KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian government has secured an agreement with Ukranian separatists who control the area around the MH17 crash site, to allow a group of international police personnel to enter the area.
A statement issued by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s office on Facebook today, said this would provide protection for international crash investigators at the crash site.
Pursuant to the earlier agreement between Najib and leader of the separatist forces, Alexander Borodai, the statement said Borodoi, today, had agreed to allow a deployment of international police personnel to enter the crash site.
It said to date, international air crash investigators have been unable to properly deploy across the vast crash site in eastern Ukraine and collect evidence due to ongoing security concerns, including continued military activity.
Najib had also expressed his concern that some human remains might still be at the crash site and that these security concerns were preventing full and unfettered access to the site, and therefore a proper, independent investigation from being carried out.
He also called for an immediate cessation of all military activities in and around the crash site.
“I am deeply concerned that international investigators have been unable to properly deploy to the crash site because of the volatile security situation.
“It is imperative that we deploy a full team of investigators to ensure that all the human remains are removed from the site, identified and repatriated. Everyone who was on board MH17 must be afforded proper dignity and respect.
“We also need a full deployment of investigators to have unfettered access to the crash site so we can understand precisely what happened to MH17. I hope that this agree ment with Borodai will ensure security on the ground, so the international investigators can conduct their work,” Najib was quoted as saying.
The statement said Najib has spoken to the prime ministers of the Netherlands and Australia, and the three countries have agreed to work closely together in deploying police personnel.
“Three grieving nations have formed a coalition to secure the site. Through our joint deployment of police personnel, the Netherlands, Australia and Malaysia will work together to achieve justice for the victims,” Najib said in the statement.
It also said 68 Malaysian police personnel will leave Kuala Lumpur for the crash site on Wednesday as part of the international deployment.
Malaysian officials, it said, were in the midst of discussing the details of the police deployment with the Netherlands and Australia.
“Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman has been speaking to his international counterparts and officials from the Ukrainian government on the legal and diplomatic framework for the deployment.
“Malaysian Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, who has been leading on the MH17 investigation is working closely with the head of the investigation in the Netherlands,” it added.
Under the original three point agreement brokered between Najib and Borodai last week, the Ukrainian separatists agreed to: transfer the black boxes to Malaysia; hand over the human remains to international officials; and grant full access to the crash site for international investigators.
Flight MH17, a Boeing 777-200, was brought down in eastern Ukraine on July 17, killing all 298 passengers, including 15 crew on board.