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Philippines hints resumption of peace talks with Muslim rebels

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-12-13 14:18

MANILA -- The Philippine government on Saturday said it might re-start the freezed peace talks with the country's largest Muslim rebel group as soon as at the end of the year.

"Informal talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are expected to start shortly after the President's official visit to Qatar, possibly by December 22," a statement released by the Presidential Office said.  

Arroyo was quoted as saying that the Philippines "could learn something from Qatar" which brokered the settlement of the Lebanese internal conflict mounted by Muslim separatists.

It said Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Hermogenes Esperon Jr. considered Qatar as an "international guarantor" in the peace negotiations between the government and the MILF.

Muslim rebels have been fighting government troops for four decades in order to establish a separate state in resources-rich and Muslim-dominating Mindanao. Peace talks between the two sides have been halted amid lack of trust and escalation of clashes in August this year.

The government, irked by the alleged looting and burning of Christian villages by MILF fighters, has scrapped the peace negotiation panel in September.

In Saturday's statement, President Arroyo said she has appointed Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rafael Seguis as the chief of the reconstituted government's Mindanao peace panel preparatory to the resume the talks.