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Government of the Philippines and National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace negotiators have signed an interim joint ceasefire agreement in Netherlands during the fourth round of talks.

“After 3 days of not-so-easy exchanges and difficult meetings, the GRP and NDFP panels a few hours ago signed a document where the two sides agreed to a joint interim ceasefire agreement that is NOT YET effective but will be operationalized and implemented as soon as the guidelines, rules and mechanisms are mutually agreed upon by both sides,” Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza said.

“The details will still be subject of meetings soon after the two sides go back home,” Dureza said. “The next round of talks is tentatively set at the end of next month May.”

Government chief peace negotiator Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said both parties also moved fast to conclude provisions on a draft Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER) meant to address the root causes of the armed conflict.

The talks primarily scheduled on April 2 in Netherlands was delayed for the next day after President Rodrigo Duterte alerted GRP panel and lay down four conditions.

The four conditions President Duterte set before the start of the 4th round of peace talks in The Netherlands were immediate release of captured police and military personnel, bilateral ceasefire agreement, the signing of a bilateral ceasefire agreement; a stop to the alleged extortion activities of rebels; and the non-recognition of any territorial claim made by the communists.