Putin ‘constructive’ on MH17 site access: Julie Bishop says

JULIE Bishop has met Vladimir Putin in Europe, days after Tony Abbott vowed to “shirt-front” the Russian President over the MH17 disaster.

FOREIGN Minister Julie Bishop has met Vladimir Putin in Europe, days after Tony Abbott vowed to “shirt-front” the Russian President over the MH17 disaster.

Ms Bishop said she had a “constructive” discussion with Mr Putin for about half an hour on the sidelines of the Asia Europe Meeting in Milan.

Asked if she had followed up on the Prime Minister’s threat, Ms Bishop laughed and said no.

“I had a very detailed discussion with him,” the Foreign Minister said. “I implored him to use Russian influence over the separatists in eastern Ukraine to enable our investigators to have access to the (MH17) crash site.”

Mr Putin responded “very constructively” to a request to ensure access to Dutch, Malaysian and Australian investigators, she said.

Ms Bishop added that experts needed one more visit to a specific area of the crash site to search for remains.

“It is becoming rather urgent because of course the Ukrainian winter will set in (soon),” she said.

Flight MH17 was shot down in July over eastern Ukraine, claiming the lives of 298 people including 38 Australian citizens or residents.

A Russian political aide reportedly told Ms Bishop the trip to Brisbane was in his schedule, implicitly confirming Mr Putin’s appearance at the G20 meeting in Australia next month.

At the Asia Europe meeting, Ms Bishop offered funds to the United Nations to help battle Ebola.

She also spoke to officials from countries where any infected Australians could be taken for treatment.

AAP