BANGKOK: Relations between Malaysia and Russia remain strong despite the tragedy involving Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 five years ago, Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said yesterday.
He said Malaysia and Russia were on the same page over the MH17 crash that killed all 298 people on board, including 15 crew members, in 2014.
On whether ties between Malaysia and Russia had deteriorated following the tragedy, Saifuddin said “no”.
“On MH17, we are on the same page. We may have different reasons to be on the same page, but we are on the same page.
“We are uncomfortable with efforts by certain quarters that were too quick in making accusations against certain countries and individuals while the investigations were ongoing.”
Earlier, he held a bilateral meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the 52nd Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting here yesterday.
Saifuddin said Malaysia remained steadfast in ensuring that investigations into the MH17 case were conducted in a proper, open and accountable manner.
Flight MH17 was flying from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport to Kuala Lumpur when it was shot down near Torez in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, 40km from
the Russian border on July 17, 2014.
Passengers on board MH17 were from Malaysia, the Netherlands, Australia, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, New Zealand, Canada and the Philippines.
In the Netherlands, on June 19, Dutch-led international investigators charged four people — three Russians and one Ukranian — with murder over the tragedy. — BERNAMA