GOVERNMENT AND MILF NARROW DIFFERENCES ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 MANILA 003317 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/02/2017 TAGS: PREL PINS KISL RP SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT AND MILF NARROW DIFFERENCES ON TERRITORY; KEY ISSUES REMAIN REF: A. MANILA 3193 (MILF MULLS TERRITORIAL OFFER) ¶B. MANILA 3050 (RESUMPTION OF PEACE TALKS) ¶C. MANILA 2852 (GOVERNMENT/MILF TO HOLD PEACE TALKS) ¶D. MANILA 2838 (GOVERNMENT POSTPONES PEACE TALKS) Classified By: DCM Paul W. Jones for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Philippine government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) negotiators narrowed their differences over territory during a September 26 executive session in Kuala Lumpur. Nonetheless, key issues remain to be tackled, including the economic development of MILF communities outside the territorial boundaries of a new Muslim-led political entity, MILF maritime claims, and natural resource revenue sharing. During the months ahead, the Office of the Presidential Advisor on the Peace Process plans to lobby key national and local government leaders for the creation of a new Muslim-led political entity. In an apparent strategy to put pressure on the parties, Malaysia announced an extension of the tour of duty for Malaysian members of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) for three months rather than one year, with renewal contingent upon resumption of exploratory talks before the end of November. The IMT will be part of a fact-finding mission that will investigate the September 25 outbreak of fighting on Basilan between government security forces and the MILF. End Summary. -------------- Some Progress Made on Territorial Issues -------------- ¶2. (C) The Philippine Government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) reviewed the status of their negotiations on the contentious issue of territory during question-and-answer and executive sessions in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on September 25-26. Representing the government were Peace Panel Chairman Lieutenant-General (retired) Rodolfo Garcia, Special Advisor Silvestre Afable, Assistant Chief State Prosecutor Leah Armamento, and Peace Negotiations Panel Secretariat Executive Director Ryan Sullivan. The MILF representatives included Peace Panel Chairman Mohagher Iqbal and negotiators Michael Mastura, Maulana "Bobby" Alonto, and Mike Pasigan. ¶3. (C) Ryan Sullivan said the discussions at the September 26 executive session focused on three aspects of the territorial issue: expansion of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM),economic development of "special intervention areas," and maritime boundaries. According to Sullivan, nearly all "gaps" were closed on specific territories to be included within a new Muslim-led political entity or Bangsamoro Juridical Entity, with exception to MILF claims over the Sacol Island, east of Zamboanga City; the Balabac Island, off the coast of southern Palawan; and several municipalities in provinces contiguous to the ARMM. Sullivan described "special intervention areas" as Muslim communities in Mindanao that were located outside the territorial boundaries of a new Muslim-led political entity. An economic development plan with provisions for livelihood assistance to these communities will need to be drafted by the government to support an MILF peace agreement, commented Sullivan. -------------- -------------- Differences Over Maritime Boundaries and Revenue Sharing -------------- -------------- ¶4. (C) Sullivan said that the MILF proposed establishing maritime boundaries for the new Muslim-led political entity based on international law of the sea, rather than Philippine national law which limits "municipal waters" to fifteen kilometers from a coastline. Under this formula, the new political entity's maritime domain would cover an area extending southward from the coastline of Balabac Island, Palawan to the Sandakan Basin near Tawi-Tawi Province, and the area between the coastlines of Sacol Island, Zamboanga and central Mindanao. According to Sullivan, the MILF is seeking to control most of the revenue from potential petroleum and natural gas deposits in the Sulu Sea, and the fishing industry in the Moro Gulf. ¶5. (C) MILF negotiators have "agreed in principle" to allow existing service contracts for oil and natural gas exploration to remain valid until their respective dates of expiration, at which time each contract would be renegotiated with representatives of a Bangsamoro Juridical Entity, said Sullivan. According to the Philippine National Oil Corporation, thirteen corporations in the Philippines, Malaysia, Australia, United Kingdom, and the United States currently hold shares in oil/natural gas exploration service MANILA 00003317 002 OF 003 contracts within areas of the Sulu Sea claimed by the MILF. Included among the owners of the Philippine companies are family members of influential politicians, including House Speaker Jose De Venecia, and prominent Filipino-Chinese businessmen. ¶6. (C) MILF Spokesman and Civil-Military Affairs Chief Eid Kabalu told poloff on October 3 that revenue sharing from natural resources was a key issue in the peace talks. In Kabalu's view, all existing service contracts for oil/natural gas/mineral exploration within areas of a prospective Muslim-led political entity should be canceled until a final peace agreement is signed. -------------- -------------- No Congressional Debates Yet, Lobbying for Support -------------- -------------- ¶7. (C) Chairman of the House Committee on Mindanao, Pax Mangudadatu, told poloff that a debate over the creation of a new Muslim-led political entity has yet to begin in Congress. Mangudadatu, a Muslim, expressed his personal support for the integration of Christian and Muslim communities, but firmly opposed the inclusion of any territory from his native province of Sultan Kudarat, which is 90 percent Christian, within a new Muslim-led political entity. Mangudadatu believed other Congressmen, as well as leaders of local government units, in central Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago shared his view, though had not focused their attention on this issue. ¶8. (C) The Office of the Presidential Advisor on the Peace Process plans to launch a focused lobbying effort across political party lines to build support for the creation of a new Muslim-led political entity in Mindanao, according to Sullivan. As part of this effort, briefings on the status of the MILF peace talks would be given to small groups of Congressmen from the ARMM and provinces contiguous to the ARMM; the House Committees on Muslim Affairs, Mindanao Affairs, and Defense; the House Special Committee on Peace, Unification, and Reconciliation; members of the Senate; and local government leaders. As MILF peace talks progress, the briefings would become more frequent and detailed, commented Sullivan. ¶9. (C) Sullivan noted government and MILF representatives would also approach individual Congressmen opposed to the creation of a new Muslim-led political entity to ascertain the reasons for their opposition, such as clan conflict or disputes over land and natural resources. Plans then would be formulated to address their specific concerns, said Sullivan. -------------- -------------- Malaysia Pushes For Resumption of Exploratory Talks -------------- -------------- ¶10. (C) Sullivan noted that during the September 26 executive session, the Malaysian facilitator announced a Malaysian Cabinet/Ministry of Defense decision to extend the tour of duty for Malaysian members of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) for three months instead of one year. While no preconditions were specified by the Malaysian facilitator for renewing the tour of duty upon expiration in late November 2007, Sullivan said Malaysia's renewal would likely be contingent upon the resumption of exploratory talks. Though no firm date has been set, Sullivan expected the talks to resume after Ramadan. -------------- - Fact-Finding Mission To Basilan to Include IMT -------------- - ¶11. (C) As government and MILF negotiators were in Kuala Lumpur for their question-and-answer session on September 25, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) had two armed encounters with Abu Sayyaf Group on Basilan. Later that day, fighting erupted between the AFP and members of the MILF. Westmincom Commander General Nelson Allaga has lodged a protest with the Coordinating Committee for the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) over the incident. A fact-finding mission composed of CCCH and IMT members will investigate this latest armed encounter on Basilan with the MILF, said Sullivan. Visit Embassy Manila's Classified SIPRNET website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm MANILA 00003317 003 OF 003 You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/ KENNEY