Australia and Netherlands began negotiations with Russia on responsibility for MH17 air disaster
This month, the Netherlands, Australia and Russia have held their first meeting in an attempt to determine Russia’s responsibility for downing of MH17 flight in 2014 over eastern Ukraine, NOS news agency reported with reference to a joint statement of Australian and Dutch Foreign Ministers at a press conference in Sydney.
"The First trilateral meeting has been held recently," said Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok.
Both ministers refused to provide further details about the meeting, citing its confidentiality. At the same time, they assured that they were doing their best to get justice for the victims of the crash.
The place of negotiations was also not specified. Previously, Vienna was considered as a probable location.
The Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 flight MH17 was shot down on July 17, 2014 over separatist-held territory of the Donetsk region. All 298 people on board were killed. Passengers of the flight included citizens of 10 countries. Most of the victims (196 people) were citizens of the Netherlands.
The Joint Investigation Team (JIT)—which includes representatives from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands, and Ukraine—has carried out criminal investigation of the tragedy. The countries participating in the investigation have agreed not to create a separate tribunal and decided that those responsible would be brought before the Dutch court.
On May 24, 2018, the JIT presented additional evidence of Russia’s crucial role in the tragic air disaster. The JIT concluded that the Buk ground-to-air missile system that shot down the passenger airplane was in service of the 53rd anti-aircraft missile brigade of the Russian Armed Forces stationed in Kursk.
On May 25, the Dutch government took steps to hold Russia accountable for the crash of flight MH17, a process which will be managed separately from prosecuting the perpetrators.
Australia stated it will seek payment of compensation from Russia to the families of the MH17 crash victims.