"It’s a tragic paradox that the subject of this attack were people celebrating liberty, equality and fraternity," said European Council President Donald Tusk. "Today we all, Europe and Asia, stand united with the French people and their government. We condemn this tragedy and keep up our fight against extreme violence and hatred. It says the subject should not be brought up at ASEM.But in an oblique reference to the controversy, leaders spoke of the importance of respecting the global legal frameworks that undergird cooperation on terrorism, among other issues. "Dialogue and a strong commitment to the rules based international order are necessary," said Tusk.The Philippines, which brought the case, has said it plans to raise the issue during the summit.Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay will discuss Manila’s "peaceful and rules-based approach" to the dispute and "the need for parties to respect the recent decision" during the meeting, his office said.Vietnam, whose own South China Sea dispute with Beijing may also benefit from the PCA ruling, will also talk about "all kinds of issues" at the summit, its foreign minister Pham Binh Minh said.

Source: The Nation Bangkok July 15, 2016 03:33 UTC