Malaysia: Return of MH17 victims may take weeks, months

By P. Prem Kumar

KUALA LUMPUR

Malaysia’s prime minister has retracted his promise that victims from the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crash would be returned to the country before Monday, in time for their families to begin the Eid al-Fitr Muslim holiday with closure.

Najib Razak announced Thursday that it may “take weeks or even months" to identify the remains of those on board the ill-fated flight due to the complex technicalities involved in the DNA verification process of the 282 passengers’ bodies.

“I regret that I have to inform the families concerned [about the long process]. We can't avoid this painstaking process," Najib told reporters after visiting the Dutch envoy to Malaysia, Harry Molenaar and signing the condolence book in memory of the 298 people who perished when the plane came down in eastern Ukraine last Thursday.

The Kuala Lumpur-bound flight from Amsterdam crashed close to Ukraine’s tense border with Russia with 283 passengers on board - including 193 Dutch citizens and 43 Malaysians (including 15 crew). There are no reports of any survivors.

“This is both to meet the technical and legal requirements,” the premier added.

He also expressed anger at the failure of relevant parties to guarantee full access to the site for the international investigators looking into the suspected shooting down of the Boeing 777 passenger aircraft.

Since the plane came down, Ukraine and Russia have exchanged accusations as to who was responsible. 

"I'm angry because we want full access [but it’s still not granted]. Unfortunately it's a war zone, and you know in war zones there are many constraints which the parties involved must respect," Najib stressed.

Najib also said that he currently has no plans to pursue the matter with Alexander Borodai, the leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic pro-Russian rebel group that holds power in the region, with whom the premier had struck a deal with three main demands – including full access to the crash site for the investigative team and their safety.

Najib added that he would probably communicate with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko while also reaching out to Borodai, noting that he was mindful of the sensitivities involved.

Tensions on the border have risen dramatically since Ukrainian forces ousted separatists from its eastern city of Sloviansk. Russia has shifted more troops towards the area and two weeks ago a Russian civilian was killed by shellfire Moscow claimed came from Ukraine forces.

www.aa.com.tr/en