Joma Willing to Meet PNoy, Talk Peace

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Report by Danny Buenafe, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau
Reposted from abs-cbnnews.com 21 February 2014
UTRECHT, The Netherlands – Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Maria Sison is willing to revive peace talks with the Aquino administration.
He is even open to meet with President Aquino, similar to what the latter did in meeting Moro Islamic Liberation Front chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim in Tokyo almost three years ago.
However, he also admitted a peace accord is almost nil and impossible with barely two years left for the Aquino administration.
The CPP chairman has been in Holland for almost 27 years after his release during the time of President Corazon Aquino.
He celebrated his 75th birthday last February 8.
While talks are rife for a new legislation to create the Bangsamoro autonomy, Sison is extending his hand to renew peace talks with the Aquino government.
Peace talks between the CPP and the Philippine government bogged down exactly a year ago. Sison believes it could be attributed to lack of sincerity by the government.
According to Sison, the government wants to impose a unilateral and indefinite ceasefire without a strong communique or agreement that will resolve ticklish social and economic reforms.
These reforms, he said, are the basic framework to stop armed rebellion.
For Sison, it is unacceptable to lay down their firearms without concrete reforms.
He also said a meeting on neutral ground answers many political and security issues.
Sison recalled a planned meeting with the President in Hanoi last April 2013. The meeting was bungled by what he termed as turf and credit-grabbing issues between Political Adviser Ronaldo Llamas and Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita “Ging” Deles.
Sison said Deles is the biggest stumbling block to the peace efforts.
With barely two years remaining in the Aquino administration, Sison said it is impossible to reach a lasting peace agreement.
He hopes both panels will continue to strive to open further consultations as forwarded by the Norwegian government as facilitator.