Secretary Dureza, Norwegian FM Søreide Express Commitment to Peace Talks with the Left

After the bilateral meeting, Norway’s Foreign Minister Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide and Secretary Jesus G. Dureza exchanged tokens of commitment to the peace talks. Minister Søreide gave Secretary Dureza a book on Norway’s candidature to the UN Security Council, while Secretary Dureza handed Minister Søreide his Philippine flag pin.

OSLO 27 June 2018 – Philippine Presidential Adviser to the Peace Process (OPAPP) Secretary Jesus G. Dureza and Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide both expressed commitment to the peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front.

Secretary Dureza thanked Foreign Minister Søreide for Norway’s support, resilience, and patience in facilitating the peace talks. He emphasized Norway’s role as a valuable partner, and expressed hope that Norway would “not stay away from the table” and bring the peace talks to a logical milestone.

Foreign Minister Søreide assured Secretary Dureza that Norway would remain patient and dedicated third-party facilitator to the negotiations. She underlined Norway’s determination to see the peace process until its conclusion.

The meeting between Sectary Dureza and Foreign Minister Søreide was held at the margins of the Oslo forum on 19 to 20 June 2018. The Secretary was invited by the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue to be a participant in the Oslo Forum, an annual gathering of international conflict mediators, high-level decision-makers, and other peace process actors.

Minister Søreide was accompanied by Norway’s Special Envoy to the Peace Process Idun Tvedt, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Peace and Reconciliation Director Dag Halvor Nylander, and Minister Søreide’s Chief of Staff Jannicke Graatrud.

With Secretary Dureza were Deputy Head of Mission and Consul General Maria Elena P. Algabre and Third Secretary and Vice Consul Christiansen D. Cabahug of the Philippine Embassy in Oslo, and Secretary Dureza’s Chief of Staff Chuyie Kaye Guibelondo. END

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