Dutch PM Rutte on MH17: We need "irrefutable conclusions"

At 09:00 am this morning Prime Minister Rutte, along with the Prime Ministers of Australia and Malaysia, were telephonically informed about the preliminary report by the Research Council for Safety regarding the circumstances of the disaster with flight MH17. The next of kin of the victims were able to read the report first on a private Dutch or English site. In a press conference Rutte said that this will once again be a very sad and difficult time for the next of Kin. Especially those who are still uncertain about the identification of their loved ones. For that reason it is good that the council very carefully and very precisely put all the known facts in this preliminary report. Rutte said that we must beware of jumping to quickly gotten conclusions, as the Netherlands' need to know what happened, is greater than that of anyone else. Precisely for that reason, caution should come first. "Step by step, the experts are working towards irrefutable conclusions." If new information turns up that can contribute to the truth, full use will be made of it. "We continue, along with other affected countries, every effort to return to the crash site and to finish what we started." Rutte said in the press conference. This morning Rutte spoke to his colleagues, Tony Abbott of Australia and Najib Razak of Malaysia. As soon as the security situation permits it, their people are ready to travel back to the crash site. "I can tell you that the leader of the team, Mr. Aalbersber, will travel back to the Ukraine tomorrow." On Thursday there will be a meeting where the victims' next of kin will be able to get an explanation on this report in peace. But this saga is still far from over. This is only a preliminary report, the final conclusions of the Research Council will follow in the course of 2015. The Public Prosecutor's investigation into who is responsible for this disaster is still ongoing. And the search for victims and personal belongings at the crash site has not been completed. "It is our obligation to the next of kin to do our best to salvage the remains and personal belongings, to provide clarity about the facts and to bring the guilty parties to task." said Rutte.