Gov’t expects progress in talks with Reds

Government representatives to the upcoming peace talks with the leaders of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the National Democratic Front (NDF) in Oslo, Norway have expressed optimism that there will be a "substantial development" during the formal talks this month.

"We hope that we will come up to an agreement to fast-track and enhance the process of the peace talks," said Teresita Quintos-Deles, presidential adviser on the peace process.

"This time around, we will accelerate the talks... the difference now is that there is a third party helping us," she said, referring to the initiatives of the Norwegian government to help out in the peace talks.

Delegates led by chief negotiator Silvestre Bello III are set to leave tomorrow for Norway for the three-day talks starting Feb. 10.

"At the moment, there are no hitches" to the resumption of the talks, Bello said.

Deles, for her part, urged the public to support the Philippine delegation and join a prayer rally tomorrow at Our Lady of EDSA Shrine in Mandaluyong for the peaceful and successful conduct of the peace talks.

Deles said President Arroyo will attend the Mass along with former Presidents Corazon Aquino and Fidel Ramos.

With the Norwegian government acting as mediator between the Philippines and the CPP-NDF, Deles expressed hopes that both parties will finally "find a way of addressing" several concerns, particularly the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement of Human Rights and Humanitarian International Law.

Deles said the government panel is expected to discuss with the NDF other issues, including implementation of socio-economic reforms and cessation of hostilities with the communist New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas.

"We are hopeful because there is a third-party coordination," she said.

Deles said she would join members of the government peace panel in Oslo.

She explained that under the present condition, stopping the hostilities with the NPA "is not a necessary condition" in pursuing the peace talks.

The President announced Thursday that the government would resume its formal peace talks with CPP-NDF leaders in Oslo, Norway next week with the Royal Norwegian government as third party facilitator.

Mrs. Arroyo said the peace talks are in the national interest, and that the insurgency can be ended through a combination of reconciliation and implementing "the full force of law."

The talks resume almost one year after attempts made by a three-man "exploratory team" led by Bello to convince communist leaders Luis Jalandoni and Jose Ma. Sison to end their self-exile in the Netherlands and return to the negotiating table even after the United States and the European Union included them and the CPP-NPA-NDF on the foreign terrorist organization watch list.

The government suspended the talks in 2001 after NPA guerrillas gunned down a former congressman they accused of human rights violations.

Bello and Jalandoni issued a joint statement last month to work out the continuation of the peace negotiations "within the framework of The Hague Declaration of 1992 and subsequent agreements of the GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines) and NDF." – With AFP