AFP. 4 January 2002. Manila says peace with communists close despite violence.
MANILA -- The Philippine government said on Friday it could strike a peace deal with communist insurgents within six months despite the rebels breaking a Christmas ceasefire. Manila's chief peace negotiator, Silvestre Bello, said successful "back-channelling" talks were conducted last month to fast-track the process. "We reached a tentative agreement that the former one-and-a-half-year time frame (for a peace deal) can be shortened," he said. "Both panels have agreed to finish the talks within a period of four to six months. "Assuming there are no disruptions or problems that will crop up, we may be able to get a final agreement before the end of the first semester (six months) this year." He did not say when the talks would resume, but said they would be held in Oslo, Norway. Bello's statement came a day after communist New People's Army (NPA) guerrillas killed a soldier and a government militiaman in an ambush in the southern province of Zamboanga del Sur. The attack was a direct violation of a Christmas truce which was due to expire on Sunday. "We recovered a backpack which contained subversive documents indicating they are NPA rebels," military spokesman Brigadier General Edilberto Adan said. Adan said the communists would likely accuse the military of starting the fight as they have done in previous alleged ceasefire violations. Bello said the latest violence "will have some slight effect but I don't think it will be a reason to scuttle the talks." Adan earlier said the communists were still the biggest security threat to the country despite the recent rash of kidnappings and attacks by Muslim armed groups in the south. "It (the communist insurgent movement) is nationwide. It has increased by 15 percent every year for the last five to six years," he said. The military has said there are about 12,000 communist insurgents in the Philippines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barry Stoller http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ProletarianNews
