Govt, NDF to hold peace talks anew

(UPDATE) THE Philippine government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) agreed to hold peace talks anew to end the decades-old conflict, Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Wednesday.

Both sides agreed to engage in dialogues «in order to come together on a peace and transformation framework that focuses on further addressing the socio-economic and political drivers of the armed conflict and finally ending the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People's Army's more than five-decades-old armed struggle.»

«Cognizant of the serious socioeconomic and environmental issues, and the foreign security threats facing the country, the parties recognize the need to unite as a nation in order to urgently address these challenges and resolve the reasons for the armed conflict,» a joint communiqué read by Galvez at a briefing in Malacañang.

The joint communiqué was signed by the Government of the Republic of the Philippines, represented by the Special Assistant to the President Secretary Antonio Ernesto Lagdameo Jr., Galvez and Gen. Emmanuel Bautista (Ret.), and by the NDFP, represented by National Executive Council Member Luis Jalandoni; Negotiating Panel Interim Chairman Julieta de Lima, and Panel Member Coni K. Ledesma in Norway on November 23.

The signing was witnessed by the Royal Norwegian Government Special Envoy Kristina Lie Revheim.

Galvez clarified that there will be no resumption of the suspended peace negotiations.

«We will start anew,» he said, adding that the government is looking to draft the framework «in mid-first quarter» next year.

«Both sides have affirmed their sincere desire to achieve national reconciliation and unity under the Marcos administration, agreeing to resolve and further address socioeconomic and political issues towards achieving a peaceful end to the armed conflict and armed struggle of the CPP-NPA-NDFP,» Galvez said.

He said both parties «acknowledge the deep-rooted socio-economic and political grievances and agree to come up with a framework that sets the priorities for the peace negotiation with the aim of achieving the relevant socio-economic and political reforms