From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 25): GPH, MILF peace panels out to finalize peace agreement in September

Government and Moro peace negotiators have agreed to hold a 10-day marathon talks next month to fast track the completion of a Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

“The parties are really convinced to complete the discussion of the remaining two annexes (power-sharing and normalization) to pave way for the signing of the CPA,” Maulana Alonto, a senior member of the peace panels of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Both sides are yet to complete the power sharing annexes during the 39th exploratory talks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia that ended Sunday.

In a joint statement, both the GPH and MILF peace panels said the four-day meeting had achieved “substantial progress in the discussions towards finalizing the Annexes on Power-sharing and Normalization to the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB).”

The final deal (CPA) will be composed of the FAB and four annexes on trsansitional arrangements and modalities, power-sharing, wealth-sharing and normalization.

On the issue of power sharing, the MILF peace panel pushed for what it called asymmetrical relations between the central government and the Bangsamoro government.

Alonto explained that the “asymmetrical relationship” simply means that the Bangsamoro can stand on its own.

He explained that it was not about independence or separation from central government but more a genuine autonomy.

Alonto added that this would allow the Bangsamoro to have its own government way different from the current autonomous region in Mindanao which Manila declared a “failed experiment.”

During the four-day meeting in Malaysia, both sides worked towards the resolution of some of the most crucial issues, the GPH-MILF joint communiqué said Sunday.

“Despite the sensitivity of these issues, the Parties remain committed to the problem-solving approach in order to reach consensus. In the spirit of partnership and mutual understanding, they are confident that an agreement will be reached soon,” it said.

Both sides also “discussed the composition of the Independent Commission on Policing and the possibility of convening it during the next meeting.”

The GPH and MILF peace panels also welcomed the attendance of observers from the House of Representatives, the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC), and civil society.

“This meeting provided an opportunity for an informal discussion between the members of Congress and the BTC,” the communiqué said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=558655