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UN Chief Urges Halt to Hostilities Near Boeing Crash Site in Ukraine

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UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday expressed concern over continued heavy fighting around the crash site of a Malaysian passenger plane in eastern Ukraine, which impedes the international investigation of the incident.

NEW YORK, July 30 (RIA Novosti) – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday expressed concern over continued heavy fighting around the crash site of a Malaysian passenger plane in eastern Ukraine, which impedes the international investigation of the incident.

“The Secretary-General is deeply disturbed to learn that forensic teams and international investigators in Donetsk who are tasked to probe the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 continue to be impeded from accessing the site and carrying out their critical work due to heavy fighting in the area of the crash site,” a statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General said.

"Guided by Security Council Resolution 2166, the Secretary-General calls on all parties to immediately halt hostilities in the proximity of the crash site so as to allow the international teams unimpeded access to the site," the statement said.

Earlier in the day, a group of independent experts from Australia and the Netherlands for the fourth time failed to reach the MH17 crash site due to heavy fighting between the independence supporters and Kiev-led forces in the area.

A total of 298 people, including 193 Dutch citizens and 27 Australians, died on July 17 as a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur crashed in Donetsk Region of Ukraine.

Citing the resolution, Ban said “there are victims’ remains yet to be found and that key pieces of evidence remain at the site. The families of the victims of this horrific tragedy deserve closure and the world demands answers - international teams must be allowed to conduct their work.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday Kiev is acting in violation of a UN Security Council resolution by not halting its military actions near the Malaysian plane crash site.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that the Kiev government intensified military operations against its own people after getting support from Western countries.

Moscow has described the ongoing military action as a punitive operation and has repeatedly called on Kiev to put an immediate end to the bloodshed.

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