Russian MH17 veto 'let down families, victims'

(File)
(File)

A Russian veto means the United Nations Security Council has failed to make any progress on holding to account those responsible for killing 298 people on Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.

Murray McCully, representing sitting president New Zealand, says the council failed the victims, their families and the council itself

Russia is determined not to act on the MH17 crash and the world's so-called peacekeeper, the United Nations, has been rendered utterly useless.

Mr McCully says the lack of response lets down the families of the victims.

"In failing to find a way forward, this council has let down the families and friends of those killed in flight MH17."

The failure on New Zealand's watch as council president means a tribunal to prosecute those responsible for shooting down the Malaysia Airlines flight will not go ahead.

It's infuriated those fighting for it, with  Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop taunting Russia with sarcasm.

"If Russia has evidence relevant to this matter, surely Russia would want it heard."

The US and UK believe Russia supplied the weapons used by rebels to shoot down MH17.

Mr McCully says everybody can draw their own conclusions on whether Russia has something to hide.

"People can make their own judgments about that."

That's diplomacy though; it's delicate - especially in public.

Russia wants the investigation into the crash completed before any tribunal is set up. That happens in October, so the council may go through this whole process all over again.

Mr McCully says he won't stand for that.

"You can't have an airliner shot out of the sky, 298 people killed and nothing happen."

But for today, the Security Council's impotence means that's precisely what happened.

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