By Xinhua,
Manila : A Philippine military spokesman on Tuesday said the Philippines and Thailand are near to ink a military cooperation pact that would pave way for joint military drills.
Public office chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)Ernesto Torres said the country’s military chief Alexander Yano discussed the signing of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) during Tuesday’s courtesy call of Royal Thai Armed Forces Supreme Commander Boonsrang Niumpradit at the AFP headquarters in Metro Manila.
“Yano said that the agreement is expected to be approved soon,” Torres was quoted by national television network GMA News as saying.
Torres said a draft of the SOFA with Thailand has been finalized since April 2006, but the proposal has yet to be approved by the concerned Filipino authorities.
The report said the military pact with Thailand would be similar to the Status of Visiting Force Agreement the government signed between the Philippines and Australia last year.
The Philippines is also in talks with Malaysia and Singapore, among others, for signing similar agreements, the report said.