Marcos approves start of VFA talks with France
Marcos approves start of VFA talks with France
(UPDATE) PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has given the green light for the Philippine government to start negotiations with France to enter into a Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), Malacañang confirmed on Tuesday.
"It's not just with France; there are other countries who might follow suit, and the President has approved this," Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said in Filipino in a press conference.
"The DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) could raise the level of compatibility in terms of or in relation to the operations of the armed forces of both countries," she added.
The official did not specify which countries the Philippines is considering, although Department of National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. earlier disclosed that a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (Sovfa) with New Zealand and Canada was concluded last Feb. 20 and March 7, respectively.
"We welcome the exchange of ideas, the exchange of know-how about military operations. As for the specific details, we will leave it to the DFA and DND," Castro said.
To date, the Philippines has standing VFAs with the United States (signed in 1998), Australia (signed in 2007), and Japan (Reciprocal Access Agreement signed in July last year).
The RAA with Japan was ratified by the Senate last December.
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