Govt, MILF to continue peace talks under next admin

The Philippine government and Moro rebel negotiators agreed Thursday to continue talks to end the decades-long separatist rebellion in the country's troubled south after President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo steps down later this month. In their final meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the current government peace panel and representatives of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front signed a declaration to pursue a political settlement, a Philippine foreign affairs official said. Congress is expected next week to officially proclaim opposition Senator Benigno Aquino III, the son of the country's democracy icons, as Arroyo's successor after last month's national elections. The official ballot count shows that Aquino could win as president by a landslide. Arroyo, who has been president since 2001, is to step down on June 30. "Today, we put closure to this stage of the peace negotiations with a clear statement by both parties that we will preserve our gains and accomplishments, and work our best for the continuation of the talks," Foreign Undersecretary Rafael Seguis, the chief government peace negotiator, said in a statement. The Kuala Lumpur declaration "will provide a smooth transition to the next administration," Seguis said. The two sides welcomed the participation of the European Union in the International Monitoring Team, which monitors the cease-fire, and the involvement of Norway as the newest team member. Malaysia has been brokering the talks since they began in 1997. The declaration said the negotiators also discussed "new formulas" that will respond to the aspirations of Muslims for a just peace and self-governance. Arroyo's administration failed to seal a preliminary peace pact after it was opposed by Christian politicians in 2008. The Supreme Court declared the pact unconstitutional, sparking fierce fighting that killed hundreds and displaced about 750,000 people. A cease-fire has taken hold since then. Aquino has said he will restart talks with the rebels and will consult all affected groups, including Christian politicians, to ensure acceptance of any peace pact. The rebels have congratulated Aquino on his expected victory, saying in an editorial on their website last month that he deserved "the admiration of all" for a near-impossible feat of having the winning edge in the elections even though he decided late to enter the presidential race. "Noynoy is surely a good man, but as president, it remains to be seen," the rebels said, calling Aquino by his nickname. They praised his late parents — the late President Corazon Aquino and Benigno Aquino Jr., who was assassinated in 1983 on his return from exile to unite the opposition against then dictator Ferdinand Marcos — for supporting the cause of minority Muslims. — AP