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Former Malaysian Minister Criticizes ICAO, Ukraine Over Boeing Crash

© RIA Novosti . Mikhail Voskresensky / Go to the mediabankMalaysia Airlines Boeing plane crash site
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Former Malaysian Transport Minister Ong Tee Keat expressed his dissatisfaction with Ukraine’s air traffic control and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Malaysian newspaper New Straits Times reported Friday.

MOSCOW, August 1 (RIA Novosti) - Former Malaysian Transport Minister Ong Tee Keat expressed his dissatisfaction with Ukraine’s air traffic control and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Malaysian newspaper New Straits Times reported Friday.

“Before the incident, no advisory had been issued by ICAO on the risk of flying over Ukraine’s airspace, especially over the war zone in the East. After the occurrence of the tragedy, much to the chagrin of the international community, the ICAO has yet to break its deafening silence,” Ong was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

Ong pointed out the fact that ICAO has yet to convene an emergency meeting of its executive council, although it has already been two weeks since the Malaysian aircraft crashed in the east of Ukraine.

The former transport minister also said that the responsibility should be taken by Ukraine’s air traffic control, as it gave Malaysia Airlines clearance to fly in the country’s airspace.

“Ukraine’s ATC still owes the international community a clear explanation and justification on why MH17 was directed to fly at a lower altitude of 33,000 feet instead of the pre-determined altitude of 35,000 feet. I raise this not for the sake of splitting hairs but rather in line with the common wish worldwide of leaving no stone unturned in probing the real cause of the tragedy," Ong said.

Two members of parliament also advised Malaysia Airlines against relying completely on the ICAO and conduct its own independent risk analysis of the route, the newspaper reported.

ICAO is an agency under the auspices of the United Nations, whose task is to develop international standards and recommended practices for national civil aviation regulations. The organization is to convene a safety conference in February 2015 to discuss the issue of safety information collection and distribution.

The Malaysia Airlines aircraft flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur crashed in eastern Ukraine on July 17. All 298 people on board died. Ukrainian authorities have accused independence supporters of shooting down the plane, but they responded that they did not possess the means to shoot down a plane at that height.

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