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| Southeast Asia |
| Peace agreement is the key to more US aid for Mindanao |
| 2014-01-25 |
| The United States has committed to provide economic assistance to Mindanao with the expected conclusion of the peace talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. United States Ambassador Philip Goldberg said, “The US will support the government of the Philippines as they go about the peace efforts – specially we can help in the underpinning any agreement with economic assistance and advises so that people can build on that peaceful resolution." “We are not part of the talks but we what want to do is to support the peaceful resolution. We will try to help, support the process, even though we are not part of it,” he added. The Philippine government and the MILF expect to conclude on Sunday the disarmament annex and an additional agreement on Bangsamoro waters – the last two remaining documents before a comprehensive peace agreement can be signed – during the negotiations in Kuala Lumpur that began yesterday. Goldberg flew to Mindanao to sign an agreement with local government authoritiess for a good governance program. A faction of the Moro National Liberation Front has expressed an interest in beginning unity talks with the MILF. Muslimin Sema, chairman of the MNLF Council, said his group is not opposed to the peace agreement, but he underscored the need to respect the 1996 final peace agreement between the government and the MNLF. He said unity talks must be brokered by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. MNLF founding chairman Nur Misuari, who went into hiding after a warrant was issued against him over the Zamboanga siege in October, was earlier invited to join the Transition Commission but he declined. |
| Posted by:ryuge |