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Australia PM says will confront Putin at G20 over downed flight MH17 'murders'

By REUTERS

OCTOBER 13, 2014 09:23

SYDNEY - Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Monday that he would use an upcoming G20 leaders summit to confront Russian President Vladimir Putin over the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 and the "murder" of Australian citizens.

Allegations that the jetliner was downed by pro-Russian separatists armed with surface-to-air missiles provided by the Kremlin sparked calls in Australia to bar Putin from the meeting of world leaders in Brisbane next month.

Abbott, who has been amongst the most strident critics of Russia's handling of the affair, said on Sunday that it was not within Australia's power to ban a G20 member from attending, but promised to give Putin a stern talking to.

"Look, I'm going to shirtfront Mr Putin - you bet I am," Abbott told reporters, using an Australian Rules Football term meaning to hit someone front on and knock them to the ground.

"I'm going to be saying to Mr Putin, Australians were murdered and they were murdered by Russian-backed rebels using Russian supplied equipment," he said.

The Boeing 777 was shot down in July in eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 passengers and crew on board. Twenty-eight Australians were killed.

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