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Arroyo in Peace Talks with Muslim Rebels
Monday, July 29, 2002
(23:08)
ABC Radio Australia News

The United States has removed the Philippines rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, from its list of terrorist organizations.

Shirley Escalante reports from Manila an enthusiastic president Gloria Arroyo claims a direct hand in the U.S. decision.

Speaking before an annual gathering of Moslem clerics in Mindanao Island, President Arroyo says she personally asked U.S. President George W. Bush to remove the rebel group from the list of terrorist organizations.

She says it is her way of reciprocating the rebels' agreement to help in her government's campaign against terrorists and criminality.

The Arroyo administration is now locked in peace talks with the rebel group and is expected to sign a final peace pact soon.

For its part the Moro Islamic Front welcomes the development, stressing that it has no links with the al-Qaeda network.
(ABC.net.au News Source)
2002 © ABC Radio Australia News.

Dan