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THE REMAINS OF the last victims of flight MH17 may never be recovered from the Ukrainian battlefield where their plane was shot down four months ago, the Dutch foreign minister said today, as fighting rumbled on in the east of the country.
Foreign Minister Bert Koenders made the grim assessment in the city of Kharkiv, where he attended a memorial service for five more sets of human remains collected from the site of the disaster and flown to The Netherlands.
“We cannot say at this moment in any certain way … at what moment and even if we can recover the last nine” victims, he said.
The shooting down of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 on July 17, killing all 298 aboard, was one of the worst tragedies of a war in which an estimatimed 4,000 people have died. So far, the remains of 289 of those victims have been identified.
Ukraine and the West blame Russian-backed separatist fighters for the catastrophe, while Moscow pointed the finger at Kiev, in an incident that galvanised international shock over the chaos in a country bordering the European Union.
- More bloodshed -
Ukraine reported more bloody fighting overnight, with three soldiers killed, as Moscow denied claims it had sent tanks across the border.
Ukraine’s military said one paratrooper was shot dead by a sniper in Donetsk international airport, where government forces are defending a pocket of territory near the biggest rebel-held city. Fifteen other soldiers were wounded in shelling of government positions around the conflict zone, a statement said.
The deadly fighting rumbled on in the industrial east despite a two-month old ceasefire deal that has halted significant offensives, but failed to stop shelling at strategic flashpoints.
Donetsk’s city hall said two civilians were wounded by shrapnel as the north of the city was rocked by explosions overnight.
A brief morning calm ended with the sound of frequent artillery explosions near the airport, an AFP journalist said.
Two tanks and two armoured fighting vehicles could be seen on the outskirts of the city, while rebels were digging trenches.
“The shooting is getting closer and closer, with heavier weapons. Yesterday I almost jumped out of my bed the bombardments felt so close,” said Lyudmila, deputy director at a local school.
- Claim of tanks -
Russia, which annexed Ukraine’s Crimea region in March and lends close political and humanitarian support to the separatist areas in the east, denied the latest Ukrainian allegation that it was dispatching regular troops to join the fighting.
Ukraine’s military made headlines around the world yesterday with the claim that columns of hardware, including 32 tanks, had poured across the border which is under the control of Russia and the pro-Russian rebels.
Unmarked military vehicles parked on a road outside the separatist rebel-held eastern Ukrainian town of Snizhne, 80 km from Donetsk.
However, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov laughed off the allegation after US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said she had no “independent confirmation” of the report.
“If Psaki doesn’t have it, I don’t,” Lavrov told journalists with a chuckle in Beijing, where he met his US counterpart John Kerry ahead of an APEC summit.
Psaki said that heavy Russian weaponry had been seen on Thursday at a rail yard about 25 km inside its border. And journalists have on numerous occasions met Russian soldiers in Ukraine or seen long columns of heavy artillery and troop transports on roads.
However, both the Ukrainian and separatist spokesmen have frequently issued dramatic claims about the war without providing evidence.
- Diplomatic activity -
The conflict has sent relations between Western backers of Ukraine and Russia to their lowest level since the Cold War.
Russia’s economy is suffering from European Union and US sanctions imposed in response to Moscow’s support for the separatists. With Russia welcoming last week’s rebel elections, which were billed as boosting the separatists’ claim to independence, new sanctions could be coming.
A flurry of diplomatic activity is approaching, with the APEC summit in China and a Group of 20 summit in Australia next week, where President Vladimir Putin will have the chance to put his case before world leaders.
Speaking in Beijing, Lavrov appeared to soften Russia’s position, saying that US involvement in attempts to resolve the crisis would be a “step in the right direction”.
“Our positions on what is happening in Ukraine do not correspond with the United States, but if Washington is interested in contributing to the reconciliation of the situation and creating dialogue between Kiev and the rebel leadership…, I think that would be a step in the right direction,” the Russian foreign minister said in comments shown on Russian state television.
The United States should discourage “hot heads” in the Ukrainian government from resuming a full-scale conflict with the pro-Russian separatists, Lavrov added.
But in comments marking the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, US President Barack Obama said, “as Russia’s actions against Ukraine remind us, we have more work to do to fully realise our shared vision of a Europe that is whole, free and at peace.”
Take the repeat offenders out of the system.
Three strikes and you’re out!
And deny free legal aid in these cases too.
The whole legal system is broken. Solicitors going to court and being granted 3-4 adjournments for the simplest of road traffic offences is a disgrace. Legal aid needs to be completely overhauled and judges still living in the distant past need to be retired immediately.
I was in court before for drunk and disorderly and it was put back three times! In the end I got €100 fine but how much must that have cost the state?
Little Jim, How exactly does that help with the mass of Civil cases that the Chief Justice is stating are causing the backlog?
Joe you would be very surprised at the amount of court time taken up by repeat offenders.
Normal people hardly ever wind up in court.
This is a load of spin.
To try and throw out the thousands of plenary summons cases against corrupt banks and a corrupt government.
“Ohh no, get rid of that case against the €64 billion criminal bank bailout, we have people’s homes to repossess”
“Justice system”?????
More like a branch of a corrupt criminal bank!!!
Disgusting
Disgusting!!!!
?
That comment makes no sense.
Oh if only little Jim. Unfortunately we live in a state where having 50+ convictions is the norm for persistent offenders
I’ll explain Stephen.
As explained in the above article.
The not fit for purpose, lame, prejudiced, Irish courts system reckon that they are “overwhelmed” by high levels of activity.
Currently thousands of Irish people (who wish to avoid using the services of expensive, toothless, bought out solicitors and barristers)
have taken plenary cases (where they represent themselves) against our corrupt banks and our corrupt government.
The judges hate these plenary cases, because in these cases they are challenged by real people, using real Irish law,instead of the usual charade of expensive bought out solicitors and barristers doing back-room deals amongst themselves.
The judges want these plenary cases thrown out of the courts fast, so that they can go back their little “legal” pantomimes with their bought out overpaid, solicitors and barrister performers.
It is very possible that this is the reason for all this sudden “Ohh we’re overwhelmed” BS.
I hope this explains my point Stephen.
Its simple – change the system. It is currently a four term system with generous breaks lncluding supreme courts never sitting in July or August. More sittings = decrease in waiting times.
Also dont come back with the argument that judges need this time to read up…they are paid well enough to make time for this and we all have to continously improve at work and are not given prolonged holidays to do so
A four year backlog would still take another 24 years of additional opening in July and August to clear… That’s presuming new cases aren’t added to the list…
I don’t think that’s then problem…
The courts system is unbelievably outdated and inefficient. For example, thieves are often prosecuted for multiple robberies in the same trial instead of quickly as crimes are committed. When the criminal eventually comes to court he gets concurrent sentences which means he only does time for the worst offence – all the others are effectively free. His incentive therefore is to commit as many robberies as possible and delay the trial as much as possible – with excuses or by not showing up in court. That’s the system the Minister and the judges preside over. It doesn’t work, it’s not impossible to fix, and it’s their fault for allowing it to continue. Here’s a few suggestions: (1) sentences should not be concurrent so sentences for 20 robberies at say 12 months in jail each should mean 20 years subject to parole – not 12 months subject to parole as it does at the moment and (2) previous convictions should be admitted in evidence because the fact some committed 10 previous crimes does make it less likely that he is the unfortunate victim of a miscarriage of justice.
We already don’t have anywhere near enough capacity for the prisoners we’re holding – prisoner number are up about a third in ten years – increasing numbers further would cost a huge amount of money.
And there in lies another problem
“……..and that’s why we, as Judges, don’t deserve pay cuts…..” a preemptive stroke sorry strike methinks.
Actually they’ve been saying this for a while now and have just been ignored.
At the moment there are over 70 appeals with priority before the supreme court – as shatter said at the conference “a backlog of a backlog”.
This is a real problem.
Is this your website Stephen?
http://www.sfsolicitors.ie/
No, and as far as I know, no relation.
Are you in the legal profession Stephen?
I am indeed, I am a barrister.
What do you reckon of the half a million family members trapped in mortgage distress Stephen?
Do you reckon that Kenny and Co. are going to stand up for the corrupt/criminal banks and throw these people out of their homes, now that the Dunne loophole is going to be closed?
Do you reckon they should have done an Iceland on it and written down these mortgages to their true value and let the banks fail?
I know New beginnings are doing there thing however
what role are the majority Barristers like you, going to play in this Travesty?
The Chief Justice was addressing the issue of civil cases, not criminal cases.
Say you take a chance, win your case in the High Court and feel that you are vindicated. The insurance company, financial institution, employer, public body against whom you have won will just lob in an appeal to the Supreme Court and that will delay the matter by another 5 years or so.
The current system favours the large and well resourced body or institution.
And only wealthy individuals like Denis O’ Brien can afford to take defamnation actions.
The courts are a scam. For a divorce this is my 23rd trip to court and not all settled .
One of the biggest scams in the country..
Couldn’t agree more…
Also discussed at the conference was a seperate set of specialised family law courts.
Very reassuring Stephen.
System is wrought with Bureaucracy.
Legal teams the size of hurling teams.
All they are short of doing is engaging a barrister for providing full stops on a document..
Another scam occupation like our politications.
first of all all SOLICITORS are agents of the court with SC and barristers . this is a one party arrangement in a secrete society judging self and said to be independant. the troika in giving the money made it a requirment to appoint a ” LEGAL OMBUDSMAN ” but where is that body. Then we have the law society investigating it self another wrong in common law, for it states that no body or perso shall be a judge unto self in justice.I am aware of the court lists and settings,in this area the handing out to friends of jobs for the lads is in fact so wrong as to be criminal.I could go on and on telling the public of this cartel and its unbelivable cover ups AND POWER BEYOND ITS DUTY UNDER COMMON LAW AND TRUTH harryprice2@live.ie
all in favour say nay
Levels of activity overwhelming and unsustainable ,are we talking about the levels of criminal activity or are we goin to keep brushing it under the carpet, Michelle how about an article on this its not as it does not exist the courts are rampant with criminal activity ,i approached Lucinda cumin on a case about corruption and she could not get away from us fast enough .
There must be more judges like disgraced Justice Perrin.
Disgraced judge Perrin now guilty of false accounting –
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/disgraced-judge-perrin-now-guilty-of-false-accounting-
Heather Perrin (61) is currently serving a two-and-a-half year sentence for attempting to deceive an elderly friend out of half of his estate and to include her children as major beneficiaries while he was a client of her solicitors’ firm.
She became the first member of the judiciary in the history of the State to be convicted of a serious crime and resigned as a judge shortly before she was sentenced.
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court yesterday, she pleaded guilty to falsifying an account of the estate of the late Gary Doyle with the intention of making a gain between May 2004 and February 2009.
Perrin was brought to court from prison.
- See more at: http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/disgraced-judge-perrin-now-guilty-of-false-accounting-29089240.html#sthash.LILJFSyI.dpuf
Well said Anthony.
She should have got a longer sentence for robbing this pensioner.
And she was a judge?
God only knows what solicitors and barristers get up to behind closed doors??
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