COTABATO CITY -­ A ranking leader of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) expressed readiness for another round of talks with Philippine government negotiators in a bid to find a political solution to the Mindanao problem.

Ghadzali Jaafar, MILF vice chair for political affairs, said Thursday they are ready anytime to sign a peace agreement as long as it is “just, lasting and comprehensive.”

But he said they would not accept autonomy as a political option to the Mindanao problem.

Jaafar said that autonomy has “failed to address the Mindanao problem” and instead resulted in the “complete disarmament and demobilization” of the Moro National Liberation Front. Members of the MNLF, he also noted, have been reintegrated into the mainstream Philippine society.

“The problem has persisted even with the signing of the peace agreement” between the government and MNLF chairman Nur Misuari, who later became governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The Organization of Islamic Conference brokered the September 2, 1996 peace agreement of government and MNLF. The OIC is also helping in the ongoing peace ventures between the Philippine government and the MILF.

Next week, the 60-member International Monitoring Team will arrive in the country to monitor the ceasefire between the government and the MILF.

MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said the group is expected to arrive on Oct. 10 in Manila.

The monitoring body composed of 50 Malaysian military personnel and 10 from Brunei will join nine Malaysians who arrived last month in Mindanao.

Kabalu said Bangladesh is also considering sending a team.