MANILA, July 5 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines has put forward conditions for resuming peace talks with left-wing rebels, the presidential peace adviser said on Thursday.
"The doors for the resumption of peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) are still open," Jesus Dureza said.
However, Dureza added that the resumption of the peace talks "is subject to the following wishes of (President Rodrigo Duterte)."
One of Duterte's wishes is to hold the talks in the Philippines, a condition that left-wing exiled leader Jose Maria Sison already turned down.
Sison, 79, is the founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines and adviser of the NDFP, the negotiating arm of the CPP and its armed wing the New People's Army (NPA). He has been living in the Netherlands since 1987.
Another condition is to forge a ceasefire agreement but the government said that it wants "armed NPA members are encamped in designated areas."
The government reiterated that it will not agree on a coalition government with the rebels and urged the rebels anew to stop collecting the so-called revolutionary tax from people.
In the meantime, Dureza said, "Localized peace arrangements may be pursued by the local government units with the insurgents in their respective areas of responsibility."
"This 'way forward' in the stalled peace was decided following the consolidation of various positions expressed during the command conference convened by Duterte (late Wednesday) night in the presidential palace." Dureza said.
He said Duterte also expressed his wish that Norway continues as facilitator in the event peace talks are resumed. Norway has been brokering the talks between the two sides.
Dureza and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana were at the high-level security meeting that was also attended by military and police generals.
Duterte ordered on June 14 the postponement of the formal resumption of peace negotiations with the leftist rebels, citing the need for more public consultations. On June 21, peace negotiators announced the cancellation of all backchannel talks.
"Based on the implications drawn from the current impasse, the NDFP can no longer negotiate with a GRP (Government of the Philippines) that is headed by Duterte," Sison said on June 28.
Sison has yet to issue a statement on the new government conditions that Dureza laid out.
Since 1986, the government has been trying to reach a peace deal with the rebels but has so far failed to reach a formal agreement. The NPA has waged a protracted rebellion since 1969.