[Via... http://www.egroups.com/group/Communist-Internet ] . ----- Original Message ----- From: Downwithcapitalism <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, April 30, 2001 2:26 AM Subject: [downwithcapitalism] FW: Peace talks proceed as gov't shakes Associated Press. 29 April 2001. Philippines Peace Negotiators Press Ahead With Talks. Analysis at bottom. OSLO, Norway The two sides in a 32-year armed conflict in the Philippines took what they hope is a key step toward peace Sunday by discussing social and economic reforms to root out poverty at the heart of a communist rebellion. Though they released few details of the discussions, negotiators from both the government and the communist rebels said they were optimistic about possible changes. "I think both sides are confident and determined to take on these tough issues," said Luis Jalandoni, the Netherlands-based leader of the National Democratic Front rebel group. "This is a definitive advance." The sides spent the first two days of their talks, which began Friday in the Norwegian capital of Oslo, setting a framework for negotiations, asking for good faith measures and arguing over a human rights pact reached before the last round of talks collapsed in 1999. Despite continuing violence at home and disagreement on how to implement that previous accord, the sides claimed progress in a three-step process aimed at forging a peace in 18 months. "We still face a lot of difficult issues because there are wide-ranging and deep-going differences on the two sides, but in terms of creating the atmosphere and the circumstances to hold these talks, certainly there are very favorable conditions now," Jalandoni said. Chief government negotiator Silvestre Bello III said progress "is definitely being made." He said the disagreements were mainly over how to jointly monitor a 1998 agreement on protecting human rights. "It is an old issue," Bello said, adding that both sides "have shown a determination to continue." The round of talks is to end Monday, with more possibly in late May. The talks coincided with protests in the impoverished Asian nation of 79 million people over the arrest on corruption charges of ousted President Joseph Estrada and continued violence between communist rebels and the government. The rebels, who are fighting for a Marxist state, also have demanded several concessions from the government as a show of good faith, including the speedy release of political prisoners, land reforms, wages increases and the return of displaced people to their homes. <>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<> A definite example of real politick. The current regime in the Philippines could not be weaker than it is as the present with Estrada demonstrators numbering the tens of thousands. A great opportunity to wrest demands from a shaky government... or a moment of grave danger, considering that much greater opportunities may be missed. SPAM TO FOLLOW Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
