Because little brown Christians aren't a preferred minority.
The "long-standing talks" have been going on since at least 1976 when I was on a press trip to the Philippines. We went down to the southern provinces, stayed overnight -- heavily guarded -- in the city of Zamboanga, which would be a good travel destination except the Moros were busily hacking heads off. We actually visited a Moro village on stilts over the water, and believe me, those muslims were resentful and sullen, totally inured to smiles and overtures from strangers. My tour guide, from the Philippine Department of Tourism, was the biggest Filipino guy anyone's ever seen. Bodyguard. He walked right next to and behind me, his shoulder touching my shoulder at every minute. Apparently even then a young and rather nice looking red-headed American grrrrrrrl writer was a terrorist target.
At other destinations around the world, travel writers are always wined and dined at the best restaurants, in Zamboanga, we were taken to the military base where I was seated between the commanding officers of the Army and the Navy of the Southern Philippines. After a few drinks and giggles I asked why we were dining on the base. "Because we'd be murdered if we drove across town at night." Apparently they thought a handful of travel writers had a better chance of getting to our destination alive. Scary!
So, no, I don't think any peace is possible with Islamists anywhere in the world. Tony Blair said something about moderate muslims calming down their terrorist brothers and sisters--possibly a good idea if al Jazeera would stop broadcasting terrorist propaganda 24/7. The NYT of the Middle East.