The Philippines and Muslim Chief government negotiator Miriam Coronel Ferrer said, "We are at the home-stretch. We are working on a target to finish all the annexes (outstanding issues) and a final deal before the elections on May 13."
The Philippines goes to the polls in May to pick more than 18,000 officials, including half the Senate and the entire House of Representatives. The elections are crucial because their congress would have to pass a law approving the peace deal.
Once a final peace deal is signed, the government is hoping congress will pass the law to approve it before then end of 2014. After that areas included in the planned autonomous region would need to endorse it in a plebiscite.
MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal also expressed confidence that a final agreement could be reached during the next few weeks. He said, "I believe it will be signed because there is no other way forward, except to finish all the annexes."