KL extends peace mission in RP

KL extends peace mission in RP

PHILIPPINES: Malaysia has agreed to extend by a year the stay
of a 60-strong international contingent helping monitor and
safeguard a two-year-old truce between Muslim guerrillas and
government troops in the southern Philippines, officials said on
Sunday.

Most of the foreign cease-fire monitors, composed mainly of
Malaysian troops, will end their one-year tour of duty in the
southern Mindanao region next month, prompting the government and
the guerrillas to ask Malaysia to extend their stay for another
year, Philippine officials and the rebels said.

Malaysia agreed to the request and will send a new batch of
more than 40 monitors to replace the outgoing ones in the next
few weeks. The first contingent will arrive in Manila on Monday,
said Malaysian defense attache Abdul Hadi said.

Brunei and Libya have also contributed to the Malaysian-led
contingent, and will replace their representatives once they have
completed their one-year assignment, he said.

The cease-fire has considerably reduced clashes between
government troops and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front across
Mindanao, and allowed the holding of Malaysian-brokered peace
talks aimed at ending a decades-long separatist insurrection that
has killed thousands of people and scuttled economic development.

Both the government and the rebels welcomed Malaysia's
decision. -- AP