The United States has expressed willingness to play the role of peace broker between the Philippine government and the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said yesterday. Pimentel said he was assured by US Undersecretary of State Richard Armitage that Washington would be willing to play out the role if requested by Manila. “Armitage says if the Philippine government asks for it, ‘we will give it to them’,” Pimentel said. MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said the Americans are welcome to broker the peace negotiations. Kabalu, however, pointed out that Malaysia plays the primary role in the peace negotiations. He suggested the US could come in but play a supporting role to finally put an end to the decades-old separatist war in Mindanao. Kabalu yesterday stressed the MILF leadership has yet to come out with a common stand on the proposal. Full Story
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