No Precedent Of Having Tribunal Over Attack Against Civilian Airliner: Russian Envoy

KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 (Bernama) -- Russian Ambassador to Malaysia Valery Yermolov said Friday there has been no precedent of setting up an international tribunal to bring to justice those accused of perpetrating an act of violence against a civilian airliner. He was elaborating on Russia's move to dismiss a draft resolution on a tribunal proposed by five countries undertaking the independent criminal investigation into the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17. Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Ukraine have urged the United Nations Security Council to establish a criminal tribunal to try those responsible for the crime. "No international tribunals were created in other similar circumstances ... not when a Russian airliner belonging to the air company 'Sibir' was shot down in 2001 by Ukrainian armed forces over the Black Sea, and not when the American Navy destroyed Iran Air Flight IR-655 over the Persian Gulf on July 3, 1988," he said. Addressing a press conference on the 'MH17 Tragedy: A Year Without Truth' at the Russian Embassy here, Yermolov said the issue of establishing an international tribunal over the MH17 catastrophe was premature and counter-productive. "We do not think it is reasonable to create just another forum for speculation when there are no investigation results and no clear perspective as to when we will have them. "We think it is logical and necessary to wait for the official end of the investigation which ought to be carried out with true impartiality and professionalism," he said. Therefore, he said, Russia was not going to engage in textual work on the draft resolution on the establishment of an international tribunal or its proposed draft charter. "At the same time, we hope that our partners will understand our position and support completion of the investigation in a transparent manner which would provide a solid basis for a subsequent identification of a suitable trial formula," he said. Malaysia recently presented a draft resolution to the UNSC on the setting up the tribunal, a move fully supported by the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium and Ukraine. It was reported that Russia had dismissed the tribunal bid, then introduced an alternative draft resolution at the UNSC in a bid to thwart the creation of a tribunal that would prosecute those responsible for the downing of MH17. All 298 passengers and crew on board Flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur died when the aircraft was shot down over Donetsk in eastern Ukraine on July 17 last year. (photoBERNAMA) -- BERNAMA