.

Sison has been in exile in Utrecht since 1986.

Coloma said the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, headed by Teresita Deles, still plays an active role in the government's efforts to talk peace with the Philippine communist leaders, who has been waging one of Asia's longest-running communist insurgencies.

 He added that before the peace talks resume, several issues must be resolved first.

'' Hindi po maipagpatuloy dahil sa hindi pagkakaunawaan tungkol sa susunding mga patakaran, kaya ito po ay kinakailangang pagkasunduan ng dalawang panig, at ‘yan nga po ang gawain ng ating Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process,'' he said.

Peace talks between the Philippine government and the communist leadership have stalled due to several issues, such as the communist party's demand that its detained consultants be released before the two parties resume talks.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/07/13/15/palace-hoping-progress-talks-reds