Malaysia lists mediation a priority - Anifah Aman

Sharing Malaysia's experience at the High-Level Conference on Mediation in Brussels, Belgium on Tuesday (Feb 14), Anifah said Malaysia's offer to mediate two peace processes at the regional level arose from its firm belief in mediation as the primary way to resolve conflicts peacefully.

It also arose from a genuine desire to ensure that peace prevails in the Southeast Asian region.

Malaysia was the Third Party Facilitator for the Southern Philippines Peace Process, a role its assumed in 2001, and the endeavour led to the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro between the government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in 2014.

Malaysia is also the facilitator to the Southern Thailand Peace Dialogue that has been on-going since 2013.

"Peace and stability in these areas will contribute to the creation of an environment conducive for development, business and investment opportunities," Anifah said in his speech that was made available here today.

He stressed that in mediating the two peace processes, Malaysia was guided by a few basic principles.

"It is Malaysia's view that a good mediator has to be suitably experienced and be well trained in diplomacy and negotiation. He or she must be an impartial and honest broker.

"He or she must also understand that the role of a mediator is to facilitate the resolution of issues rather than to impose a resolution upon the parties in conflict," he said.

At the same time, he said, Malaysia was of the view that the role of the parties in the mediation process was equally vital.

"We strongly believe that for a mediation process to realise its objective, all parties must be sincere and fully committed in wanting to achieve a peaceful and sustainable solution that is acceptable to the parties in conflict," he said.

Anifah said Malaysia firmly believed that moderation played an essential role in a mediation process towards enhancing international peace and security.

Moderation was also important to ensure the promotion and protection of human rights, he said.