ISTANBUL
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has said that “truth must prevail” regarding the missing MH17 flight during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin.
“In a spirit of openness and mutual respect, I raised the issue of MH17 directly with President Putin,” Anwar wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday, referring to his meeting with Putin in Moscow on Wednesday.
On Monday, the UN Civil Aviation Agency ruled that Russia violated international air law in the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine, killing all 283 passengers and 15 crew members. This was the first time the organization had ruled on a dispute between member states.
However, Putin criticized the UN probe during the meeting with Anwar, according to Bloomberg News.
The Russian president asked for a “thorough and comprehensive investigation free of political influence.”
The Malaysian prime minister reiterated his government’s “firm position” that “truth and justice must prevail through a fair and transparent process.”
He called for the “resumption of direct flights from Russia,” which Putin also supported.
During the meeting, Malaysia emphasized Kuala Lumpur and ASEAN’s “principled stance on geopolitical issues, rejecting unilateral actions and upholding the centrality of ASEAN,” Anwar stated.
“Sovereignty, territorial integrity, and peaceful resolution must remain the foundation of our regional and global diplomacy,” Anwar said, thanking Putin for Russia’s support for Malaysia’s “aspiration” to join BRICS.
Anwar is in Russia for a four-day visit, which ends on Friday.