Britain mulls over peace panels' invitation to join ICG

DAVAO CITY – London is still studying the offer of the peace panels of the Philippine government and Moro guerrillas, including that coming from the Malaysian facilitators of the peace negotiation, to join the international contact group (ICG) , a new feature in the still unscheduled but upcoming formal talks between the two panels.

British Ambassador the Philippines, Stephen Lillie, confirmed to reporters here on November 23, that his country was one of those offered to compose the ICG, a third party to the talks between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

The MILF sought its creation as a condition to the resumption of the talks in its bid to ensure that all agreements would be internationally binding.

Both the MILF and the government panel refused to divulge that identity of the countries that they sought to compose the ICG, and MILF Vice Chairman for political affairs, Gadzali Jaafar, told BusinessMIrror in a previous interview that the ICG and the International Monitoring Group would have to be composed yet before there would be a formal round of negotiations.

Lillie said that the offer “is being considered by our [Prime] Minister in London”.

He said that his government was studying “at the nature of the invitation, the requirement and expectation of the panels in the participation in the ICG”.

“We are supportive though, of the peace efforts in Mindanao,” he said, adding that the formation of the ICG and the recent informal meetings of the panels since June were “encouraging signs [in the peace process] in Mindanao”.

Jaafar also said in the previous interview when contacted through his mobile phone that “these were the same considerations being taken by the countries that they have approached”.

Both government chief negotiator, Ambassador Rafael Seguis and Peace Process Adviser, Annabelle Abaya, told reporters here in previous and separate interviews last month that they expressed hope that the formal meeting would be held by next month the soonest that they could compose the ICG.