But officials from both countries have been unable to agree on how to characterize the US' precise role.
US defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, wary of misleading Congress or the American public about the risks involved in any combat or combat support missions, has insisted on very precise descriptions.
"Any terms of reference that we agree to will reflect precisely what we are going to accomplish," Fargo said. "So we're going to do what we say and say what we do."
The US is sensitive to how its troops may be received. American officials have hired a private polling firm to canvas residents in the Jolo area to gauge their sentiments about a joint military mission.
But after months of negotiations, the talks remain at a standstill.
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