MANILA, Philippines—A peace movement in Mindanao is pressing the European Union to facilitate talks between the government and the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

The Mindanao People's Caucus (MPC) said Tuesday that the EU should go beyond providing humanitarian aid for the residents displaced by last year's clashes, and play a bigger role in the peace talks.

"Malaysia is still willing to facilitate the negotiations. But we need a more influential nation and institution that can back up the work of Malaysia,'' MPC secretary general Mary Ann Arnado said in a phone interview.

The EU, which has been bringing aid to displaced people in Mindanao, is perceived as a "neutral'' group that has "much clout and influence'' to bring about a peace agreement, she said.

"We should double, triple our efforts now because the civilian population is absorbing the biggest casualties in the war,'' she said.

Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman has said that several countries have offered to broker talks that could be restarted this month, but stopped short of identifying them.

After reconstituting the peace panel, chaired by Foreign Undersecretary Rafael Seguis, the government indicated it is ready to resume the talks with the separatist rebels.

The talks collapsed in July after the government refused to sign an agreement expanding the Bangsamoro territory that was later struck down as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

The aborted signing caused some MILF commanders to attack several villages in Central Mindanao in August, prompting the military to mount operations against them.

Arnado said the MPC, a network of 60 Christian, Muslim and indigenous people’s organizations, was willing to cooperate in the dialogues that the government panel is holding with people affected by the conflict.

"We're going to cooperate with the peace process to rebuild what was left of the peace process, and ensure that they will succeed in their work,'' she said on the phone.

She said the MPC was waiting for the panel to notify it of the dialogue schedule.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has instructed the panel to step up dialogue with all the stakeholders in Mindanao in the hopes of restarting the talks early.

"We hope that the panel is able to come up with a viable political framework for a peaceful settlement of the conflict before they face the MILF panel,'' Arnado said. "They should firm up what's going to be their message to their counterparts given what happened.''