Supporters of the communist group clench fists while displaying placards during a protest march calling for the resumption of peace talks in Manila on Aug 20, 2016. (Reuters photo)MANILA - Negotiators from the Philippine government and Maoist-led rebels have reached an agreement to resume formal peace negotiations next month, a month after an angry President Rodrigo Duterte cancelled talks after rebels ambushed soldiers. The talks are brokered by Norway to end nearly five decades of conflict, which has killed more than 40,000 people. The firebrand leader scrapped peace talks last month due to the New People's Army's increasing attacks in the countryside, a violation of its own unilateral truce. He said he would only agree to resume talks if rebels stopped the attacks and extortion activities on mines and plantations.

Source: Bangkok Post March 12, 2017 13:12 UTC