Russia seeks justice for those responsible for MH17 crash – but no

Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Ukraine are the countries undertaking the independent criminal investigation into the downing of MH17.

But Russian President Vladimir Putin has described the move as counterproductive and premature.

“Establishment of the tribunal at this stage is also consistent with the Security Council’s own practice. All other ad hoc criminal courts and tribunals were established prior to the completion of investigations”, it added. “Russian Federation of course has a different perspective on this”, he told reporters.

The Security Council met behind closed doors Monday afternoon so Russia’s Ambassador Vitaly Churkin could go through the text.

“A United Nations tribunal is the best option”, said one Dutch senior official. Earlier this month he described the proposal as an attempt to organise a “grandiose, political show”.

The Boeing 777 airliner carrying 298 passengers and crew members was shot down in Donetsk, east Ukraine while en route to Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam on July 17. It crashed in Ukrainian territory held by Russian-backed rebels.

Many relatives have resisted travelling to the region which is legally part of Ukraine but under the sway of pro-Moscow rebels who the West blames for downing the plane.

Several weeks before MH17 was shot down, separatist rebels had bragged about acquiring a missile system and had downed several Ukrainian military aircraft in eastern Ukraine, killing 49 people in one incident.

In a statement, Wisma Putra said the judges, prosecutor and registrar would be appointed by the United Nations secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon and the prosecutor would be entirely independent and have the power to conduct additional investigations.

It also expresses concern that the ongoing safety investigation has been delayed and “does not ensure due transparency in its organization and work methods, which may have a negative impact on its outcome”.

The Russian draft resolution asks for those countries to “keep the council fully and regularly informed on the progress” of the criminal investigation.

It states that the downing of the plane “and its implications for the safety of civil aviation, constitute a threat to worldwide peace and security”.