Putin Rejects U.N. Tribunal for Downed Malaysian Jet

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/17/world/asia/putin-rejects-un-tribunal-for-downed-malaysian-jet.html

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MOSCOW — President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia pushed back forcefully on Thursday against calls for an international tribunal to investigate the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine last year, even as other world leaders were demanding accountability for the deaths of the 298 people aboard the plane.

In a telephone call with Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands, Mr. Putin “explained in detail Russia’s position on what it sees as an untimely and counterproductive initiative by a number of countries, including the Netherlands, to establish an international tribunal for criminal prosecution of individuals responsible,” the Kremlin said in a statement.

Mr. Putin also complained about unidentified officials suggesting in “overtly politicized” leaks to the press that the Russian military was to blame, calling such leaks “unacceptable.”

The Malaysian jet was widely believed to have been destroyed by a surface-to-air missile fired from territory controlled by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

The United States has publicly blamed those forces. And a number of journalistic investigations, including one by the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta, have indicated that the missile system used to shoot down the aircraft was supplied by the Russian military.

Russian authorities, including officials from the Defense Ministry, have put forward numerous alternative theories, generally blaming the Ukrainian military and in some cases, suggesting that the airliner was attacked midair by a Ukrainian fighter jet.

Most of the victims were Dutch. The Netherlands is leading the international investigation into the cause of the crash at the request of Ukraine, which technically should be responsible because the plane was destroyed in its airspace. Dutch prosecutors are also conducting a parallel criminal inquiry.

A formal report in the safety investigation is expected to be made public in October, but an initial draft is already circulating among some governments. The report is expected to confirm the initial suspicions of separatist involvement.

Ukraine, the Netherlands, Malaysia and Australia have called for the creation of a United Nations tribunal, but Russia has rejected the idea. In the call with Mr. Rutte, Mr. Putin said that before turning to such “judicial mechanisms,” first a “thorough and objective, independent and comprehensive” international investigation must be concluded.

Despite Mr. Putin’s remarks, Russia and the Russian-supported separatists in eastern Ukraine have not cooperated fully so far. Last month, for instance, leaders of the self-declared separatist republic in Luhansk blocked an effort by Dutch investigators to gather information about cellphone towers and systems there.

President Petro O. Poroshenko of Ukraine, in an interview with CNN, called for justice in the case and urged the creation of the investigative tribunal, which Russia could block using its veto in the Security Council.

“We strongly support the international criminal tribunal which should be adopted by the Security Council,” he said before adding a dig at Mr. Putin. “And we think if anybody wants to stop this process,” Mr. Porosheno said, “he should take the responsibility on himself.”

The effort to hold Russia responsible for the downed Malaysian jet is complicated by the Kremlin’s repeated denials of military activity in eastern Ukraine. For Russia to admit any role in destroying the jet, would be to admit to violating Ukraine’s sovereignty and to lying repeatedly about Russian military intervention.

At a news conference on Thursday, Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, accused the United States of rushing to judgment. He said that “if Washington knows everything” and has actively supported the creation of a tribunal, then it is clear “what goal this tribunal will pursue.”