Peace talks with MILF to resume next month

MANILA, Philippines - The formal peace talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which were initially scheduled to resume on Feb. 18-19, will push through next month, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Annabelle Abaya said.

Abaya said the MILF requested to defer the peace talks until such time that the International Monitoring Team has been fully deployed.

Abaya earlier expressed optimism that a government-MILF peace accord will be realized before President Arroyo steps down on June 30.

The International Committee on the Red Cross welcomed the resumption of the peace talks, noting the growing number of people displaced in central Mindanao since fighting broke out in April 2008. – With Helen Flores