Palace: EU willing to help RP in talks with MILF

The European Union (EU) is interested in joining the international team monitoring the conduct of peace negotiations between the Philippine government and Moro rebels in Mindanao, Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza said on Wednesday. Mendoza said representatives from EU expressed their interest when they paid a courtesy call to him Wednesday morning in Malacañang. EU is already involved in the peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), which have been stalled since August 2004 due to the Arroyo administration's alleged inaction in convincing the US to remove the CCP and its armed and political wings from the US list of foreign terrorist organizations. The government welcomed EU’s interest in the peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). "Anybody, international body or anybody, who wants to do a contribution towards a peaceful Mindanao, particularly, is welcome to us," Mendoza said. Mendoza said they are hoping that the involvement of the EU in the International Monitoring Team (IMT) would help hasten the resolution of the peace talks, citing the group's wide experience in peace negotiations. EU Ambassador to the Philippines Alistair MacDonald, during the Europe Day celebration Tuesday night, said the EU has been active in the development and humanitarian assistance in the conflict-stricken areas. MacDonald said the details of EU’s participation, however, would be finalized once the new terms of reference have been agreed with by the government and MILF panels. The IMT at present include representatives from Malaysia Brunei, Japan, and Libya. - KBK/RSJ, GMANews.TV