Socio-economic talks face delays over differences in outline - NDFP

From InterAksyon (Oct 7): Socio-economic talks face delays over differences in outline - NDFP

Communist rebels engaged in peace talks with the government saw delays in negotiations on social and economic reforms over differences on the outline of a potential agreement.

The second round of resumed formal negotiations, which opened in Oslo, Norway Friday, are meant to forge a Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms, capping the second of the four so-called “substantive agenda” of the peace talks.

Both sides are also expected to work out and agree to an indefinite bilateral ceasefire.

The first agenda, respect for human rights and international humanitarian law, was completed in early 1998, during the final days of the presidency of Fidel Ramos. The last two agenda are political and constitutional reforms, and cessation of hostilities and disposition of forces.

Julie de Lima, who chairs the Reciprocal Working Committee-Social and Economic Reforms of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, welcomed government’s “acceptance of the NDFP draft as the working draft of the discussions on social and economic reforms.”

At the same time, she said, both sides had exchanged “an outline of a comprehensive draft on social and economic reforms that includes agrarian reform, national industrialization, environmental protection, environmental protection, rights of the working people, foreign economic and trade relations, and, monetary and fiscal policies.”

De Lima is the wife of Communist Party of the Philippines founder and NDFP chief political consultant Jose Ma. Sison.

She said while both parties agreed to adopt the preamble and declaration of principles of the NDFP, the government “wants the ‘bases, scope and applicability’ to be deferred until they have exchanged a more detailed outline of the nine-point outcome.”

The NDFP maintains the outline “should be based on addressing the roots of the armed conflict while the GRP wants an outcomes-based outline,” she added.

De Lima said it was the government that requested “the postponement of discussions on the CASER for them to elaborate on their nine-point outcomes-based proposal,” which the NDFP described as “mere generalizations,” and promised to present a more detailed version during their Saturday discussions.

“The main purpose of the peace negotiations is to address the roots of the armed conflict which, among others, includes poverty, landlessness, joblessness, hunger, and inequality,” De Lima stressed.

“Placing the outcome ahead in an outline of an agreement on social and economic reforms is like putting the cart before the horse,” she added.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/133106/socio-economic-talks-face-delays-over-differences-in-outline---ndfp