On Anniversary of Tragic Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, Secretary-General Says Victims Must Be Honoured by Collective Effort to Ascertain Truth

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

Today, the Secretary-General pays tribute to the victims who lost their lives aboard the tragic Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.

As the international community marks this sombre anniversary, the Secretary-General's thoughts are with the families of those who lost their loved ones.

While the pain caused by this tragedy cannot be erased, the victims must be honoured by a collective effort to ascertain the truth about the incident and ensure that any persons determined responsible will be held to account.

The Secretary-General welcomes the progress made by the independent international investigation in accordance with Security Council resolution 2166 (2014).

This anniversary is another stark reminder of the continuing dire situation in eastern Ukraine and the need to bring an urgent end to this conflict.