PH, UK to hold joint defense meet in March

“We’re proud of what we’ve achieved but what we’ve achieved is all thanks to you –partners across media, gov’t & civil societies. A broad and powerful coalition upholding media freedom.”

Amb @DanielPruce unveils how we will continue to #DefendMediaFreedom in the coming year. pic.twitter.com/ae6qymkF3t

— British Embassy Manila 🇬🇧🇵🇭 (@ukinphilippines) February 11, 2020

MANILA — The Philippines and the United Kingdom are set to hold a joint defense committee meeting in March, British Ambassador Daniel Pruce said Tuesday night.

The envoy said representatives from the Department of National Defense and UK’s Ministry of Defense are expected to discuss during the meet the possibility of a joint military exercise.

“The discussion in March is part of a regular sequence that we have established through our MOU (memorandum of understanding) which we agreed in December 2017,” Pruce told reporters during a reception on media freedom in Makati City.

“We’re working within those parameters to take forward these training exchanges and greater cooperation between our forces,” he added.

Malacañang earlier said Manila is open to forging military deals with other nations like the UK following its decision to abrogate the Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States.

Pruce declined to comment on the issue, but for the part of the UK, he underscored the two nations’ “very close and developing relationship” on defense and security issues.

“We’ll continue to talk about ways in the period ahead we can deepen and develop further that cooperation,” he said.

The MOU on Defense Cooperation signed between the Philippines and the UK in December 2017 has opened up possibilities for training exchanges and cooperation between the two nations’ forces.