Philippine Gov't, MILF to Meet on Joint Exercises

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, February 12, 2002

Philippine Gov't, MILF to Meet on Joint Exercises

Peace negotiators from the Philippine government and the rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will meet on Sunday to discuss issues surrounding the ongoing Philippine-U.S. military exercises.

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

Peace negotiators from the Philippine government and the rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will meet on Sunday to discuss issues surrounding the ongoing Philippine-U.S. military exercises.

MILF's Vice-Chairman for Political Affairs Ghadzali Jaafar said peace panels from both parties will meet in the southern city of Cotabato on the exercises that began last month in the southern city of Zamboanga and nearly island of Basilan, the Philippine News Agency reported.

About 660 U.S. troops are being deployed there to help the local military wipe out the Abu Sayyaf bandits, who are still holding an American couple and a Filipino nurse in Basilan.

The United States has listed Abu Sayyaf as an international terrorist group linked to the al-Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden, whom Washington held responsible for the September 11 terror attacks on the United States last year.

The 12,500-strong MILF, accused by the Philippine military of providing assistance to the Abu Sayyaf, has warned earlier that it will attack the U.S. troops who appear on its territory, while the military threatened to target the MILF if it gets in way of operations against the Abu Sayyaf.

Jaafar said that MILF representatives will also hold talks with government delegates on how the MILF can help in the present kidnapping crisis in the southern island of l Mindanao.

Latest victims of such kidnapping incidents are a South Korean national and a local hotel owner who were abducted last Wednesday in the province of Sarangani. The military blamed the MILF for the abduction, but the rebel group denied it.

The MILF, which has been fighting since 1978 for an independent Islamic state in the southern Philippines, entered into peace talks with the government last year and signed a ceasefire agreement.

Questions?Comments? Click here

Philippine-U.S. Military Exercises Triggered Off

U.S. Troops Participating in Joint Military Drills Subject to Philippine Laws

Roundup: Philippines-U.S. Military Exercises Going on Amid Controversy