EU welcomes Philippines government -Moro Islamic Liberation Front peace talks

The European Union Saturday congratulated the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front on the successful conclusion of the peace negotiations, announced in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday. It marks "the end of a long and difficult process of peace negotiations. It is a truly historic moment, demonstrating the parties' commitment to achieving long lasting peace on the Philippines' island of Mindanao," said EU High Representative for foreign affairs and security policy, Catherine Ashton, in a statement. The EU, as a member of the International Monitoring Team and major development partner in Mindanao since 1990, will continue to fully support the implementation of the process, she stressed. "Sustainable peace in Mindanao requires an inclusive approach and all stakeholders, including the Moro National Liberation Front, need to demonstrate their goodwill for long lasting results," she noted. The EU commended the contribution of the Malaysian facilitator of the peace talks, Tengku Dato' Ab Ghafar Tengku Mohamed, as well as the members of the International Contact Group, to the successful conclusion of the peace negotiations.