The government team of peace negotiators have arrived from Oslo, Norway after conducting initial peace talks with leaders of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front.
In a press conference, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza said, the most important accomplishment of the peace panels is the declaration of the bilateral ceasefire.
He also said, the ceasefire’s effectivity is indefinite, meaning, it shall go on until one party decides to lift it.
The negotiators will work on the details of the ceasefire in the next 60 days.
When asked about the timeline for a possibile peace agreement between government and the CPP/NPA/NDF, Dureza said, “let’s take one step at a time. Let us manage our expectations.”
He explained, “the basic issues go to the very core of our governance.”
Dureza added, ”the road map is not always rosay. There are always bumps along the way.”
The second round of peace talks will be on October 8 to 14, in Norway.