DAVAO CITY, Philippines—Officials of the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) met with a top ranking official of the US government six days before US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited the Philippines.

In a statement issued Saturday, MILF secretariat chair Muhammad Ameen said the meeting between US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Scot Marciel and MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal took place in Makati City on Nov. 6.

Marciel was accompanied by Leslie Basset and Michael Pignatello, US Embassy deputy chief of mission and second secretary (political division), respectively, and another US official, Ameen said.

Clinton arrived in the Philippines on Nov. 12. Part of her two-day visit was a meeting with President Macapagal-Arroyo.

At a forum held at the University of Santo Tomas on Nov. 13, Clinton said the US government would help facilitate the peace process between the Philippine government and the MILF.

She said the two camps should not waste time in forging a peace agreement before Ms Arroyo steps down in 2010.

The MILF had earlier issued a statement calling on Clinton to help convince the Arroyo administration to sign a peace agreement with it.

“Clinton can influence and convince the government [to agree to an] early solution of the Mindanao conflict. When it happens, it will lead to peace and it would be of advantage to all of us,” MILF political affairs Ghadzali Jaafar had said.

It was not clear if Iqbal relayed the same call to Marciel during their Nov. 6 meeting.

Ameen did not provide details of the meeting but said Marciel handed Iqbal a letter from US President Barack Obama, which was signed by US Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell.

The letter was in response to one sent by MILF chair Murad Ebrahim to Obama after he won the US presidency, Ameen said.

In his letter dated Nov. 8, 2008, Murad asked Obama about the status of the US policy regarding the MILF and the Moro question.

Ameen would not divulge Obama’s response, saying it was classified
information.

In response to Clinton’s statement that the US government would help facilitate the peace talks, Jaafar said: “It’s the desire of the [MILF] leadership to win the support of the international community to the peace process. If the US supports the peace process, then it will enhance the efforts [toward] a peaceful, just and lasting solution to the problem.

“The objective of [Clinton’s] statement is to cause a lasting, comprehensive and meaningful solution to the Mindanao problem.”

Jaafar also said Clinton should have visited certain areas in Mindanao to see for herself the effects of the conflict there.

“[But] we understood her schedule. After all, she knows of the problem through the US Embassy,” he said.