DUTCH PARLIAMENT DEMANDS CLARIFICATION ON UKRANIAN SEARCH TEAMS MH17
Nu.nl reports (October 15)
http://www.nu.nl/algemeen/3903588/kamer-wil-opheldering-oekraiense-zoekteams-mh17.html
Translation:
The Dutch Parliament demands clarity of the Cabinet on the role of the Ukrainian search teams in the repatriation of the remains and belongings of the victims of the disaster flight MH17. A majority of the Parliament wonders why the SES, the Ukrainian local agency for disaster, does succeed in salvaging personal belongings.
The Dutch repatriation mission has in fact been suspended for weeks, because the situation in the disaster area is unsafe.
Despite a cease-fire it looks like seem Kiev and the rebels in the east of Ukraine did not intend to bury the hatchet for a longer period.
Last Friday, Prime Minister Mark Rutte made known that he has given the SES the assignment to continue the work there.
During his weekly press conference, he said he was furious about on the state of the investigation. He blames the Ukrainian government and the rebels for the fact that the investigation cannot be continued because of the instability.
However, the SES did manage to collect much of the belongings of the victims. VVD and Christian Union want the government to tell them why the SES does manage to get access to the area.
D66 wonders why the government has not approached the search teams of the agency much earlier. "Now the SES has only about two weeks before winter falls," said Sjoerd Sjoerdsma (D66).
It also appeared that the locals with the SES already have done a lot of work. The head of the repatriation mission, Pieter Jaap Aalbersberg said on Monday that he is gratefuul for what the Ukranians have done.
CDA believes that the Cabinet owes the locals a gestures of gratitude. "First, the government accuses them of stealing wedding rings and now they are asking the same people for help," said MP Pieter Omtzigt.
SP agreees with Omtzigt. MP Harry van Bommel believes that FM Frans Timmermans has misled the Parliament by insinuating that the investigation was disturbed.
The government should "search its own conscience" said the SP representative who would have preferred that MP Rutte had put more pressure on."Couldn't and shouldn't this government have done more?"
Louis Bontes (VNL) calls the statements of FM Timmermans in the first days after the disaster and during his famous speech in the UN Security Council "a hodgepodge of untruths.
However he does not think that excuses towards Ukraine are in place. "Among them there still are people who shot the airplane down," said Bontes. "A motion of no confidence towards Timmermans is more appropriate."
According PvdA Michiel Servaes it was precisely the Foreign Minister who corrected the negative image of the public. "Timmermans was the first to expres in this House his appreciation for the work that the civilian population carried out."
Moreover, everyone was shocked by those first images, says Servaes. He points out that there indeed were Ukrainians who, for example, had the phone of the victims in their possession.
According to the VVD a sense of anger was predominant at the time, because The Netherlands was denied access to the disaster area.
BBM
VVD and PVDA are the governement parties.
The debate will be continued in the coming weeks.
FM Timmermans has left for the European Commission, his successor FM Koenders (PVDA) was appointed and sworn in today.
Nu.nl reports (October 15)
http://www.nu.nl/algemeen/3903588/kamer-wil-opheldering-oekraiense-zoekteams-mh17.html
Translation:
The Dutch Parliament demands clarity of the Cabinet on the role of the Ukrainian search teams in the repatriation of the remains and belongings of the victims of the disaster flight MH17. A majority of the Parliament wonders why the SES, the Ukrainian local agency for disaster, does succeed in salvaging personal belongings.
The Dutch repatriation mission has in fact been suspended for weeks, because the situation in the disaster area is unsafe.
Despite a cease-fire it looks like seem Kiev and the rebels in the east of Ukraine did not intend to bury the hatchet for a longer period.
Last Friday, Prime Minister Mark Rutte made known that he has given the SES the assignment to continue the work there.
During his weekly press conference, he said he was furious about on the state of the investigation. He blames the Ukrainian government and the rebels for the fact that the investigation cannot be continued because of the instability.
However, the SES did manage to collect much of the belongings of the victims. VVD and Christian Union want the government to tell them why the SES does manage to get access to the area.
D66 wonders why the government has not approached the search teams of the agency much earlier. "Now the SES has only about two weeks before winter falls," said Sjoerd Sjoerdsma (D66).
It also appeared that the locals with the SES already have done a lot of work. The head of the repatriation mission, Pieter Jaap Aalbersberg said on Monday that he is gratefuul for what the Ukranians have done.
CDA believes that the Cabinet owes the locals a gestures of gratitude. "First, the government accuses them of stealing wedding rings and now they are asking the same people for help," said MP Pieter Omtzigt.
SP agreees with Omtzigt. MP Harry van Bommel believes that FM Frans Timmermans has misled the Parliament by insinuating that the investigation was disturbed.
The government should "search its own conscience" said the SP representative who would have preferred that MP Rutte had put more pressure on."Couldn't and shouldn't this government have done more?"
Louis Bontes (VNL) calls the statements of FM Timmermans in the first days after the disaster and during his famous speech in the UN Security Council "a hodgepodge of untruths.
However he does not think that excuses towards Ukraine are in place. "Among them there still are people who shot the airplane down," said Bontes. "A motion of no confidence towards Timmermans is more appropriate."
According PvdA Michiel Servaes it was precisely the Foreign Minister who corrected the negative image of the public. "Timmermans was the first to expres in this House his appreciation for the work that the civilian population carried out."
Moreover, everyone was shocked by those first images, says Servaes. He points out that there indeed were Ukrainians who, for example, had the phone of the victims in their possession.
According to the VVD a sense of anger was predominant at the time, because The Netherlands was denied access to the disaster area.
BBM
VVD and PVDA are the governement parties.
The debate will be continued in the coming weeks.
FM Timmermans has left for the European Commission, his successor FM Koenders (PVDA) was appointed and sworn in today.