Norway says gov't-NDF peace talks may resume next month

MANILA, Philippines - Peace negotiations between the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF) may resume next month in Oslo, Norway.

Norway’s special envoy Ture N.L. Lundh said he had an amiable and constructive meeting in Manila last Sept. 6 with Alexander Padilla and Luis Jalandoni, chairpersons of the government and NDF negotiating panels, respectively.

“We are communicating with both parties on a regular basis, and this was another welcome opportunity for us to look at ways at taking steps to resume talks in Oslo, sooner rather than later, hopefully already in late October this year,” Lundh said in an email to The STAR.

Although there are complicated issues for the parties to resolve, Lundh said “I am pleased to convey – after the meeting – a sense of moderate optimism and belief in the prospects for moving the peace process further in the right direction.”

“As a third party facilitator we have trust and confidence in both parties’ commitment and determination to continue the talks and ultimately to reach agreements for peace,” he added.

Norway, broker of the talks, sent Lundh to the Philippines after negotiations stalled over the NDF’s demand for the government to release its 13 captured comrades.

A US diplomatic cable published by the whistleblower website WikiLeaks said Norway has been unsuccessful in trying to facilitate peace talks between the government and the NDF-Communist Party of the Philippines.

In a Feb. 27, 2007 diplomatic cable sent by the US embassy in Manila to Washington, the embassy mentioned Norway to have privately expressed interest in exploring assistance, perhaps financial, to the Department of Justice’s expanded witness protection program in resolving extrajudicial and other unexplained killings.

The embassy reported the government’s request to the US for help on extrajudicial killings.

In November, Malacañang said that President Aquino preferred that NDF leaders visit Malacañang with a peace agreement already signed.

But Jalandoni maintained that there is no shortcut to a peace agreement and solving fundamental problems is crucial to resolving the decades-old conflict.