No: 244, 19 July 2014

We consider the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines passenger flight MH-17 which departed from Amsterdam heading for Kuala Lumpur on 17 July 2014, over Ukrainian airspace, in the region of Donetsk, where illegal separatist armed groups are active, as a heinous attack targeting innocent civilians and condemn in the strongest possible terms this attack. We are deeply saddened by the loss of the lives of the 283 passengers and 15 crew members on board. We extend our condolences to the relatives of the citizens of Netherlands, Malaysia, Australia, Indonesia, Britain, Germany, Belgium, the Philippines, Canada and other countries who lost their lives and wish them fortitude.

It is absolutely necessary to find out the perpetrators of this attack and bring them to justice by means of a thorough research and investigation to be conducted through the cooperation of all relevant countries and organizations with the Ukrainian Government.

Following this tragedy, it has become imperative by now for all relevant parties to take concrete steps in order to immediately end the illegal acts of violence and conflicts which are ongoing in eastern Ukraine and which have started to threaten stability at the international level.