The Philippines and the Muslim group hope to sign a deal by April next year over Muslim homeland, officials from both sides said on Wednesday.

　　Both parties are pushing to finalize the deal, which involves bringing back international monitors to the region, before Philippine President Gloria Arroyo's term ends in June 2010, as present negotiations are under her mandate.

　　"The decision of the MILF right from the start is that we want a negotiated political settlement. The MILF does not want war," Mohagher Iqbal, the MILF panel chairman, said.

　　"There are a lot of challenges ahead. It is not an easy task," Malaysian facilitator Othman Abdul Razak told a news conference after two-day talks in Kuala Lumpur. "We are trying to sign the compact by the first quarter of next year, March or April, so we are going on a fast track."

　　In a joint statement, the two sides said they had agreed to re-establish an international task force "to monitor ceasefire, humanitarian, rehabilitation, development and civilian protection agreements".

　　Under the new deal, the International Monitoring Team (IMT) and the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group would return the region after pulling out more than a year ago due to halting of the deal agreed.

　　The Malaysian mediator for the talks, Othman Razak, said the IMT would maintain member countries and that Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak had agreed in principle for Malaysia to rejoin and lead the IMT.

　　The IMT will deploy in January and also includes a number of non-governmental organizations. The group will also be tasked with the monitoring of civilian protection, said Othman.

　　"The timeline for us to achieve this is very limited...we will do the best we can and God willing, we will achieve something," said Rafael Seguis, chairman of the Philippine government peace negotiating panel.

　　Seguis was speaking to reporters after concluding two-day talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) held in the Malaysian capital.

　　Both sides agreed to a truce in July, opening the way for resumption of talks.

　　Maguindanao has been under martial law after an election related massacre of 57 people in late November.

　　The Philippines, an archipelagic country located in the western Pacific Ocean, has a population of 90 million people. The population of Muslims is about 12 million.

　　Between the years 1450 and 1515, two Islamic principalities were founded on the islands of Sulu and Mindanao. Islam came to the Philippines in the 13th century 200 years before Christianity did.

　　PHOTO CAPTION

　　Map of the Philippines locating Sultan Kudarat -- the political heartland of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

　　Source: Agencies