Palace prefers PH as venue of peace talks with Reds

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Palace prefers PH as venue of peace talks with Reds
Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jun 18 2018 02:38 PM

http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/18/18/palace-prefers-ph-as-venue-of-peace-talks-with-reds

MANILA - Malacañang on Monday said it prefers for the peace talks to be held in the Philippines than be held in a neutral country, even as Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Maria Sison warned this could result in the end of the negotiations.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said a third-party negotiator may no longer be needed as President Rodrigo Duterte “does not understand” why there is a need for the peace talks to be held in another country.

Norway has been acting as the current third-party negotiator in the on-and-off peace talks between the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, the political arm of the CPP.

“Let’s just say as far as the President is concerned, venue matters. He does not understand why we should continue talking in Norway. Pare-pareho naman tayong Pilipino. Bakit kailangan lumayo pa?” Roque said in a press briefing.

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Duterte rules out facilitator in peace talks
BY CATHERINE S. VALENTE, TMT   ON   JUNE 19, 2018 TOP STORIES

http://www.manilatimes.net/duterte-rules-out-facilitator-in-peace-talks/409837/

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte does not want a third party facilitator in the peace negotiations between the government and communist rebels.

The President also wants the peace talks to be held in the Philippines.

Palace spokesman Harry Roque said Duterte emphasized that the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines–New People’s Army–National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) hold the negotiations on Philippine soil instead of Norway.

Norway had acted as facilitator since 2001.


“Whatever process needs to be undertaken will be undertaken but the President has emphasized that this is the talks between Filipinos, it should be held in the Philippines. Hindi naman po kinakailangan pa na mangibang-bayan para makapag-usap ng kapayapaan lamang dahil tayong lahat ay Pilipino (We don’t need to go abroad just to talk peace because we are all Filipinos),” Roque told reporters.

He said the Philippine government would relay to Norway Manila’s decision to change the venue.

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