Philippine government negotiators and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) separatists are supportive of an offer from the Iranian government to join the Malaysian mediated peace process.
While the International Contact Group formation process continues, expected to monitor the application of the accords to be reached between the various sides, the Iranian minister of foreign affairs Manoucher Mottaki, during a formal visit to Manila, said that Iran would welcome the idea of joining the peace process adding that the Philippines would serve as a good example of peaceful religious co-habitation.
"We would be pleased to understand more clearly what type of aid the minister Mottaki has in mind, exactly" said ambassador Rafael Seguis, Manila's chief negotiator. The MILF, meanwhile, issued a communiqué on its website, welcoming the Iranian offer as the sign of a "new positive direction".
The UK, Japan and Turkey contacted by both Manila and the MILF, have already shown interest in joining the International Contact Group, while Saudi Arabia has also been invited. Launched in 1997, the peace process to end the thirty-year long conflict in Mindanao has incurred a number of obstacles and periods of stall, the last such episode going back to August 2008, when all preliminary accords appeared to be concluded. The talks resumed last July, and the parties said they intend to reopen formal talks before the end of 2009.
