The Philippine military says it will observe a unilateral one-day ceasefire with communist insurgents Wednesday to mark the U.N.-designated International Day of Peace.

Colonel Arnulfo Burgos says the military will suspend offensive operations against the communist-rebel New People's Army between midnight Tuesday and midnight Wednesday. The New people's Army is the armed component of the Philippine Maoist faction.

The rebels have not responded.

The United Nations has designated September 21 as the International Day of peace to give opportunity to individuals, groups and nations to work for peace.

Negotiations on ending the four-decade communist insurgency are set to resume next month in Norway.

The talks between the government and communist rebels began in the 1970s, but efforts to establish permanent peace have failed. The conflict has claimed an estimated 150,000 lives.