87 safe conduct passes issued to NDF

The Arroyo administration has issued a total of 87 safe conduct passes for leaders, consultants and staffers of the National Democratic Front (NDF) as part of its confidence-building measures in the ongoing peace talks with the communist rebels, government negotiators said yesterday.

The government’s chief negotiator, Silvestre Bello III, said the negotiations, which resumed last April 27 in Oslo, Norway, are expected to continue on June 10 and most likely in the same venue.

He said President Arroyo still has to approve the venue. "I think (the approval is) forthcoming," he said.

The talks are currently focused on socio-economic reforms. Next on the agenda are political reforms, and later, cessation of hostilities and the disposition of forces.

Bello said representatives from both sides are tentatively set to meet on June 4-5 at the Development Academy of the Philippines in Tagaytay City to tackle socio-economic reform proposals.

The meeting will be attended by members of the subcommittees of both panels.

The government has created four subcommittees on national economy and industrialization; agrarian reform; environmental protection and sustainable development; and social justice.