MELBOURNE, Australia
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott reiterated Thursday his determination to speak directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.
Both leaders will be present at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Beijing next week and the following week Australia will chair the G20 meeting in Brisbane.
The Australian newspaper quoted Abbott as telling reporters: “What I'll be saying to him is that Australia expects full Russian co-operation with the investigation.”
MH17 was downed over eastern Ukraine on July 17 as fighting raged between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists, killing all 298 passengers and crew, including 38 Australians. The incident has been blamed on a missile fired by separatists, who have been supported by Moscow.
Abbott had previously said he would "shirtfront" -- an Australian Rules football term for a shoulder-charge -- Putin when they met, drawing ridicule from Russian media and leading one official to make a reference to Putin’s judo black-belt.
In a joint news conference in Australian capital Canberra, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, whose country lost 193 nationals on MH17, said investigators had retrieved more human remains from the crash site this week.
In comments aimed at Moscow, Abbott added: "We don't want the investigation ridiculed, we don't want the investigation compromised or sabotaged, we want full co-operation with the investigation.
"We owe it to our dead to secure justice and Russia, as a member of the international community, owes it to the world, owes it to humanity, to ensure that justice is done and, wherever possible, the perpetrators of this crime are brought to justice.
"So, that'll be the conversation that I’ll be having with Vladimir Putin at the earliest possible moment."
www.aa.com.tr/en
