• Country/entity

  Philippines
  

• Region

  Asia and Pacific
  

• Agreement name

  Oslo Joint Communique

• Date

  30 Apr 2001

• Agreement status

  Unilateral document

• Interim arrangement

  Yes

• Agreement/conflict level

  Intrastate/intrastate conflict ( Philippine Insurgencies (1968 - ) )

• Stage

  Framework/substantive - partial

• Conflict nature

  Government

• Peace process

  Philippines-NDF process

• Parties

  Atty. Silvestre H. Bello III, Chairperson, GRP Negotiating Panel
  
  Luis G. Jalandoni, Chairperson, NDFP Negotiating Panel

• Third parties

  -

• Description

  In the Oslo Joint Communiqué, the negotiating panels of GRP and the NDFP announce the successful return to the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations. The Parties renew their commitment to the ten bilateral agreements entered into between 1992 to 1998, and remain determined to pursue the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International humanitarian Law in order to promote the peace negotiations. Following the working sessions in Oslo, Norway from 27 to 30 April 2001, the Parties agree that they shall return to Norway as the venue for the next round of talks.

• Agreement document

  PH_010430_Oslo Communique.pdf | Download PDF

Groups

Gender

State definition

Governance

Power sharing

Human rights and equality

Rights related issues

Rights institutions

Justice sector reform

Socio-economic reconstruction

Land, property and environment

Security sector

Transitional justice

Implementation

Oslo Joint Communique

We, the Negotiating Panels of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Demcoratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), are pleased to announce that we have successfully resumed the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations and conducted working sessions in Oslo, Norway from 27 to 30 April 2001.

We have exchanged the pertinent documents on the reinstatement of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) and the approval by our repsective principals of the 09 March 2001 Joint statement that affirms the validity and binding character of the ten bilateral agreements entered into between the GRP and the NDFP from 1 September 1992 to 7 August 1998.

We are determined to pursue the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) as far as practicable to promote the peace negotiations.

Following our frank exchange of information and views, we have agreed to work for the accelerated release of prisoners and detainees contained in the list provided by human rights organizations, repeal of repressive decrees, return of internally displaced families and communities to their homes and land and other measures.

The panels have also discussed goodwill and confidence-building measures.

Our respective Reciprocal Working Committees on Social and Economic Reforms (RWC-SER) have exchanged their updated drafts and have discussed their work schedules.

We have agreed to exert best efforts to complete the peace negotiations in eighteen months and forge the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms in six months.

Subcommittees composed of Filipino experts and sectoral representatives shall assist their respective RWC-SERs.

We are grateful to the Royal Government of Norway, particularly its Foreign Ministry for hosting the resumption of the peace negotiations in Oslo.

We thank the State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Raymond Johansen for gracing the opening ceremonies, Director General Tor Christian Hildan for welcoming our delegations, Special Advisors Erik Solheim and Arne Aasheim for sharing the experiences of the Norwegian government in peace negotiations and Secretary General of Foreign Affairs Bjarne Lindstrom for listening to our assessment of the round of talks.

We have agreed to propose to the Royal Government of Norway to have Oslo, Norway as the venue for the next round of talks in June 2001.

The GRP Negotiating Panel was headed by Atty.

Silvestre H. Bello III as chairperson, with Agrarian Reform Secretary Hernani A. Braganza, Atty.

Rene V. Sarmiento, Ms. Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel, and Mr. Jose Luis Gascon as members.

The GRP RWC-SER was headed by Agrarian Reform Secretary Hernani A. Braganza and Ms Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel as co-chairpersons, with Ms Karen tanada and Atty.

Sedfrey M. candelaria as members.

The GRP-SER was assisted by a Technical Working Group for SER:

Assistant Secretary Danilo L. Encinas from the Office of the President, as Head;

with the following as members:

Assistant Secretary Augusto Quijano from the Department of Agrarian Reform, Assistant Secretary Cerge M. Remonde from the Office of Press Secretary and Assistant-Director General Nestor R. Mijares from the National Economic and Development Authority.

Ms Ma.

Carla Munsayac-Villarta served as Head of the GRP Panel Secretariat, with staff support from Ferdinand G. Jovita and Gloria S. Ocampo.

The NDFP Negotiating Panel was headed by Mr. Luis G. Jalandoni as chairperson, with Mr. Fidel V. Agcaoili, Ms. Coni Ledesma and Mr. Asterio Palima as members.

The NDFP RWC-SER was headed by Ms. Julieta de Lima as chairperson, with Messrs. rafael Baylosis and Sotero Llamas as members-consultants.

Also acting as consulstant and legal consultant were Prof- Edberto Villegas and Atty.

Marie Yuvienco, respectively.

The NDFP Panel and RWC-SER were also assisted by Chief Political Consultant Prof. Jose Ma.

Sison and consultant Mr. Danilo F. Borjal.

Atty.

Romeo T. Capulong acted as General Counsel with Attys.

Edre Olalia and Rommel-Voltaire Quizon as legal consultants.

There were eleven resource persons (experts and sectoral representatives) and two volunteer staff members, who are all covered by Article IV of the Joint Agreement on the Ground Rules of the Formal Meetings, which allows each negotiating panel to avail itself of experts as consultants, irrespective of their political affiliation, to assist the Panel.

Oslo, Norway:

30 april 2001.

(signed)

Atty.

Silvestre H. Bello III

Chairperson

GRP Negotiating Panel

(signed)

Luis G. Jalandoni

Chairperson

NDFP Negotiating Panel