The visit will be Badawi’s first to Manila as a prime minister (AFP)

Rexcel Sorza, IOL Correspondent

ILOILO CITY, Philippines, January 18 (IslamOnline.net) – Malaysian Premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is due in Manila Monday, January 19, on a two-day state visit for talks with President Gloria Arroyo.

Talks will dwell on the "improvement of bilateral relations and vital security concerns," Malacaٌang Palace announced on Sunday, January 18.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar was quoted by state-run Bernama News Agency as saying that Badawi will discuss with Arroyo "will discuss regional issues and the situation in the southern Philippines" as well as economic matters.

"This visit is generally to strengthen cooperation among ASEAN           countries," he said, adding that the Philippines had asked Malaysia to play a role in helping to resolve the conflict with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

The two leaders had their first one-on-one meeting in Japanese capital of Tokyo at the sideline of the ASEAN-Japan Summit.

Badawi, who succeeded Mahathir Mohammad as prime minister in October 2003, will be flying into Manila from Laos.

The Malaysian prime minister is currently on a multi-leg Southeast Asia orientation tour.

Although he had been frequently to the Philippines in his capacity as Malaysia’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, this will be Badawi’s first visit to Manila as a prime minister.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Albert has affirmed Malaysia’s "central and exclusive role" in brokering the government-MILF peace talks.

"We have had very involved discussions with Malaysia on their central and exclusive role in our peace talks with the MILF," she said in a statement a few days ago.

This came amid reports that the MILF would abandon the peace talks if Malaysia did not have an exclusive role in brokering the negotiations.

Reports indicate that the MILF had worries that the United States would have a role in the negotiations itself.

"We have had very involved discussions with Malaysia on their central and exclusive role in our peace talks with the MILF.

"We are very grateful for Malaysia’s commitment to peace and we look forward to the holding of peace talks shortly," Albert said.

Meanwhile, the MILF negotiating panel has been told to prepare for the formal peace talks.

MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said the MILF is ready anytime for the resumption of the formal peace negotiations.

"The MILF has reorganized its negotiating team for this purpose," he said in a statement sent to IslamOnline.net on January 15.

He said this includes the reorganization of its peace panel, technical committee and support staff.

On the panel membership, Roberto Alonto replaced Dr. Ahmad D. Alonto, Jr., but Jun Alonto together with Atty. Abdul Dataya of the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG) should serve as consultant/adviser to the MILF peace panel during peace negotiations.

Sheikh Hamza Zapanton of the Island Province of Basilan replaced Atty. Allan Flores, who was recently appointed to the position of Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Region 10.

"The final listing of the MILF negotiating team would be known soon," he said.

The MILF also reiterated its commitment to Malaysia’s role in the peace process while it welcomed the peace effort of the United States Institute of Peace in the peace process.

Atty. Lanang S. Ali, a senior member of the MILF negotiating panel, said the MILF remains firm on having Malaysia as an impartial third party broker for the peace negotiation.

"Nonetheless, we welcome the USIP support to the peace process in order to help push for the implementation of all GRP-MILF peace agreements and other supplementary commitments," he said.

Malaysia has tendered its good office for the GRP-MILF peace talks since March 24, 2001.

Peace talks between the Philippine government and MILF, seen by both parties to provide a lasting solution to the conflict, have been on-and-off due to skirmishes between the Bangsamoro fighters and government soldiers.

MILF has been battling the Philippines government for some three decades to declare an independent state in the island of Mindanao, where most of the Filipino Muslims in this Christian dominated country live, and other nearby islands which were illegally annexed to the Philippine territory.