Special Envoy of the Royal Norwegian Government, Elisabeth Slattum congratulated both peace panels of the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines for pushing through with the fourth round of talks which opened here Monday, Apr. 3.
The fourth round of the formal talks opened around 10 am Monday (4 pm Philippine time), a day late as scheduled after President Rodrigo Duterte issued his conditions before proceeding the formal talks with the communists.
Filipino migrant workers trooped to Radisson Blu Palace Hotel here to witness the opening of the new round of talks between the government and the communists on Sunday morning.
A peace advocate here appealed to both government and the communist group to pursue what it called a “genuine dialogue” that would usher a just and lasting peace in the country.
Speaking before the Filipino migrant workers who wanted to join the opening of the fourth round of talks at the Radisson Blu Palace Hotel here on Sunday morning, government chief negotiator Silvestre Bello III said the government panel needed to discuss the instructions from President Duterte with their counterparts from the NDFP.
Following the announcement of government peace panel chair Silvestre Bello III that the Philippine government will not issue a unilateral ceasefire, the Communist Party of the Philippines did not proceed with the issuance of its interim ceasefire on March 31.
Philippine government chief peace negotiator Silvestre Bello III said the government will not declare a unilateral ceasefire prior to the fourth round of talks with the communists in the coming days.
As the fourth round of peace talks draws near between government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, a militant lawmaker urged farmers on Monday to rally behind the working draft on Comprehensive Agreement on Socio-Economic Reforms.
The Communist Party of the Philippines is expected to issue a unilateral declaration of interim ceasefire not later than March 31 in support of the fourth round of peace talks between the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) set on April 2-6 in The Netherlands.
Nine days prior to the resumption of the formal peace talks set between the government and communists come April, the New People’s Army freed two members of the Civilians Auxiliary Force and Geographical Unit in a village here on Friday afternoon.
