MANILA, Philippines — The government peace panel is set to hold informal talks with the National Democratic Front this month before the fifth round of peace talks in August.
Government peace panel chair Silvestre Bello III said that the next round of peace talks would probably be held on the second or third week of August.
The fifth round of peace negotiations between the government and the communist group was suspended last May due to continuous attacks by rebel forces against government troops in the countryside.
"Before that para maghanda this time we have a good result, there will be an informal meeting between the panel and the meeting will be in Asia or the Philippines," Bello said in a press briefing at Malacañang.
The NDF, the political arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines, prefers to hold the informal meeting in Japan, according to Bello.
"Ang compromise ko naman ang layo naman ng Japan baka pwede ng Hong Kong or the Philippines especially so that Joma Sison will not be attending so walang problema doon," Bello said.
The government panel and the communist group will discuss socioeconomic reforms and the possibility of interim unilateral ceasefire during the informal meeting which will probably be held during the third of last week of July.
"Mag-uusap na sila para pagdating ng August maliwanag and it will only be for submission to the panel for formal approval by the panels," the peace panel chair said.
The fifth round of talks was supposed to be held from May 27 to June 1 in Noordwijk in the Netherlands.
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