Brunei to play bigger role in peace talks

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah has agreed to increase Brunei’s role in helping the Philippines win a peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), officials said yesterday.

The ruler of the oil-rich sultanate held talks with President Arroyo at Malacañang yesterday during his three-day state visit.

After the meeting Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Esteban Conejos said Brunei “is prepared to increase their commitment” to a multinational task force of peacekeepers in Mindanao, possibly tripling the Brunei contingent to 30.

“We expect them (Brunei) to do even more,” Economic Planning Secretary Ralph Recto said after the Bolkiah-Arroyo meeting.

“They could head the international delegation in monitoring the peace process,” Recto added.

Their mutual neighbor Malaysia bowed out of that role last year, citing the lack of progress after years of negotiations hosted by Kuala Lumpur.

However, Malaysian Foreign Minister Rais Yatim said on Thursday his government may reconsider its stance once Manila has addressed a number of issues which Kuala Lumpur believes are blocking a peace settlement, including the Muslim minority’s rights to their “ancestral domain” as well as self-rule. 

After the meeting Bolkiah and Mrs. Arroyo issued a joint statement of appreciation for the sultanate’s “unwavering commitment” to support the peace process.

Mrs. Arroyo earlier sent emissaries to Kuala Lumpur to sound out foreign partners on her efforts to resume peace talks with the MILF next month. – Paolo Romero