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November 21, 2000, BusinessWorld, MILF-gov't talks seen soon as Indonesia brokers meet,

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Schilling

November 21, 2000, BusinessWorld, MILF-gov't talks seen soon as Indonesia brokers meet,

The peace talks between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the government may start anew as Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid yesterday morning confirmed with President Joseph E. Estrada he was able to contact MILF chairman Hashim Salamat.

On the sidelines of the recently concluded 8th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Brunei last week, Mr. Estrada discussed with Mr. Wahid the possibility of having one-on-one talks with Mr. Salamat to push the peace process.

In radio interviews yesterday, Mr. Estrada said Mr. Wahid called him up and informed him that the latter was able to speak with Salamat and a schedule for his meeting with the MILF leader may be set soon.

"I am lucky that President Wahid of Indonesia volunteered to mediate between chairman Hashim Salamat and me in order to have lasting peace in Mindanao. Yesterday morning he called me saying he was able to speak with chairman Salamat," Mr. Estrada said.

He added "President Wahid said he will find ways so that chairman Hashim Salamat and I will be able to talk with one another."

Mr. Wahid volunteered to help settle matters between the government and the MILF since he was a classmate of Salamat in Cairo, Egypt. Indonesia also helped foster peace between the government and the Moro National Liberation Front.

Meanwhile, Mr. Estrada said the peace and order situation is being maintained, citing that kidnapping and bank robberies have been eliminated from an average of three incidences a week during the previous administration.

"There was a kidnapping attempt last week but was immediately stalled. The peace and order situation in Metro Manila is well maintained," he said during the radio interviews.

He also said the conflicts in Mindanao were being contained since he decided to opt for the military solution against the MILF leading to the capture of 45 MILF satellite camps, including the rebel group's biggest base Camp Abubakar.

He also boasted of his accomplishment in freeing 27 out of the 29 hostages of the Abu Sayyaf, leaving only two captives still held by the group, namely United States national Jeffrey Schilling and Filipino Roland Ulla.

"But one of them was not actually kidnapped. He voluntarily walked into the rebels' lair - Mr. Schilling. So they only have one hostage left, but we will still be able to rescue him," he said.

Mr. Estrada said the peace and order situation in the country was getting better until the opposition started calling for his resignation and organizing rallies. "Things have been looking good, but then the opposition came in causing some disruptions," he said in Pilipino.

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