Philippines peace statement due

Philippines peace statement due

Muslim separatist rebels and Philippine Government negotiators are due to issue a statement on Saturday, after two days of peace talks in Malaysia.

Jesus Dureza, head of the government delegation, said the talks went well despite a series of recent clashes with the rebels - from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) - on the southern island of Mindanao.

"There is earnest effort on both sides to have peace in Mindanao," he said on Friday.

But he acknowledged that the presence of other rebel groups and "terror elements" in the area complicated the negotiation process.

Guide to Philippines conflict

The MILF is the largest of four groups fighting to break away from the mainly Roman Catholic Philippines.

The 12,500-strong group has been waging a 25-year insurgency against the Philippine Government, with the aim of establishing an independent Islamic state in the southern third of the country.

Despite a ceasefire signed in 2001 and a series of intense negotiations - often brokered by neighbouring Malaysia - the two sides have failed to come to a workable solution.

The violence has escalated in recent weeks, since government troops overran an MILF stronghold near the Mindanao town of Pikit in February.

The latest violence came on Wednesday, when at least 10 people were killed - five rebels and five civilians - as the MILF attacked the predominantly Christian town of M'Lang.

MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu cautioned before the talks against hopes for an early peace, the French news agency AFP reported.