ZAMBOANGA/COTABATO, 16 September 2004 — An advance team of Malaysian cease-fire observers yesterday began inspecting different sites in the southern Philippines ahead of scheduled peace talks between the government and separatist rebels next month, officials said.

The nine-member contingent, part of a 60-strong international cease-fire monitoring team, visited Iligan City yesterday and are also to inspect areas in Davao, General Santos, Cotabato, and Zamboanga cities, said Lt. Col. Daniel Lucero, a spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Mohagher Iqbal, chair of Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s (MILF’s) negotiating panel, appealed to other member-countries of the monitoring team “to demonstrate their commitments by sending in their representatives and make the group really international in the true sense of the word.”

Iqbal was referring to Bahrain, Indonesia, Japan, Libya and Saudi Arabia, which have made commitments to be part of the team.

Only Brunei had responded officially that it was sending its contingent soon.

Libyan Ambassador Salem Adam said they were only waiting for a notice from Malaysia, which heads the team.

Malaysia, which is brokering the talks to seek a political settlement of the Philippines’ decades-long Moro separatist problem, sent the advance team to meet with local government officials in Mindanao and inspect areas where the international monitoring team would stay.

The Malaysian cease-fire observers, headed by Brig. Gen. Zulkifli Mohd Zain, would also conduct a week-long consultations with security officials and leaders of the MILF.

Next month, the entire monitoring team are to visit at least 10 major MILF camps.

MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu explained that under the Terms of Reference (TOR) his group has agreed with the government, the monitoring team will put up its headquarters in Cotabato City and four mobile offices are to be set up in the cities of Davao, General Santos, Zamboanga and Iligan.

“The Team has 2 weeks within which to ascertain all the administrative and other requirements of the IMT prior to its deployment,” said Kabalu.