Govt tried to revive talks sans Malaysia - MILF

MANILA, Philippines - The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Thursday revealed an effort by the government peace panel to revive the peace process without going through the Malaysian facilitator in the talks. In a telephone interview, MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said newly-appointed government chief negotiator Rafael Seguis - through an emissary - sought for a meeting last December in an apparent move to revive the stalled talks. Iqbal, however, said that the rebel group declined the proposed meeting, saying such invitations should be coursed through Malaysia which mediates in the peace negotiations. “He wants us to talk... But we (MILF) think that it’s not proper because we have a facilitator. If we talk to them (Seguis) directly, then that is against the established procedure," Iqbal said. “The (effort) was made by the new GRP peace panel chairman. Someone told us officially that he wants to talk to me. I told the emissary that we should instead talk in Kuala Lumpur in case there will be a resumption of the talks," he added. Iqbal also said that even the new framework aimed at jumpstarting the talks being readied by the government peace panel which was announced by Malacañang on Tuesday should still undergo the Malaysian facilitator. “There is a facilitator and if the government has any plans regarding the peace talks, including resumption then they should pass it through the Malaysian facilitator." Talks with between the two sides hit the snag in August following the aborted signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD). In the interview, Iqbal reiterated the MILF’s position that it not going to return to the negotiating table unless the issue on MOA-AD is resolved. The agreement, declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, would have established a Bangsamoro Juridical Entity. On reports that statement of Seguis that his panel is willing to meet with the MILF panel across the negotiating table without any precondition, Iqbal said: “They should pass it to Kuala Lumpur, lets see what happens." “What they are saying about there should be no condition, I think that’s only about rhetorics. How could you talk if there is no guidelines, if there is no basis. Even in ordinary meeting, you need an agenda, how much for a negotiation?" he asked. - GMANews.TV