Philippine Muslim rebel negotiators told American diplomats that their group could Balkanise the south if pushed and had been urged to conduct assassinations, according to a leaked US diplomatic cable.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front also urged the United States to conduct a 'parallel dialogue' with them to push stalled peace talks forward, Leslie Bassett, who was the charge d'affaires at the US embassy in Manila, wrote in February last year.
The cable, marked classified and confidential, was released last week by WikiLeaks.
Yesterday, chief rebel negotiator Mohagher Iqbal confirmed that he was at a dinner on February 24 last year, detailed in Bassett's report. He confirmed that the topics had veered to assassination, Balkanisation and parallel dialogue with the US.
Balkanisation refers to fragmentation or division of a region or state into smaller regions or states that are often hostile or non-cooperative with each other.
The report quoted rebel peace panel member Michael Mastura saying: 'We can still make trouble and Balkanise the area. Please do not allow us to do that.'
Iqbal confirmed that Mastura had said that. However, Iqbal said: 'The MILF does not threaten. It's just a statement of fact. The meaning of that message is that there must be seriousness in talks.'