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8/6/2019 PCOO - Press Statement - Dean Marvic Leonen on the Meeting Between President Aquino and MILF Chairman Al Ha
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FORIMMEDIATERELEASE
FORIMMEDIATERELEASE
WearepleasedtosharethefollowingPressStatementfromDeanMarvicLeonen,ChairoftheGovernmentPeaceNegotiatingPanel
fortheTalkswiththeMILF,onthemeetingofPresidentAquinoandMILFChairAlHajMuradIbrahim.
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StatementofDeanMarvicLeonen,ChairoftheGovernmentPeace
NegotiatingPanelfortheTalkswiththeMILF,onthemeeting
ofPresidentAquinoandMILFChairAlHajMuradIbrahim
ThePresidentlastnightmetwiththeChairoftheMoroIslamicLiberationFront(MILF)AlHajMuradIbrahimforabouttwohours.
Themeetingwascordialbutconsistedofafrankandcandidexchangeoftheirviewsabouttheframesofthecontinuingpeacetalksandsomepossibleapproachesthatthepartiescantaketobringaboutapeacefulsettlement.Bothagreedthattheimplementation
ofanyagreementshouldhappenwithinthecurrentadministration.Bothagreedtofasttrackthenegotiations.
ItwasthePresidenthimselfwhosoughtthemeetingpriortothegovernmentssubmissionofitsownagendaforthetalks.
Itshouldbe recalledthattheformalmeetingsetforJune27,2011wasconvertedbythepanelsintoaninformalmeeting. Itwas
duringthatmeetingthatthepanelsdiscussedthepossibilityforthemeetingbetweenthePresidentandtheChairoftheMILF.The
GPHpanel shared itsproposeddetails andagenda. TheMILF panel on theotherhandcommunicated theview of their Central
Committee that theofferfor ameetingwasa grandgestureon thepartofgovernment. Theyalsomentioned that itwasan
honorthatthishistoricalmeetingwasgoingtotakeplace.
OnlythePresident,ChairMuradandtheirnotetakerswereinthemeetingroom.Themeetingwasinformal.Themeetinghelpstheformalnegotiationsbetweenthepanelsofbothsides.Itwillfacilitateitsprogress.
ThisisthefirsttimethataPresidentmeetswiththeChairoftheMoroIslamicLiberationFrontsincethenegotiationscommenced14
yearsago.
ThePresidentwasaccompaniedtothemeetingplacebytheSecretariesofNationalDefense,BudgetandManagement,Financeas
wellasthePresidentialAdviseronthePeaceProcess,thePresidentialSpokespersonandtheChairoftheGPHNegotiatingPanel.
ChairMuradwasaccompaniedtothemeetingplacebysomemembersoftheCentralCommittee,theChairandsomemembersof
theMILFsNegotiatingPanelandsomebasecommanders.
To ensure thesecurity of theparticipants andprovidethe necessary environment free from anyagendawhich would cloud the
discussions,themeetingtookplacein thesuburbsofTokyo.ThePresidentarrivedinJapanatabout6 intheeveningofAugust4,
ThursdayandlefttoreturntoManilaatabout10oclockinthemorningofAugust5.Themeetingtookplaceatabout8:30inthe
evening,afterIftar.ThisPresidentialtriptoJapanwasunofficial.
ThenextformalmeetingofthepanelswillbescheduledwithinthemonthofAugust.
We thank Japan for providing the facilities consistent with their longstanding commitment to peace, as well as the Malaysian
facilitatorforassistingwitharrangementsbetweenthetwopartiesforthishistoricmeeting.
August5,2011
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