Gov't, Muslim rebels' peace talks to resume after Ramadan

DAVAO CITY, Philippines (Xinhua) - President Benigno S. Aquino III said today that the government peace panel is now preparing for the next round of peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) as the holy month of Ramadan ends tomorrow.

Aquino said in a briefing that power-sharing and normalization annexes will be the next agenda in the upcoming talks in Malaysia.

"What are the powers to be devolved on the new government of ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) and what is called as normalization - the laying down of arms," he said.

He said that it was agreed during last month's peace talks when the wealth-sharing annex was signed by both parties that they will resume the peace process after Ramadan.

The president said there is now a widespread support from the Congress on the peace process.

"But of course, everybody wants to look at the details of the propose new organic act," he said.

A 15-man Transition Commission, led by MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal, has been drafting the basic law for the Bangsamoro, which will be submitted to the Congress for its passage.

The basic law is provided in the framework agreement that the government and the MILF signed in October last year.

Both parties have to complete the four annexes of the framework agreement as these would form part of the comprehensive agreement that they would sign and to be fully implemented until the 2016 election when the new Bangsamoro government would be totally in place, replacing the ARMM.

Apart from the wealth-sharing annex, both sides have already inked the annex on transitional arrangements and modalities.