Julie Bishop firm in talks with Ukraine on MH17

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop will today stress with Ukraine the need for a strong criminal investigation over Flight MH17.

Pavlo Klimkin talks to Julie Bishop in The Hague. Picture: Kym Smith

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop will today stress with Ukraine the need for a strong criminal investigation to find and punish those respon­sible for the destruction of ­Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17.

Ms Bishop told The Australian that she would discuss whether tougher sanctions against Russia were needed over its treatment of Ukraine.

Damage to the aircraft is consist­ent with it having been hit by a Russian-made anti-aircraft missile. All 298 passengers and crew, including Australians, were killed.

Ms Bishop took advantage of a global cyber-security conference in The Netherlands to discuss the tragedy with her Dutch and Ukrainian counterparts. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin told Ms Bishop his country was doing everything possible to confirm the cause of the crash and to recover the remains of the two Dutch passengers still listed as missing. Those issues and concerns about Russia’s aggressive behaviour to its neighbours will be ­discussed at a formal meeting ­tomorrow.

Ms Bishop has met Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. “He indicated it is still a very emotional issue here in The Netherlands,” she said.

“With the lead-up to the anniversary (on July 17) the focus will intensi­fy on the technical invest­igation and the potential prose­cution path.”

Ms Bishop said Mr Klimkin was very critical of Russia’s behaviour.

Two outstanding issues were the technical report on the crash, which was due in October, and the criminal investigation.

“On the criminal investigation, there are a number of elements to be considered,” Ms Bishop said. “We will have a longer discussion about it in our bilateral. We will also discuss the question of tough sanctions against Russia over its treatment of Ukraine.”

Ukraine’s close co-operation was crucial to the success of the MH17 investigations, which are being headed by The Netherlands.

“We have a very good working relationship with Ukraine over this issue,’’ Ms Bishop said. A Dutch-led police team at the crash site in Ukraine includes Australian Federal Police specialists.

Ms Bishop will travel to Tehran today, where she will seek a deal allowing Australia to return Iran­ian asylum-seekers, and will discuss Iran’s training and equipping of Shia militia groups in Iraq — which puts Australia and Iran on the same side in the war against ­Islamic State — and plans to stop Iran building a nuclea­r bomb in retur­n for a reductio­n of sanctions.