Monday September 10, 2012

Philippines and MILF close to reaching peace deal

VLADIVOSTOK (Eastern Russia): Peace talks between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which is being facilitated by Malaysia, is expected to be concluded soon.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said he was informed by Philippines President Benigno Aquino III that the talks had reached a breakthrough and a deal was expected to be signed before the end of this year.

The two leaders met yesterday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

“I told President Aquino that I would like to be present when the agreement is signed and he has agreed,” Najib told Malaysian journalists at the end of the summit yesterday.

Najib also met his Japanese counterpart Yoshihiko Noda and they discussed at length the economic and bilateral ties between the two countries.

“I told Prime Minister Noda of our seminar of the Look East Policy Phase Two which we will hold on Oct 10.

“We will decide how to implement Phase Two after this seminar, which will seek to examine the future direction of this 30-year-old policy,” Najib added.

Meanwhile, food security, reducing waste and worries over the euro zone dominated the leaders’ summit over the weekend.

In a joint declaration issued at the end of their two-day meeting, the leaders stressed on the need to ensure enough food for every human being on the planet through sustainable agricultural growth.

The leaders decided to adopt the Kazan Declaration made by its ministers in charge of food supply as a roadmap to ensure not only adequate supply but also a proper supply chain that will get the produce from growers to the market efficiently.

“We will use the Kazan document, drawn up in May, as our roadmap on all things about food,” said Najib when commenting on the joint communique issued by the leaders yesterday.

The leaders also discussed about allowing students the option to move from one university in their home country and finish the degree at another within the Apec grouping through the transfer of credits.

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