Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman has talked to his Philippine counterpart, Albert del Rosario, over the phone about the matter, says a statement from the Philippine Foreign Ministry.

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Meanwhile Manila said that Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario would also ask for permission for a Philippines ship carrying aid and consular help to be allowed to reach the intruders and evacuate the wounded.

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"We talked about the challenges that we appear to be facing in view of the assertions being made by China, " Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario told reporters after meeting with his Japanese counterpart, Fumio Kishida, in Manila.

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