New | Australian PM points finger at Russia over downed Malaysian plane
Tony Abbott said he was 'filled with revulsion' over the attack
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott blamed Russia on Friday over the shooting down of a Malaysia Airlines passenger jetliner over eastern Ukraine that killed all 298 people on board.
Abbott appeared to go further than other Western leaders in apportioning blame over the crash, demanding that Moscow answer questions about the "Russian-backed rebels" that he said were behind the disaster.
He also said the Russian ambassador to Australia has been officially summoned to discuss the issue.
Australia is due to host Russian President Vladimir Putin and other world leaders at the G20 Leaders Summit in November. Asked if he would still welcome Putin if Russia was proved to be behind the accident, Abbott hinted there may be repercussions. "That's a fair question, let's just wait and see exactly what turns out to have happened here," Abbott said in an interview with Melbourne-based 3AW Radio.
In a sombre speech before parliament, Abbott earlier said he was "filled with revulsion" and blamed anti-Kiev separatists for shooting down the plane, killing 27 Australian citizens on board.
"This is a grim day for our country and it's a grim day for our world. Malaysian airlines MH17 has been shot down over the eastern Ukraine, it seems by Russian-backed rebels," he said.
Ukrainian authorities have accused "terrorists" - militants fighting to unite eastern Ukraine with Russia - of shooting down the Boeing 777-200. The rebels denied responsibility. Putin blamed Kiev for renewing its offensive against rebels two weeks ago after a ceasefire failed to hold. The Kremlin leader called the crash a "tragedy" but did not say who brought the Malaysian plane down.