William Hague congratulates parties on the
signature of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement for the
Bangsamoro.
The
Foreign Secretary sent a message of congratulations to the Philippines
yesterday:
I
wish to express my warm congratulations to the Government of the Philippines
and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front on the formal signing on 27 March of the
Comprehensive Peace Agreement for the Bangsamoro (CAB). The UK wholeheartedly
supports the agreement. Its full implementation will bring great benefits for
Mindanao and the Philippines. It will also be an inspiring example of how
political leadership and democracy can rise above violence and division to
provide the security and prosperity that all people want and
deserve.
While many challenges lie ahead, I celebrate this
important milestone along with friends of the Philippines around the
world.
Further information
The
UK has shared conflict resolution expertise and attended peace talks between
the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front as a
member of the International Contact Group (ICG) supporting the talks. Other ICG
members include Japan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey as well as four international
NGOs.
Mindanao in the southern Philippines (and in particular
Western Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago that extends out towards Borneo) is
the heartland of the Philippines’ five million Muslims, also known as
Moros or Bangsamoros. Separatist rebels have been engaged in armed conflict
with the Philippine state since the late 1960s.
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