Sunday, March 19, 2017

Peace talks to be held in The Netherlands

From the Manila Bulletin (Mar 18): Peace talks to be held in The Netherlands

The fourth round of peace talks between the Philippine government (GRP) and the National Democratic Front (NDF) will be held in The Netherlands, not Oslo, Norway from April 1 to 7.
 
This was confirmed by a member of the GRP Panel, who said that the change in venue was to make sure that Jose Maria Sison, founding chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the NDF Peace Panel’s chief political consultant who is ailing would be able to attend the talks.
 
Sison, 78, has been living in exile in Utrecht, The Netherlands since 1987 and reported to be not in good health.
 
In fact, during the third round of the peace talks in Rome, Italy last January, Sison fell ill and had to be rushed to the hospital and was not able to attend the last days of the negotiations.
 
The Manila Bulletin source intimated that Sison may not be able to withstand the rigors of the two-hour flight from Amsterdam to Oslo.

The agreement on a bilateral ceasefire is expected to be on top of the agenda of the Netherland talks, which had been formally proposed by the GRP Peace Panel in Rome.

The creation of a Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC), which will oversee the implementation of a bilateral ceasefire is also expected to be tackled.

Discussions on the Comprehensive Agreement on Socio-Economic Reforms (CASER) will likewise be continued, as well as Political and Constitutional Reforms (PRC).

Both parties agreed to return to the negotiation table after informal talks were held in Utrecht last March 5.

The agreement came after the GRP and NDF terminated their respective unilateral ceasefires last month due to escalating conflicts on the ground. President Duterte was incensed over the brutal slay of four government troops that he ordered peace panel negotiators to pack up and return to the Philippines. The atrocities by NPA rebels against government troops were committed while their unilateral ceasefire was in effect.

Following appeals from various quarters to resume the talks, President Duterte relented after back channeling moves to fulfill a campaign promise to bring peace to the country.

But this time he has set conditions to “ensure that genuine peace talks are realized.”

“I want a ceasefire that is reduced in writing and the parameters clearly shown where we should be going and what we should do if it fails,” the President said.
 

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