Chinese FM urges relevant parties to facilitate MH17 probe

BEIJING - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke over phone with British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond on Tuesday and urged relevant parties to jointly facilitate an independent, fair and objective probe into the MH17 incident.

On bilateral relations, Wang expressed hope that China and Britain will join hands to push forward bilateral ties along the new track laid by leaders of the two countries and to score more achievements.

China and Britain are both permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and they have broad common interests, Wang said, adding that the development of their relationship is picking up momentum.

Wang also congratulated Hammond on assuming the new post.

Hammond said Britain and China are close cooperation partners and the British side is committed to constantly deepening the bilateral ties oriented towards growth, innovation and reform.

On the recent crash of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 and the situation in Ukraine, Wang said it is important for all parties concerned to earnestly implement UN Security Council Resolution 2166, adding that an independent, fair and objective investigation should be carried out in line with the resolution as soon as possible.

China calls on all parties to coordinate and cooperate in the probe, so that international investigators could enter the crash site and find out the truth at an early date, he said.

The crash of MH17 showed that the Ukraine crisis' negative effects had begun to spill over, he said, voicing the hope that the incident would become a new opportunity for a political solution to the crisis.

All parties should make efforts to promote peace talks for the benefit of regional peace and stability, Wang said, adding that China hopes that all parties in Ukraine would carry out an inclusive dialogue as soon as possible.

China supports the consultation between Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine, as well as the mediation efforts made by a contact group consisting of Russia, Ukraine and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), so that they could find a solution acceptable for all sides, he said.

Hammond said international investigators' access to the crash site should be assured, so that they could carry out an independent probe, and the perpetrators should be brought to justice.

As the Ukraine issue bears on regional and global security, he said, a political solution should be reached to prevent it from further escalation.