SUMMARY

MANILA, Philippines – The Vatican’s top diplomat, in a historic trip to Manila, called on parties in the West Philippine Sea dispute to abide by international law, even as the Catholic Church is walking its own China tightrope.

Archbishop Paul Gallagher, secretary for relations with states of the Holy See, discussed the West Philippine Sea and a range of issues with his Filipino counterpart, Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo, at a five-star hotel overlooking Manila Bay on Tuesday, July 2.

For more than an hour, Manalo and Gallagher held a working lunch with key officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Apostolic Nunciature, after which they held a press conference at Diamond Hotel in Pasay City.

Manalo’s prepared statement to the media, and Gallagher’s response…

Source:https://www.rappler.com/philippines/vatican-archbishop-paul-gallagher-west-philippine-sea-dispute/