MH17: Who is hampering the investigation?

After the failure of the hastily arranged UN Security Council vote on a resolution that hadn’t been properly debated, Russia is once again being accused of creating obstacles to justice for the victims of the MH17 disaster.

These official statements and media coverage come as no surprise to us. However, let’s face the facts.

Russia was the first state to demand a full and independent investigation of this abhorrent crime. We did everything to ensure the early adoption of Security Council Resolution 2166 that not only insisted on a proper investigation, but also, at Russia’s initiative, provided for an immediate ceasefire at the crash site. The Russian Defense Ministry has been the only one among its counterparts to publish its satellite data relevant for establishing the truth. We have declassified certain technical documentation related to the Buk missiles and provided the Netherlands with a thorough analysis of possible Buk involvement in the downing of the aircraft performed by experts from the Almaz-Antey Corporation, the missiles’ manufacturer.

We have been calling upon the Security Council to remain actively involved in the investigation by, for instance, inviting the Secretary-General to appoint a special envoy for MH-17 and providing the Council with wide-ranging proposals as to how it could help the investigation in the most effective way. Finally, we introduced an alternative draft resolution that would encourage the investigation to be more conducted more quickly, transparently and comprehensively, rather than politicize the matter further by creating an unprecedented tribunal that would have to operate under immense political pressure.

Why the rush? Is it to help the investigation, or rather to replace it? Progress towards justice must be seen. So far, we have seen nothing. Our partners preferred to conduct a vote that is impossible to explain by any other motive than seeking a fresh pretext for pointing a finger at Russia. It is only to be regretted that the unity and authority of the Security Council has once again become hostage to political ambitions having nothing to do with either justice or a peaceful resolution of the crisis in Ukraine in its entirety. For its part, Russia will continue to seek both.

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.

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