Ukraine, Netherlands discuss cooperation on MH17 crash probe

KIEV, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Ukrainian and Dutch law enforcement chiefs met here on Monday to discuss the cooperation between the two countries on the investigation of the MH17 crash, the Ukrainian Prosecutor's General Office said in a statement.

The meeting was attended by Ukraine's Prosecutor General Yury Lutsenko, his Dutch counterpart Fred Westerbeke, the head of Dutch police national investigation division Wilbert Paulissen and the head of the Ukraine's State Security Service Vasyl Grytsak, the statement said.

During the talks, the officials have exchanged their views on the interim results of the investigation and pledged to continue coordinating their cooperation within the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to bring the perpetrators of the crash to justice.

The Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 crashed in the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, while flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. All 298 people on board died, including 196 Dutch citizens.

In Aug. 2014, authorities from the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Ukraine, and Malaysia have set up a JIT to conduct a criminal investigation into the crash.

A report published by the JIT in September 2016 concluded that the plane was shot down by a Russian-made Buk missile fired from a region in eastern Ukraine, controlled by independence-seeking insurgents.

Moscow and the rebel leadership in east Ukraine have denied the allegations, saying that the plane was shot by a missile from the territory controlled by Ukrainian government troops.

In December 2016, JIT said that it has identified about 100 people, who are linked to the crash. Enditem