US embassy cable - 05MANILA5460

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANILA 005460 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INR/EAP, EAP, AND EAP/MTS 
STATE PASS TO USIP/SOLOMON 
SECDEF/OSD/ISA/AP FOR ALLEN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/23/2015 
TAGS: PTER, PREL, ASEC, PINS, MOPS, EAID, MA, RP 
SUBJECT: MILF/US TIES:  A NEW BALLGAME 
 
REF: MANILA 5372 
 
Classified By: (U) Acting Pol/C Paul O'Friel for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) 
. 
 
1.  (C/NF) Summary.  According to Moro Islamic Liberation 
Front (MILF) negotiator, each major constituency of the MILF 
was represented in the November 15 meeting between MILF 
Central Committee members and Emboffs, and the MILF 
leadership recognized the Embassy approach was a "different 
ball game."  Despite the evident MILF interest in development 
assistance, some MILF hardliners may not yet be convinced of 
the desirability of cutting ties to terrorists.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (C/NF) In follow up to their November 15 meeting with 
MILF Central Committee members (reftel), poloffs met in 
Manila on November 18 with MILF peace process negotiators 
Michael Mastura and Musib Buat, who had helped broker the 
earlier meeting.  Mastura commented that Vice Chairman 
Ghazali Jafaar had carefully selected the Central Committee 
members for the November 15 meeting.  Muhammed Ameen and Jun 
Mantawil are from the Secretariat of the Central Committee; 
Mantawil is also a member of Chairman Murad's office.  Bobby 
Mulana Alonto is a member of the Peace Panel; Sheikh Khalifa 
Nando is a member of the Tribunal; Sheikh Ahmad Dule is chief 
of the MILF's Middle Eastern Affairs Bureau.  Mastura 
observed that each major constituency within the MILF had 
been represented. 
 
3.  (C/NF) Mastura stated that the MILF recognized the 
Embassy approach was "a different ball game," signifying a 
step beyond previous contacts through the US Institute of 
Peace (USIP).  "We know the US Government is reaching out," 
he said.  Pressed on the need for the MILF to take concrete, 
verifiable steps to cut ties of all its elements with 
terrorist organizations, Mastura said only that the MILF 
understood the seriousness of the US position. 
 
4.  (C) Mastura explained that the MILF's philosophy on the 
peace talks was to "play its cards close to its vest" and 
pursue slow, methodological, and incremental process to 
achieve its objectives.  "We don't want to be locked into a 
failed agreement like the Moro National Liberation Front 
(MNLF)," Mastura said, adding that Chairman Murad continued 
to build consensus within the MILF in support of peace and to 
prepare the organization for a comprehensive agreement. 
According to Mastura, the MILF's aim was to begin building 
upon the cease-fire and the converging points of agreement 
with the GRP to create institutions focused on development. 
He noted that the Malaysian-led International Monitoring Team 
(IMT) already had a non-military component -- two Libyan 
diplomats and 10 non-military personnel from Brunei are IMT 
members -- that could easily transition to development 
assistance. 
 
5.  (C/NF) COMMENT.  While moderate negotiators like Mastura 
and Buat with a vested interest in a successful conclusion to 
the peace process may understand the need to take verifiable 
steps to cut ties with terrorists, Chairman Murad's 
"consensus approach" likely has to win over all hardliners, 
such as Abdul Wahid Tondok and Ameril Kato, who appear to 
continue to shelter Jemaah Islamiyah and Abu Sayyaf Group 
terrorists. 
 
 
Visit Embassy Manila's Classified website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm 
Jones