To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the International Young Democrat Union’s statement in August 2013 regarding the negotiations between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

It is positive that the International Young Democrat Union (IYDU) is taking an interest in negotiations between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). People under the age of 40, about 65% of the Philippines population, have lived with this bloody and painful conflict their whole lives. With last year’s Framework Peace agreement, we can share the hope of the IYDU that today’s Filipino youth will be the generation that sees Mindanao flourish in peace and security along with the rest of the country.

The UK has provided support to efforts to resolve the conflict through our work in the International Contact Group (ICG) and we were therefore able to bear witness to the courage and commitment of President Aquino and the Chairman of the MILF, Al Haj Murad. As the two sides move beyond negotiation and begin work on implementing the agreement the UK will continue to offer support based on our own experiences of conflict resolution and of the nature of devolution in the UK.