Dureza confirms 'quiet' back-channel talks with Reds

From ABS-CBN (May 22): Dureza confirms 'quiet' back-channel talks with Reds

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza on Tuesday hinted that formal peace negotiations between the government and the communist rebels may soon resume.

"As agreed between the 2 panels that met recently abroad on a quiet back-channel mode, we are not free to disclose details thereof unless both sides agree jointly to make the announcement," Dureza said in a text message to ANC.

"In fact, the panel chair of the CPP/NPA/NDF issued a statement earlier reminding and admonishing the government side of prematurely announcing outcomes when the truth was that it was the newspaper article that unduly disclosed the preliminary outcomes, despite the general statement that was issued by the govt side," he added.


"If Mr. Joma Sison now discloses those positive outcomes, it is a clear indication that a conducive environment to the full resumption of the cancelled talks is at hand," Dureza said.

The two sides began holding informal talks in Europe in a bid to resume peace talks earlier this month.

Gov't, Reds start informal talks in Europe

Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Maria Sison on Monday revealed that an interim peace agreement is expected to be signed when formal talks between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines resume on June 28.

Aging communist leader Sison eyes homecoming this year

Both sides, he said, were expected to announce a stand-down agreement two weeks before that.

"So, by June 14, plantsado na (it's all ironed out)," he said. "Of course, I may be proven wrong because everything depends on that joint announcement... but I don’t see any problem because there may be some misunderstanding but they can be solved."

The talks fell through in November last year following clashes between government troops and communist rebels.

President Rodrigo Duterte then moved to have the CPP - New People’s Army declared as a terrorist group.

Duterte, however, had a change of heart, saying he would like to give peace another chance.

Duterte wants to give peace talks with Reds ‘another last chance’

http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/22/18/dureza-confirms-quiet-back-channel-talks-with-reds