Doorstop at Australian Ambassador’s Residence

JULIE BISHOP: Good afternoon. I have just been speaking to our Prime Minister who has been onthe phone to a number of world leaders overnight and he will be speaking to themedia later today in Australia about those calls.

I left Australia on Saturday evening and while in transit, in Tokyo, I took theopportunity to call a number of the families whose loved ones had been killedon Malaysian Airlines 17. They had indicated that they wanted to receivea call from the government and, on behalf of the Australian government, I madethose calls.

Everything I'm doing in the United Sates is with their interests in mind. Their stories were heartbreaking. The loss of their loved ones isdevastating to them and I'm in Washington first to receive briefings anddiscussions with the heads and advisers of the US intelligence and securityagencies. And I have done that here, in the Ambassador's residence, thisafternoon. I've received those briefings and have had very detaileddiscussions.

Later this afternoon I will travel to New York where I will head Australia'sUnited Nations team so that we can obtain the strongest possible Resolution ofthe United Nations Security Council to secure the site of this air crash sothat the bodies and remains of those killed on this flight can be identified,retrieved and repatriated back to Australia and also for the other countriesthat have had citizens killed on this flight. Secondly, the Resolution willseek to establish an independent, international investigation into the cause ofthis air crash.

The possibilities as to what caused this crash have narrowed. What we doknow is that MH17 was brought down by a missile in Eastern Ukraine – interritory held by the Russian-backed rebels. The details should be thesubject of an independent investigation. We have seen reports and we knowthat the crash site has been contaminated – that bodies have been taken fromthe site. We have seen evidence of looting, of the removal of evidence,of equipment, of parts of the aeroplane. That must stopimmediately. There must be access to this site so that independent,impartial experts can begin the process of retrieving the bodies and alsogathering the evidence for the investigation.

I say to the separatists and to the Russian government that backs them, thatthere are 298 bodies on that site – their families, their loved ones want themhome now. This is not a time to use bodies as hostages or pawns in theUkrainian-Russian conflict. It is time for these bodies to be broughthome and it's time for an investigation into who is responsible for thisatrocity to begin. Those responsible must be brought to justice but myimmediate priority is to secure the international authorisation and backing forthe securing of the site and the commencement of investigation.

JOURNALIST: Minister, how do think Russia will approach that in the SecurityCouncil and have you managed to speak to Sergey Lavrov yet?

JULIE BISHOP: I believe that the Prime Minister is seeking to speak toPresident Putin overnight. In fact I believe he has done so. So thePrime Minister will be able to give details of the Russian reaction. Iwould expect Russia to fully support any Resolution that seeks to secure thesite and establish an independent investigation. Even on Russia's versionof the events, there should be and independent, impartial investigation as soonas possible. But as for the securing of the site – it is an utter outragethat that site has been contaminated, that bodies have been removed and thatthey've not been handed over to independent authorities. There areauthorities in Kiev now who could receive those bodies and Australia and I'msure the other countries who've been affected by this awful, appalling tragedyare demanding that the bodies be handed over to the independent experts now.

JOURNALIST: Some people say the UN is a bit of a toothless tiger these days,are you actually really going to be able to achieve anything there?

JULIE BISHOP: There are individual nations involved here. The Netherlandshave had about 198 of their citizens killed, Malaysia about 44, Australia 28plus permanent residents, about 36 or 37, Indonesia, Belgium, Germany, theUnited Kingdom, the Philippines – all of these countries have had theircitizens killed by a missile shooting down a commercial plane in commercial airspace over Eastern Ukraine. These countries demand the return of thosebodies. The United Nations is an opportunity for us to show the internationaloutrage at what has occurred.

JOURNALIST: Minister, do you think that the response from some Europeancountries has been strong enough – the outrage from some European countries hasbeen strong enough?

JULIE BISHOP: Well certainly the outrage from the Netherlands has beenoverwhelming. The Netherlands has been devastated.

JOURNALIST: But other countries that won't …

JULIE BISHOP: Well other countries can speak for themselves. Othercountries can determine what has happened here but all countries must supportthe return of bodies to their loved ones from whichever country theycame. The fact that it has now been three days and the site has not beensecured by independent authorities is utterly appalling. I cannot imagineany other air crash in our history, most certainly in our recent history, wheredays later bodies are still lying in the field and the relevant parts of theaeroplane haven't been retrieved for investigation.

JOURNALIST: Minister, are the early indications that Russia and China willsupport this Resolution that's being put forward?

JULIE BISHOP: Well I have every expectation that every country on the UnitedNations Security Council will support such a Resolution. The detail ofthe Resolution is still to be determined but I would expect every country onthe Security Council to give it their full support.

JOURNALIST: Minister, David Cameron has said that on the evidence that has beenmade public so far, that he has access to so far, the West must fundamentallychange its approach to Russia. Do you agree with that? And, if so, whatmight that approach look like?

JULIE BISHOP: I'll allow Prime Minister Cameron to speak based on the access tothe evidence that he has had. What I can say is Australia is determinedto ensure that the bodies of the Australians killed on that flight are broughthome with as much dignity as possible so that the families can lay them torest. These are the sons and daughters and sisters and brothers andparents of Australians. They want their loved ones home and that's whatI'm doing in the United States - every effort to bring those bodies home, andsecondly, to ensure that the site is secured for a proper investigation to becarried out so that those who are responsible for this atrocity are held to account.

JOURNALIST: What kind of time line are we looking at? If things go toplan as you would hope, Resolution, Security Council, when could that happen,as early as tomorrow? Are we talking days?

JULIE BISHOP: I'll be aiming for the earliest possible time for theResolution. I'm meeting with counterpart colleagues, the Dutch ForeignMinister, the United Kingdom Foreign Secretary this evening and we'll bepushing for the earliest possible meeting of the Security Council and passingof a Resolution.

JOURNALIST: Tomorrow?

JULIE BISHOP: As early as possible. If it's tomorrow morning that wouldbe appropriate in my mind - as early as possible.

JOURNALIST: Minister, today we had fresh reports from the Secretary of State ofbodies being taken by drunken separatists. Is there any new informationfrom your briefings about where they could be possibly held at the moment?

JULIE BISHOP: I did have a detailed discussion with the heads of theintelligence agencies about what has taken place on the site and that does includethe removal of bodies. That's why I'm calling on the separatists and theRussian government who has influence over these separatists to release thosebodies to the independent authorities who are located in Kiev. They justneed access to the site and I understand they are being prevented fromaccessing the site by the separatists who are in control of that part EasternUkraine to release the bodies as soon as possible.

JOURNALIST: Which agencies have you met with today?

JULIE BISHOP: I've met with the heads of the US intelligence agencies and theiradvisers – a number of them.

JOURNALIST: Can you list them?

JULIE BISHOP: I don't that it's necessary for me to go into details. Thefact is I've met with the heads of the intelligence agencies and their advisersso that I have a complete picture. And we will continue to remain incontact with them. They have of course shared the intelligence that theyhave gathered and that's why I can say with confidence that the possibilitiesas to how this airline was brought down and how these people were murdered hasnow narrowed to a missile fired from Eastern Ukraine. There is of courseother information and that should be the subject of an independentinvestigation.

JOURNALIST: Minister, on the ground in New York at the UN – what will youpersonally be doing to pursue this Resolution and how influential can Australiaactually be?

JULIE BISHOP: Australia has a great deal at stake here – 37 Australians - 28citizens and a number of permanent residents of Australia, were on thatflight. They have been murdered and the Australian government will notrest until we are able to bring the bodies home to the Australian families whoare waiting for them. And we will not rest until an independentinvestigation is established that is impartial and thorough and competent andable to determine who is responsible for this so that they can be brought tojustice.

I can't overstate how determined the Australian government is to support thefamilies and, as I talk to you now, I'm thinking of the conversations that Ihad with those family members. They want their loved ones home now – weowe it to them. We owe it to every family who had people on that flightacross the world to bring the bodies home with dignity, with respect, so thatthey can be laid to rest.