The First MNLF-OIC-GRP Tripartite Meeting
Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
10-12 November, 2007

            In implementation of the OIC Resolution No. 2/33-MM of the 33rd ICFM held in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan, in June 2006, the Tripartite Meeting between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP), the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) was convened on 10-12 November 2007 in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

            The OIC has called for the convening of this meeting in order to preserve the gains achieved through the 1996 Peace Agreement.

            In his opening remarks, the Secretary General of  the OIC noted that the Peace Agreement ended long years of bloodshed and turmoil and opened a road that was full of hopes and great expectations. However, obstacles impeded its full implementation.

            The meeting was chaired by H.E. Ambassador Rezlan I. Jenie, Deputy Minister for Multilateral Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, in his capacity as the Chairman of the OIC Peace Committee for the Southern Philippines (PCSP), and attended by its Members namely, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Egypt, Republic of Indonesia, the Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Malaysia, the Republic of  Turkey, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Senegal and the OIC Peace Envoy for Southern Philippines.

            The Delegation of the GRP was headed by the Under Secretary Nabil Tan, Deputy Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process and the Delegation of the MNLF was headed by MNLF Legal Adviser, Attorney Randolph Parcasio.

            The meeting adopted its agenda composed of one substantial item, namely to review the implementation of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement between the GRP and MNLF, assessment of progress made and obstacles to its implementation.

            After three days of intensive discussions, the Meeting agreed to establish 5 (five) Joint Working Groups on the following topics.

1.      Shari’ah and Judiciary;

2.     Special Regional Security Force and the Unified Command for the Autonomous Region in Mindanao;

3.      Natural Resources and Economic Development Issues;

4.      Political System and Representation;

5.      Education.

           The Working Group shall have the mandate to review implementation of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement in their respective assigned topics and provide recommendations to move the implementation of the Peace Agreement forward. Each Working Group will be composed of 3 (three) experts from both the GRP and the MNLF.

          The Meetings of the Working Group is expected to submit its first  progress reports to the Tripartite Meeting through the OIC by the 10 January 2008. The report will be considered at the next Tripartite Meeting to be convened on the 14th of  January 2008 in a place to be decided later.

          At the end of the Meeting the delegates of  GRP and MNLF expressed their thanks to the OIC for convening this Tripartite Meeting and the good arrangements. They reconfirmed their full commitment for the success of the peace process in Southern Philippines.