Putin tells Dutch PM MH17 tribunal would be counterproductive

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday told Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte that establishing an international tribunal to prosecute those behind the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine would be counterproductive.

“Vladimir Putin in detail explained the Russian position regarding the premature and counterproductive nature of an initiative by a number of countries, including the Netherlands, to establish an international tribunal to criminally prosecute individuals responsible for the destruction of the Malaysian airliner,” the Kremlin said following a phone call between Putin and Rutte.

The Netherlands – whose citizens made up the majority of the 298 people killed when the plane was downed a year ago over rebel-held eastern Ukraine -- is working with Malaysia, Australia, Belgium, and Ukraine on setting up an international tribunal. A draft UN resolution, obtained by AFP, calls for establishing the tribunal under Chapter 7 of the UN charter, which means that the court’s efforts to prosecute those responsible could be enforced by sanctions. Investigators from the Netherlands are leading an international probe into the downing of the Amsterdam-Kuala Lumpur flight on July 17, 2014, and are expected to release a final report in early October.