Philippines: NDFP willing to discuss ceasefire with government
The leftist National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) said on March 31 that it willing to discuss a formal ceasefire proposed by the government in upcoming talks scheduled to take place in Noordwijk of the Netherlands from April 2-6.
Hanoi (VNA) – The leftist National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP)said on March 31 that it willing to discuss a formal ceasefire proposed by thegovernment in upcoming talks scheduled to take place in Noordwijk of the Netherlands from April 2-6.
This is the fourth round of negotiations betweenthe Philippine Government and the NDFP, which have been on andoff for 30 years but were restarted by President Rodrigo Duterte after he tookoffice last June.
The government has billed apermanent ceasefire as its primary goal, though a week of negotiations on theoutskirts of Rome in January ended without such a deal.
Chief rebel negotiator FidelAgcaoili said in a statement issued from his exile in the Netherlands on March31 that “it is possible at the soonest time to have a bilateral ceasefire agreement”.
However, chief governmentnegotiator Silvestre Bello said the same day that he expected the talks to be"very difficult and exacting", with no guarantees for a breakthrough.
Bellosaid the Philippine Government wanted as the first item on the April 2-6 agendaa negotiated ceasefire leading to the "lowering or ending ofhostilities".-VNA
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NDFP Negotiating Panel Chairperson Fidel Agcaoili (Photo: ndfp.org) 
