UN SECURITY COUNCIL BACKS AUSTRALIA
The UN Security Council has backed Australia's resolution condemning the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17.
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop demanded a "safe, secure, full and unrestricted access" to the crash site for international investigators, with the Security Council giving full support by voting 15-0.
"There must be a ceasefire ... around the site," Ms Bishop told the Council. "The victims must be treated with dignity, brought back to their homes and laid to rest."
Ms Bishop described the shooting down of the passenger plane as a deplorable act, and said Australia was in mourning. While other Council members, including the US, the UK and France, applauded Australia's leadership on the disaster.
Up to 39 Australians were amongst the 298 passengers who perished when the plane went down on Thursday, with families devastated thieves had looted bodies, including removing wedding rings, and pieces of the wreckage had been moved or contaminated by armed thugs.
"Grief is now accompanied by outrage as we witness grotesque violations at the crash site," Ms Bishop said. "This demands a response. That is why Australia has brought this resolution to the Security Council."
The resolution, co-sponsored by New Zealand and other nations, demands "the armed groups in control of the crash site and the surrounding area refrain from any actions that may compromise the integrity of the crash site and immediately provide safe, secure, full and unfettered access to the site and surrounding area for the appropriate investigating authorities".
REBELS ALLOW TRAIN TO LEAVE CRASH SITE
The train carrying the remains of most of the victims has finally been allowed to leave the crash site, after the Malaysian Prime Minister reached a deal with the leader of pro-Russian separatists controlling the area.
For days the group prevented the refrigerated railway wagons leaving a small station 15kms away from the crash site, sparking anger from around the world demanding the bodies be returned to their countries of origin.
The train will head to Ukraine's second biggest city before the bodies are then flown to the Netherlands where an international team, including Australian forensic experts, will identify the dead.
