‘UK interested in joining WPS naval exercises’

The United Kingdom is interested in participating in combined naval drills and activities that the Philippines and its partner nations have been engaging in during the last two years, mostly in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

- By MICHAEL PUNONGBAYAN

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. said UK’s intention to enter into a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) with the Philippines is therefore a welcome development in boosting defense relations between the two countries.

He confirmed that he received a letter from the British minister of defense expressing such intentions by the UK, which means that “it will be the second European country that we will be negotiating a SOVFA with.”

“And the next step will be for me to be authorized by the President to negotiate such a SOVFA,” he said yesterday.

“They're very interested, of course, in multilateral maritime exercises and for us, we see a fit also with our army and their army being smaller armed forces, and we can learn a lot from the way that they operate as a smaller army,” Teodoro said.

He noted that the UK’s intention to enter into a SOVFA with the Philippines shows “full support not only for UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea), for international law, but full support for the Arbitral Award.”

“That is the clearest expression that a country may have to support our position in the West Philippine Sea,” Teodoro said when asked what UK’s move means for the Philippines.

He said negotiating the SOVFA with the UK means President Marcos will have to consult with the secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs, “but I don’t see any problem.”

According to him, the Philippines is currently negotiating a SOVFA with France, is waiting to sign on one with Canada and is waiting for Senate confirmation on another with New Zealand.