GPH-MILF resume talks in KL Monday

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 23): GPH-MILF resume talks in KL Monday

Efforts to find lasting solution to the Mindanao problem resumes Monday as government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front peace negotiators meet anew for the 37th exploratory talks in Kuala Lumpur.

Mohaqher Iqbal, chief MILF negotiator, said next week's exploratory talks will dwell more on the annexes on power-wealth sharing and normalization, two of the remaining vital issues.

"I hope we can agree on these issues during our next meeting," Iqbal said in a phone interview.

Iqbal, who heads the Transition Commission created by the President to draft the Bangsamoro Basic Law, is optimistic next Monday's meeting will not be disturbed by the conflict in Sabah.

Iqbal refused to comment on the matter, claiming silence would be the best MILF could do in the current situation.

During the 36th exploratory talks, also in Malaysia, both the government and MILF peace negotiators signed one of the four annexes, the transitional arrangements and modalities or TAM.

As the Sabah issue intensified last month, government chief negotiator Prof. Miriam Coronel-Ferrer said she was very optimistic the peace deal will be signed next month.

Iqbal said the power and wealth sharing has been agreed upon but the signing is yet to take place.

After the signing, the Transition Commission is expected to convene immediately to draft the proposed basic law.

The draft will then be forwarded to Congress for approval and once signed by the President it will sent to the people for ratification.

It will replace the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao where most of the Bangsamoro people reside.

ARMM is composed of the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi and the cities of Marawi and Lamitan.

Simultaneous with the resumption of the peace talks, peace rallies will be spearheaded by the Mindanao peace advocates groups in Cotabato City, Marawi City and Pikit in North Cotabato.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=510074