Oslo Joint Communique

Country/entity
Philippines
Region
Asia and Pacific
Agreement name
Oslo Joint Communique
Date
30 Apr 2001
Agreement status
Unilateral document
Interim arrangement
Yes
Agreement/conflict level
Intrastate/intrastate conflict
Stage
Framework/substantive - partial
Conflict nature
Government
Peace process
Philippines-NDF process
Parties
Atty. Silvestre H. Bello III, Chairperson, GRP Negotiating Panel

Luis G. Jalandoni, Chairperson, NDFP Negotiating Panel
Third parties
-
Description
In the Oslo Joint Communiqué, the negotiating panels of GRP and the NDFP announce the successful return to the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations. The Parties renew their commitment to the ten bilateral agreements entered into between 1992 to 1998, and remain determined to pursue the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International humanitarian Law in order to promote the peace negotiations. Following the working sessions in Oslo, Norway from 27 to 30 April 2001, the Parties agree that they shall return to Norway as the venue for the next round of talks.


Groups

Children/youth

No specific mention.

Disabled persons

No specific mention.

Elderly/age

No specific mention.

Migrant workers

No specific mention.

Racial/ethnic/national group

No specific mention.

Religious groups

No specific mention.

Indigenous people

No specific mention.

Other groups

No specific mention.

Refugees/displaced persons
Groups→Refugees/displaced persons→Rhetorical
Page 1,
... Following our frank exchange of information and views, we have agreed to work for the accelerated release of prisoners and detainees contained in the list provided by human rights organizations, repeal of repressive decrees, return of internally displaced families and communities to their homes and land and other measures. The panels have also discussed goodwill and confidence-building measures.
Social class

No specific mention.


Gender

Women, girls and gender

No specific mention.

Men and boys

No specific mention.

LGBTI

No specific mention.

Family
Page 1,
... Following our frank exchange of information and views, we have agreed to work for the accelerated release of prisoners and detainees contained in the list provided by human rights organizations, repeal of repressive decrees, return of internally displaced families and communities to their homes and land and other measures. The panels have also discussed goodwill and confidence-building measures.

State definition

Nature of state (general)

No specific mention.

State configuration

No specific mention.

Self determination

No specific mention.

Referendum

No specific mention.

State symbols

No specific mention.

Independence/secession

No specific mention.

Accession/unification

No specific mention.

Border delimitation

No specific mention.

Cross-border provision

No specific mention.


Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed)

No specific mention.

Elections

No specific mention.

Electoral commission

No specific mention.

Political parties reform

No specific mention.

Civil society

No specific mention.

Traditional/religious leaders

No specific mention.

Public administration

No specific mention.

Constitution

No specific mention.


Power sharing

Political power sharing

No specific mention.

Territorial power sharing

No specific mention.

Economic power sharing

No specific mention.

Military power sharing

No specific mention.


Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL general
Page 1,
... We are determined to pursue the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) as far as practicable to promote the peace negotiations.
Bill of rights/similar

No specific mention.

Treaty incorporation

No specific mention.

Civil and political rights

No specific mention.

Socio-economic rights

No specific mention.


Rights related issues

Citizenship

No specific mention.

Democracy

No specific mention.

Detention procedures

No specific mention.

Media and communication

No specific mention.

Mobility/access

No specific mention.

Protection measures

No specific mention.

Other

No specific mention.


Rights institutions

NHRI

No specific mention.

Regional or international human rights institutions

No specific mention.


Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law
Justice sector reform→Criminal justice and emergency law→Reform to specific laws
Page 1,
... Following our frank exchange of information and views, we have agreed to work for the accelerated release of prisoners and detainees contained in the list provided by human rights organizations, repeal of repressive decrees, return of internally displaced families and communities to their homes and land and other measures. The panels have also discussed goodwill and confidence-building measures.
State of emergency provisions

No specific mention.

Judiciary and courts

No specific mention.

Prisons and detention

No specific mention.

Traditional Laws

No specific mention.


Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction
Socio-economic reconstruction→Development or socio-economic reconstruction→Socio-economic development
Page 1,
... Following our frank exchange of information and views, we have agreed to work for the accelerated release of prisoners and detainees contained in the list provided by human rights organizations, repeal of repressive decrees, return of internally displaced families and communities to their homes and land and other measures. The panels have also discussed goodwill and confidence-building measures.
National economic plan

No specific mention.

Natural resources

No specific mention.

International funds

No specific mention.

Business

No specific mention.

Taxation

No specific mention.

Banks

No specific mention.


Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights

No specific mention.

Pastoralist/nomadism rights

No specific mention.

Cultural heritage

No specific mention.

Environment

No specific mention.

Water or riparian rights or access

No specific mention.


Security sector

Security Guarantees

No specific mention.

Ceasefire

No specific mention.

Police

No specific mention.

Armed forces

No specific mention.

DDR

No specific mention.

Intelligence services

No specific mention.

Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces

No specific mention.

Withdrawal of foreign forces

No specific mention.

Corruption

No specific mention.

Crime/organised crime

No specific mention.

Drugs

No specific mention.

Terrorism

No specific mention.


Transitional justice

Transitional justice general

No specific mention.

Amnesty/pardon

No specific mention.

Courts

No specific mention.

Mechanism

No specific mention.

Prisoner release
Page 1,
... Following our frank exchange of information and views, we have agreed to work for the accelerated release of prisoners and detainees contained in the list provided by human rights organizations, repeal of repressive decrees, return of internally displaced families and communities to their homes and land and other measures. The panels have also discussed goodwill and confidence-building measures.
Vetting

No specific mention.

Victims

No specific mention.

Missing persons

No specific mention.

Reparations

No specific mention.

Reconciliation

No specific mention.


Implementation

UN signatory

No specific mention.

Other international signatory

No specific mention.

Referendum for agreement

No specific mention.

International mission/force/similar

No specific mention.

Enforcement mechanism

No specific mention.

Related cases

No specific mention.

Source
The GRP-NDFP Peace Negotiations: Major Written Agreements & Outstanding Issues, pp. 54-55.

Oslo Joint Communique

We, the Negotiating Panels of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Demcoratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), are pleased to announce that we have successfully resumed the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations and conducted working sessions in Oslo, Norway from 27 to 30 April 2001.

We have exchanged the pertinent documents on the reinstatement of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) and the approval by our repsective principals of the 09 March 2001 Joint statement that affirms the validity and binding character of the ten bilateral agreements entered into between the GRP and the NDFP from 1 September 1992 to 7 August 1998.

We are determined to pursue the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) as far as practicable to promote the peace negotiations.

Following our frank exchange of information and views, we have agreed to work for the accelerated release of prisoners and detainees contained in the list provided by human rights organizations, repeal of repressive decrees, return of internally displaced families and communities to their homes and land and other measures.

The panels have also discussed goodwill and confidence-building measures.

Our respective Reciprocal Working Committees on Social and Economic Reforms (RWC-SER) have exchanged their updated drafts and have discussed their work schedules.

We have agreed to exert best efforts to complete the peace negotiations in eighteen months and forge the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms in six months.

Subcommittees composed of Filipino experts and sectoral representatives shall assist their respective RWC-SERs.

We are grateful to the Royal Government of Norway, particularly its Foreign Ministry for hosting the resumption of the peace negotiations in Oslo.

We thank the State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Raymond Johansen for gracing the opening ceremonies, Director General Tor Christian Hildan for welcoming our delegations, Special Advisors Erik Solheim and Arne Aasheim for sharing the experiences of the Norwegian government in peace negotiations and Secretary General of Foreign Affairs Bjarne Lindstrom for listening to our assessment of the round of talks.

We have agreed to propose to the Royal Government of Norway to have Oslo, Norway as the venue for the next round of talks in June 2001.

The GRP Negotiating Panel was headed by Atty.

Silvestre H. Bello III as chairperson, with Agrarian Reform Secretary Hernani A. Braganza, Atty.

Rene V. Sarmiento, Ms. Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel, and Mr. Jose Luis Gascon as members.

The GRP RWC-SER was headed by Agrarian Reform Secretary Hernani A. Braganza and Ms Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel as co-chairpersons, with Ms Karen tanada and Atty.

Sedfrey M. candelaria as members.

The GRP-SER was assisted by a Technical Working Group for SER:

Assistant Secretary Danilo L. Encinas from the Office of the President, as Head;

with the following as members:

Assistant Secretary Augusto Quijano from the Department of Agrarian Reform, Assistant Secretary Cerge M. Remonde from the Office of Press Secretary and Assistant-Director General Nestor R. Mijares from the National Economic and Development Authority.

Ms Ma.

Carla Munsayac-Villarta served as Head of the GRP Panel Secretariat, with staff support from Ferdinand G. Jovita and Gloria S. Ocampo.

The NDFP Negotiating Panel was headed by Mr. Luis G. Jalandoni as chairperson, with Mr. Fidel V. Agcaoili, Ms. Coni Ledesma and Mr. Asterio Palima as members.

The NDFP RWC-SER was headed by Ms. Julieta de Lima as chairperson, with Messrs. rafael Baylosis and Sotero Llamas as members-consultants.

Also acting as consulstant and legal consultant were Prof- Edberto Villegas and Atty.

Marie Yuvienco, respectively.

The NDFP Panel and RWC-SER were also assisted by Chief Political Consultant Prof. Jose Ma.

Sison and consultant Mr. Danilo F. Borjal.

Atty.

Romeo T. Capulong acted as General Counsel with Attys.

Edre Olalia and Rommel-Voltaire Quizon as legal consultants.

There were eleven resource persons (experts and sectoral representatives) and two volunteer staff members, who are all covered by Article IV of the Joint Agreement on the Ground Rules of the Formal Meetings, which allows each negotiating panel to avail itself of experts as consultants, irrespective of their political affiliation, to assist the Panel.

Oslo, Norway:

30 april 2001.

(signed)

Atty.

Silvestre H. Bello III

Chairperson

GRP Negotiating Panel

(signed)

Luis G. Jalandoni

Chairperson

NDFP Negotiating Panel