THE Department of National Defense (DND) said the Philippines and the United Kingdom (UK) on Thursday started formal negotiations for a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) highlighting the growing security ties between the two nations.
The SOVFA, once signed and ratified by the two nations, will provide the legal framework for military exercises between the two countries.
DND Undersecretary for Acquisition and Resource Management Salvador Mison Jr. led the Philippine negotiating panel during the first round of formal SOVFA negotiations,
Meanwhile, the UK negotiating panel was led by Amy Senior, head of the Indo-Pacific at the UK’s Ministry of Defense.
The negotiations affirmed the two nations’ commitment to ‘bolstering cross-regional defense cooperation and upholding rules-based international order.’
Likewise, the talks also highlighted ‘Philippines-UK relations while upholding rules-based order in response to the emerging complex security challenges in the Indo-Pacific Region.’
Discussions focused on ‘enhancing strategic initiatives and interoperability’ between the two armed forces, highlighting ‘mutual commitment for regional peace and security through the rule of law.’
‘We appreciate UK’s unqualified support as a like-minded partner in upholding the rules-based international order and preserving freedoms ensured by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,’ Mison said.
The Philippines has an existing SOVFA or similar agreements with the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and France and a Reciprocal Access Agreement with Japan.