| MISUARI PICKS
MNLF MILITARY CHIEF TO PAVE WAY FOR NEGOTIATIONS KUALA LUMPUR, April 29 (Bernama) -- The military chief of the Moro National
Liberation Front (MNLF), Lt Gen Yusoff Jikiri has been picked as the personal emissary of
the front's chairman Nur Misuari to pave the way for formal negotiations with the armed
group responsible for the abduction of 21 people from Sipadan Island last Sunday.
An aide of Misuari who spoke to Bernama Saturday on condition of anonymity said Yusoff had
already been despatched to Jolo, the provincial capital of Sulu Friday to lay the ground
work.
"In fact, we have been informed that Yusoff had already begun establishing contact
with several senior members of the group and had even started to relay messages to
Misuari," the aide said when contacted by phone in Misuari's residence in Zamboanga
City.
Misuari who is the Governor of the Autonomous Muslim Region in Mindanao was not available
for comment because, according to the aide, he was deeply engrossed in a close door
meeting over the hostage crisis with several senior Philippine military commanders and
policy makers in the residence.
Misuari had been appointed by President Joseph Estrada as the lead negotiator to secure
the release of the hostages.
According to the aide, Yusoff who is also the Deputy Commander of the Zamboanga-based
South Command of the Philippine Army is the personal emissary of Misuari to establish
contact with the group.
Yusoff was appointed the deputy commander following the integration of several units of
the MNLF into the Armed Forces of the Phillipines after MNLF signed a peace agreement with
Manila in September 1996.
The aide could not confirm whether Misuari would go to Jolo, a two-hour fast craft ride
from Zamboanga, himself or whether there would be a face to face encounter between Misuari
and the kidnappers.
Until then, he said, Misuari will continue to monitor and supervise the negotiation and
rescue efforts from his residence or the ARMM Complex.
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