TONY Abbott has told Vladimir Putin to apologise for Russia’s involvement in shooting down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 and pay compensation to families of the 298 victims.
Delivering on his promise to personally confront the Russian President over the air disaster, Mr Abbott today told Mr Putin he should follow the “precedent” set when the United States paid compensation after it accidentally shot down an Iranian civilian aircraft in 1988.
“The Prime Minister observed that when the United States had inadvertently shot down a civilian aircraft it had duly apologised and made appropriate restitution,” Mr Abbott’s spokeswoman said.
“He commended the precedent to President Putin.”
However suggestions Mr Abbott would ‘shirt-front’ the Russian President appeared to fall flat.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, quoted by the Russian state news agency, scoffed when asked if Mr Abbott delivered on his promise.
“It appears that he did not try,” Mr Peskov said.
The two leaders held a 15 minute meeting about the MH17 disaster on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders’ meeting in Beijing.
During the meeting, Mr Abbott told Mr Putin he had evidence that Russia had armed the rebels who shot down the aircraft and killed 38 Australians.
Mr Abbott said his intelligence showed “MH17 was destroyed by a missile from a launcher that had come out of Russia, was fired from inside Eastern Ukraine and then returned to Russia”, his spokeswoman said.
The PM said the information was “a very serious matter” if it was true.
Mr Abbott’s office said Mr Putin agreed “that all relevant information should be provided to the independent investigation and that the investigation should proceed with the full support of the international community”.
Mr Abbott said families deserved a “measure of justice” for the loss of their loved ones.
But it is not clear if Mr Putin gave any guarantees on an apology or compensation to families.
The Kremlin confirmed the meeting and said both leaders backed a “genuine” investigation of the tragedy.
“Both Abbott and Putin spoke in favour of a genuine investigation for the reasons for this catastrophe, speeding up this investigation,”
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/n ... c7f8aaefb1
