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Kuala Lumpur: Stalled peace negotiations between the Philippine government and Muslim guerrillas cannot advance unless Manila stops harping on technical points, a Malaysian official brokering the talks said on Friday.
The Philippine government may have to back off on its insistence that any accord conform with its constitution if it hopes to restart negotiations, said Othman Abdul Razak, the chief Malaysian mediator.
Malaysia's decision to start pulling out cease-fire monitors from the southern Philippines is "meant to send a signal" that Manila should speed up efforts to sign a formal peace pact with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Othman said.
"The trouble is that things are not moving in the talks," Othman said. "The ball is in the [Philippine government's] court, but they have been sitting on it."
Malaysia announced recently it will soon withdraw its truce monitors who make up the majority of a 60-person international contingent. The monitors are credited with preventing major fighting in the Philippines' southern Mindanao region and there are fears their withdrawal could threaten the cease-fire.
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