Military

DATE=07/9/03

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-305236

TITLE=PHILIPPINES MALAYSIA (L-ONLY)

BYLINE=GARY THOMAS

DATELINE=BANGKOK

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: The president of the Philippines and Malaysia's deputy prime minister met in Manila to discuss cementing a peace pact between the Philippines government and Muslim rebels. But as V-O-A correspondent Gary Thomas reports from our Southeast Asia Bureau in Bangkok, there are still some stumbling blocks.

TEXT: Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo told Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Wednesday that the government would not resist moves to lift arrest warrants against Muslim separatist rebel leaders in the southern Philippines.

The threat of arrest of rebel negotiators has been one of the big barriers to the continuing peace talks. Ms. Arroyo's concessions are considered a step forward.

Ms. Arroyo told Mr. Abdullah that her government was not opposed to lifting the warrants, but she says the appeal to lift the warrants must come from the rebels. Under the Philippines legal system, only the courts can lift the arrest warrants.

However, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, or M-I-L-F, says it is not certain that it can do that. Reached by telephone, M-I-L-F spokesman Eid Kabalu told V-O-A that such a move violates the separatist group's policy of non-recognition of the Philippines constitution.

/// KABALU ACT ///

She (Arroyo) wanted the M-I-L-F to do the initiative. But time and again, the M-I-L-F made it very, very clear that it cannot do that. Why? Because the M-I-L-F has a policy of not recognizing the Philippine constitution. And in doing so, the M-I-L-F would be stooping itself to that position.

/// END ACT ///

Mr. Kabalu says no decision has been made on whether to reverse that policy.

The government and the M-I-L-F reached an initial peace agreement last month, but the process has stalled, largely due to the issue of warrants.

Malaysia has acted as intermediary before in talks between the Philippines government and the separatist M-I-L-F. The Malaysian negotiators say lifting arrest warrants and bounties on the heads of rebel leaders is crucial to confidence building between the two sides.

/// OPT ///

Philippine Foreign Secretary Blas Ople says an agreement had been reached in principle that Malaysia would form the cease-fire monitoring team once talks resume and a truce is reached.

From the M-I-L-F side, Mr. Kabalu says there is no disagreement over the issue of peace monitors.

/// KABALU ACT ///

That is in line with the efforts by the parties to strengthen the cease-fire agreement on the ground. We welcome that development.

/// END ACT ///

Mr. Kabalu adds that he is optimistic about the resumption of peace negotiations.

/// END OPT ///

The M-I-L-F has been waging a 25-year insurgency for an independent Islamic state in the southern Philippines, which is a predominantly Catholic country. (signed)

NEB/HK/GPT/MH/FC