Vatican calls on SCS parties to abide by int’l law

MANILA – The Holy See is urging all parties in the South China Sea to abide by international law and pursue dialogue as a solution to disputes.

“The position of the Holy See is quite clear, in such circumstances, such situations of conflict whatever they are, first of all, that every effort must be made – that any differences or conflicts are resolved peacefully,” Vatican’s Secretary for Relations Paul Gallagher said when asked about Vatican's position on tensions in the West Philippine Sea on Tuesday.

“We would encourage parties in conflict to abide by international law and to pursue that as a way of resolving difficulties and problems with the best interest of all involved."

The issue of the West Philippine Sea and the Taiwan Strait were among the subjects discussed by Gallagher and Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo during a bilateral meeting at the Manila Diamond Hotel.

Concerned by the “far too many conflicts in the world,” Gallagher said the Holy See is focused on promoting peace through dialogue and negotiation.

“We believe that in many of these things, the Holy See and Republic of the Philippines share the same values, the same vision of things so we can probably work together in the future,” he said.

During the meeting, Manalo said they “noted their shared perspective that amidst the various international challenges and conflicts, the international community must be united in preserving a world where differences are resolved peacefully and on the basis of international law."

Gallagher and Manalo first exchanged views on the West Philippine Sea during a meeting on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in February 2023.

Closer cooperation

On top of security issues, the two top diplomats also discussed ways to strengthen the Philippines and the Vatican’s relations, specifically on migrant rights promotion, culture and education, climate resilience and interfaith dialogue, among others.

Manalo said the two states are now working on an agreement on education that would allow for mutual recognition of university degrees.

This proposed memorandum of understanding is expected to benefit Filipino priests and nuns pursuing further studies in various ecclesiastical and Catholic educational institutions of the Holy See.

Meanwhile, Manalo reaffirmed Manila’s longstanding commitment to promoting interfaith and intercultural dialogue “as a means of fostering peace, understanding and cooperation among different cultures and religions”.

“We look forward to continued cooperation with the Holy See, both in advancing bilateral collaborations, as well as in advocating together for issues of common concern on the international stage,” he said. (PNA)