AFP. 5 January 2002. Communist insurgents say renewed peace talks with Philippines are "scuttled."
MANILA -- The communist insurgent leadership said Saturday that the resumption of peace talks with the Philippine government had been "scuttled" and blamed Manila for the problem. "The next round of formal peace talks between the GRP (government of the Republic of the Philippines) and the (communist insurgents) scheduled by mutual agreement for Janaury 7-11, 2002 in Oslo (Norway) have been scuttled by the GRP," the insurgents said in a statement issued in Manila. The communists said that the Philippines failed to submit a "note verbale" to the Norwegian government in time to inform Norway that it should prepare to host the resumption of the peace talks. Norway hosted the previous peace talks between the two sides. The communists also accused the government of President Gloria Arroyo of "pushing so-called backchannel talks" rather than formal negotiations, adding that Manila was refusing to sign any formal accords with the communists during these informal negotiations. The communist statement accused the government of making "baseless allegations" about the progress of the negotiations. The insurgents also charged that Manila had violated a unilateral ceasefire it called with the communists over the Christmas season. Both sides had called separate unilateral ceasefires which both end on January 6. The rebels, who maintain an international office in Utrecht, Netherlands, said that the government must show "seriousness" in continuing the formal peace talks by informing Norway in advance and carrying out "goodwill and confidence-building measures" agreed upon by both sides. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barry Stoller http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ProletarianNews
