Brunei's Local News - Brudirect.com

Manila - Troops from Brunei and Libya have decided to remain in Mindanao to continue their peace monitoring role until the end of February, said Manila's peace adviser, Hermogenes Esperon.

Meanwhile Japan, worried about the worsening situation in the south of the Philippines, has asked the country's government and its largest Muslim rebel group to resume peace talks.

Japan said it was keeping its two-member aid team in conflict areas on the southern island of Mindanao to complete about US$86 million ($125 million) worth of development projects in Muslim communities.

"Japan calls on the government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to make efforts to break the deadlock with flexible attitude and to resume peace negotiations," Tokyo's embassy in Manila said in a statement

issued yesterday.

Japan issued the statement after Malaysia said on Thursday it was recalling the remaining 12 members of its monitoring team on Mindanao at the end of its tour of duty on Nov 30. Malaysia has been brokering the peace talks since 2001.

Esperon said talks with the rebels might resume early next year. -- Courtesy of The Brunei Times