MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 30th July, 2021) United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin thanked on Friday Philippine Defense Minister Delfin Lorenzana for "full restoration" of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) on the deployment of US troops in the country.
"Thank you, Secretary @del_lorenzana [Defense Minister Delfin Lorenzana], for discussing a range of defense topics, including President Duterte's decision to fully restore the Visiting Forces Agreement. Today underscored the vital nature of our treaty alliance with Philippines, our oldest treaty alliance in Asia," Austin tweeted.
In June, it became known that Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte decided once again to extend the agreement on the deployment of the US troops and military equipment in the country.
In February 2020, Manila notified Washington of the termination of the VFA. However, in June and November same year, the Philippines suspended the entry of the decision into force for the period of six months each time.
