Malaysia Condemns Attacks Against Civilians In Ukraine

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 28 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has condemned in the strongest terms the indiscriminate attacks against civilians in two cities in Ukraine last week that killed at least 45 people and injured over 120. Malaysia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Hussein Haniff said Malaysia also called for an independent investigation into the incidents and wanted the perpetrators of the heinous crimes held accountable. "Malaysia reminds the parties to the conflict to adhere to international human rights law and international humanitarian law. Attacks against humanitarian convoys must also cease immediately," he said in his speech at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine, in New York on Monday. The text of his speech was released here Tuesday by the Office of the Permanent Representative of Malaysia to the UN in New York. On Jan 22, a public transport stop was shelled in Donetsk, that resulted in as many as 15 killed and more than 20 civilians injured. Two days later, at least 30 people, including two children, were killed and more than 100 civilians injured in the rocket attacks on the port city of Mariupol. Hussein said the recent events had seriously undermined the ceasefire agreed to between the conflicting parties in September last year. "Malaysia strongly urges the relevant parties to fulfil their commitment to the Minsk Protocol of 5 September and the Minsk Memorandum of 19 September 2014," he said. The latest developments in eastern Ukraine prove that a diplomatic and political solution was more urgent than ever, he said. In this regard, he said, Malaysia welcomed all efforts that could facilitate the de-escalation of the crisis and contribute to ending the conflict, including the possibility of resuming Geneva format negotiations. "As Malaysia had stated last week, a military solution would not be in anyone's interest in the long run and would not be sustainable," Hussein said, adding that the relevant parties should explore all possible avenues to find a peaceful solution. -- BERNAMA