Manila, Nov. 15 -- Signatories to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) have climbed to 65 on Saturday as Slovenia, Slovakia, and Cyprus formally accede to the regional peace pact.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro witnessed the signing of instruments of accession by the three states on Saturday night in a ceremony on the sidelines of the 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Pasay City.

Lazaro said the new accessions solidify the relevance of TAC against the backdrop of the increasingly complex geopolitical environment and reflect growing interest among states to cooperate and sustain peace in Southeast Asia.

"This is particularly important to the current geopolitical environmen...