Ricciardone, who visited some parts of Western Mindanao Wednesday, said his optimism was based on the fact that both the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) appear committed to a peaceful settlement of the Moro rebellion.

He said this desire is also reinforced by the coming in of international monitors for the ceasefire agreement between the MILF and the Philippine military.

"The parties are taking the lead here, the Philippine government, the MILF and the Malaysian government. The (International) Monitoring Team (IMT) is doing a great work, and we (US) are sitting on a respectful distance, wishing them success," Ricciardone told the Inquirer.

He said the United States remains confident about the peace process being brokered by Kuala Lumpur and that his government would help in anyway it could.

No interference

But Ricciardone immediately clarified that the US would not interfere in the peace process.

"If they want us in here and there, we are not going to get in their way or get up front," he said.

Peace negotiations between Manila and the MILF would resume after the Muslim holy month of Ramadan according to officials from both sides.

The country's Muslim religious authorities declared the start today of the fasting month of Ramadan, the ninth month in the 12-month lunar Islamic Calendar.

The Dahrul Ifta (House of Opinion) said in a press statement that it has designated lunar observer teams in Maguindanao, the two Lanao provinces, Pagadian City, Tawi-Tawi, in the Visayas and in Manila, but they failed to sight the new moon owing to cloudy skies.

Ustadz Omar Pasigan, the 73-year-old mufti based here, said had the moon been sighted on the 29th Sa'ban (Oct. 13), then fasting would have started yesterday.

"But since no new moon was visible, Thursday was counted as the 30th of Sa'aban and Ramadan starts (Friday)," Pasigan said, saying this rule was set by the Prophet Muhammad.

No announcement

The Office on Muslim Affairs made no announcement of an official holiday even in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Meanwhile in Cotabato City, the MILF said it was working to ensure that its guerrillas would not be caught in the middle of family feuds, or rido.

Ghadzali Jaafar, MILF political affairs chief, admitted that these feuds, which involve some rebel leaders and combatants, could trigger clashes with the military that would put the peace process in danger.

"We have to help address this problem because it would somehow destroy the gains of the peace process," he said.

Brig. Gen. Alexander Yano, chair of the government's ceasefire committee, said the government was working with the MILF to resolve these conflicts. He said the joint ceasefire committees have been visiting areas in the region during the past days.