Peace panels fail to agree on power-sharing, normalization

DAVAO CITY , Philippines   â€“ The peace negotiating panels of the government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) failed to agree on power-sharing and normalization, the last two annexes to be added to the Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro, as their 41st talks ended in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia yesterday.

But the two panels said in a joint statement that they made “substantial progress” on the remaining annexes on power-sharing and normalization.

“They have proceeded in exhaustive, honest discussions in order to identify the best formulations for an agreement that would respond to the aspirations of both parties,” said government panel chair Miriam Coronel-Ferrer and MILF panel chair Mohagher Iqbal in the joint statement.

Both panels also stressed the need for a break from talks to mark the Eid’l Adha celebration Tuesday.

“The remaining challenges and the time constraints demand that the panels remain focused on completing the annexes following a break. Both sides have a full understanding of their responsibility as they strive towards a sustainable and inclusive solution for the benefit of all people in the Bangsamoro,” the joint statement added.

Ferrer earlier reiterated the importance of due diligence in coming up with viable solutions for the Bangsamoro.

“If it has taken us a long while to put down words and phrases in the annexes, it is because we want to guarantee the integrity of the outcome,” she said.

“We need to ensure the justness of the solutions we are adopting for one and all, so that with the faith of our fellow Filipinos, this agreement will live and let live the hopes for less strife, good governance, harmony, cooperation and a better life among the Bangsamoro and the whole country,” she added.

Iqbal, for his part, said that the agreement should be “acceptable to our people and will lead to solving the Bangsamoro question... Short of this, our efforts would be in vain.”