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