Obama reaches out to global leaders for MH17 probe

Call for international investigation, full access to site

Hours after blaming Russia-backed Ukrainian separatists for the shooting down of a Malaysian Airline Plane that killed nearly 300 people, US President Barack Obama has called on his counterparts to seek an impartial international investigation.

 

In separate phone calls with Obama, British Prime Minister David Cameron; German Chancellor Angela Merkel; and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, agreed on a prompt, full, unimpeded and transparent international investigation, the White House said in a statement.

 

"They (Obama and Merkel) reaffirmed that all parties must guarantee international investigators full, secure, and unfettered access to the incident site to conduct a thorough and credible investigation without delay.

 

"They also noted the necessity of all evidence remaining intact and in Ukraine," the White House said.

 

Obama and Merkel discussed the latest information regarding the tragic downing of Malaysian plane, the White House said.

 

Discussing the downing of the plane, the White House said, Obama and Cameron agreed that an independent, full, credible, and unimpeded international investigation must begin immediately.

 

"They also agreed that all countries should do their utmost to ensure the Russian-supported separatists grant secure access to the site of the incident," the statement said.

 

"The two leaders discussed the recent steps taken by the United States and the European Union to increase the costs to Russia, given its failure to take the concrete steps needed to de-escalate the situation, and reiterated the need to take further action if Russia continues to fail to take these steps," it said.

 

Obama also underscored continuing US support and cooperation to Australia as this issue unfolds, and the two leaders committed to remain in close touch moving forward, the White House said.

 

Separately, US Vice President Joe Biden called Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and the Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk to discuss the issue.