Di Rupo: “Locating victims’ bodies an absolute priority”

Belgium’s outgoing Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo (Francophone socialist) now says that there are indications that "flight MH17 was brought down by a missile that was fired from the area of eastern Ukraine that is controlled by pro-Russian separatists.

In a press statement released on Sunday afternoon, Mr Di Rupo adds that he shares the indignation and questions posed by his Dutch colleague Mark Rutte.

The Belgian Prime Minister goes on to "condemn in the strongest terms this crime".

Elio Di Rupo calls on the troops that control the crash site to "allow international experts, including those from the OSCE, direct, unconditional and safe access to the site in order to show respect to the victims and their families, to prevent looting and to ensure a serious and impartial investigation."

"Finding the bodies of the victims and repatriating them quickly in a dignified way is an absolute priority. In collaboration with the Dutch authorities, Belgium intends to do all it can to achieve this."

Read more: Six Belgians among Malaysia jet victims

Flandersnews.be / Expatica