ANKARA, July 19 (RIA Novosti) - Turkish Foreign Ministry has called a plane crash in eastern Ukraine an act of terrorism that requires thorough investigation.
"We strongly condemn the crash of Malaysia Airlines MH-17, which followed the route Amsterdam-Kuala Lumpur on July 17 and crashed in Ukrainian airspace during a flight over the territory of Donetsk region, and regard it as an act of terrorism against innocent civilians," Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.
Ankara has expressed condolences to the families of the victims and calls for a thorough investigation of the tragedy.
"It is essential that all interested countries and organizations, in cooperation with Ukrainian government, conducted a thorough investigation, found those guilty of the tragedy, and gave them to justice," the department stated. Turkey also called all parties of the conflict in Ukraine to take steps towards a peaceful settlement of the crisis, "which has already become an urgent necessity."
The Malaysia Airlines plane flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur crashed on Thursday near the town of Torez in Ukraine’s Donetsk Region. The complete death toll is 298 people.
Rescuers have revealed two black boxes from the plane. Ukraine and Malaysia Airlines are already investigating the accident at the site, with the help of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which ensures international presence.
Kiev blamed independence supporters in the turbulent Donetsk Region for downing the passenger plane with a surface-to-air missile.
The leader of the Donetsk People’s Republic said local militia did not have the required technology to shoot a target flying as high as 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) in the air. The missile systems that were found in the Ukrainian military unit, which was captured by self-defense forces, were a «scrap pile» unfit to be used and beyond repair, according to independence supporters.
