MANILA, Philippines ? The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has so far declined from baring its panel of negotiators even as the end of the holy Islamic month of Ramadan draws near.

The Aquino government wants to resume peace talks with the secessionist rebel group after the Ramadan.

Mohagher Iqbal, former MILF chief negotiator who now heads its information committee, said they would like to see the government?s complete panel first.

The MILF also wants to retain Malaysia as facilitator, according to Iqbal.

In his first State of the Nation Address, President Benigno Aquino III declared his preference for the resumption of talks after the Ramadan, which would end between Sept. 10 and 12 depending on the sighting of the moon.

The end of Ramadan, which calls for a month-long fasting, is celebrated by festivities or Eid Al Fitr.

Malacañang announced last Aug. 20 that Mr Aquino, who assumed office only two months ago, has appointed all five members of the government peace panel for talks with the MILF.

The names have been withheld except for University of the Philippines Law dean Marvic Leonen, who chairs the government peace panel.

Iqbal said the MILF and the Philippine government have not agreed on exactly when to resume the talks.

?As soon as the government completes its panel, we can come out very shortly with our own panel,? he said in a phone interview with reporters Monday.

He said they had a ?shortlist? of possible chief negotiators, but declined to say if he was in the list. ?There is a shortlist but I'm not yet privileged to disclose it,? he said.

He said resuming peace talks shortly after Ramadan may happen ?if they are not going to change the mechanisms already in place,? including the facilitating country.

Iqbal said they were under the impression that the government wanted Indonesia to facilitate the peace talks this time, although he admitted there has been no official pronouncement from the government.

He said the MILF preferred to continue the arrangements with Malaysia as facilitator because Malaysia ?has the institutional memory? and has facilitated negotiations well in the past.

?We do not see any reason why we should replace Malaysia,? Iqbal said.

?If they do not change the mechanisms that are already in place, it would be easy to resume talks. But both sides have to officially inform the facilitating country about the complete line-up of its panel and then the facilitating country can schedule talks whether it is formal, exploratory or a special meeting,? he continued.

When asked, Iqbal said the Armed Forces has not launched attacks against MILF positions during Ramadan, which began Aug. 9. ?None so far,? he said.

Peace talks between the government and the MILF broke down in August 2008 after the Supreme Court aborted the signing of the Arroyo administration's Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain with the MILF, which paved the way for a new Muslim state in Mindanao.