PH, France sign defense pact

The Philippines and France signed a defense pact this week in a bid to strengthen their partnership in dealing with regional security concerns, such as humanitarian assistance and disaster response, maritime security and counterterrorism.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Ambassador Thierry Mathou signed the agreement on Wednesday at Camp Aguinaldo, defense spokesperson Peter Paul Galvez said in a statement on Friday.

The agreement will serve as a framework of defense cooperation between the two countries, which they have been negotiating since 2014.

“Both countries agreed to focus their cooperation on high-level dialogues and defense policy consultations, visits of defense and armed forces authorities, education and training exchanges and cooperation in the field of defense equipment, logistics and the defense industry,” Galvez said.

During the signing, Gazmin was quoted as saying that they could start working on its implementation.

“I am optimistic that we would be able to draw up a tangible cooperation pursuant to this agreement in the near future,” he added.

Galvez said the signing of the agreement was timely “given the increasing defense and security challenges both countries are confronted with.” RC/rga