Philippines: Manila to ask Indonesia to lead peace mission

Manila – The Filipino government feels that predominantly Muslim Indonesia would be an ideal replacement for Malaysia to lead international monitoring of the Muslim separatist group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Manila, through its chief negotiator Rodolfo Garcia said that Indonesia would be able to find common ground with Mindanao with respect to religion and culture.

"Logically, it helps if the [monitoring team`s] head comes from a country that is predominantly Muslim, because they will be able to understand the practice, religion and culture in Mindanao better," he told The Manila Standard newspaper.

Malaysia has announced that it would begin withdrawing its peacekeepers from Mindanao in the south of the country next month, as prospects for a final peace agreement remain dim.

Quoted on MILF`s official portal Luwaran, Khaled Musa, deputy chairman of the MILF committee on information, said that the government was to blame for Malaysia`s decision to withdraw from the monitoring mission.

"We will not plead with the Malaysian government to leave their international monitoring team in Mindanao," Musa said.

Malaysian deputy prime minister Najib Razak said his country would begin a phased withdrawal of its personnel from the peacekeeping force.

"We need to show that we cannot and we should not be there as part of the international monitoring team indefinitely," Razak said.

Malaysia will start pulling out its peacekeeping team, about 21 troops next month, but will leave some 30 personnel in the Philippines until the end of August.

Last year, exploratory talks between the Filipino government and the MILF ended after the rebel negotiators walked out of a meeting.

Led by Malaysia, the monitoring team includes members from Brunei and Libya.

Source: www.adnkronos.com

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