We'll get justice for MH17 dead, Malaysian and Dutch leaders pledge
Leaders of Malaysia and Netherlands seek access to wreckage in Ukraine
The leaders of Malaysia and the Netherlands have vowed to keep pressing for access to the crash site of Malaysia Airlines flight 17 and to bring to justice those responsible for downing the plane in Ukraine.
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak met his visiting counterpart Mark Rutte to discuss the Dutch-led investigation into the July 17 disaster, which killed 193 Dutch citizens.
We have preliminary knowledge but it has to be backed by evidence
Malaysia says 44 of its nationals also were among the 298 people aboard the Amsterdam-to-Kuala Lumpur flight when it was brought down over strife-torn eastern Ukraine.
"We agreed that the priority should be to recover the wreckage, so that experts can identify both the cause of the incident, and the parties responsible," Najib said after their talks.
Investigations have been hampered by problems accessing the crash site as clashes continue nearby between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists.
Kiev and the West say the Boeing 777 was blown from the sky by separatist fighters using a surface-to-air missile supplied by Russia. Moscow strongly denies the charge and has suggested the plane was shot down by a Ukrainian fighter jet.
"Malaysia is committed to bring the perpetrators of MH17 to justice, and we must do everything possible to ensure that justice is done," Najib said.