MANILA, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Monday the cooperation with Russia being sought by the Philippine government is not in the level of the Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States.
Interviewed in Camp Aguinaldo, the Philippine military headquarter, Lorenzana said the agreement being eyed with the Russians is the form of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which he said only paves the way for possible joint exercises and student exchange.
Lorenzana clarified that the MOU was first proposed during the time of President Aquino in 2014.
"The draft is almost finished and it will be one of the documents that will be signed, if we finish the nitty-gritty, during the visit of the president to Russia sometime in April or May," said Lorenzana.
Philippine Defense Department Assistant Secretary Jose Quilop earlier said a proposed Agreement on Defense Cooperation is being finalized with Russia so it could be signed during President Duterte's visit to Moscow this year.
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