Australian deployment to Ukraine imminent
The federal government is close to finalising an agreement with the Ukrainian government to deploy federal police officers to the MH17 crash site.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the deployment would include Australian Defence Force personnel alongside AFP officers.
Some of the police officers may be armed and a further 100 are set to travel to Europe to join 90 who have already arrived.
The prime minister made the announcement during a press conference at the AFP's national headquarters in Canberra.
Mr Abbott stressed any deployment of Australian police officers and ADF personnel would come under a Dutch-led investigation.
'It would be an international police-led mission and it's a humanitarian mission to ensure that we bring (the crash victims' bodies) back.'
He said problems within the Ukrainian government, including the resignation of the prime minister, would not impact on negotiations on the security agreement.
'We are very close to finalising a memorandum of understanding with Ukraine with the president of the Ukraine - that is what is required under Ukrainian law.'
There are now more than 200 Australian personnel abroad as well as hundreds in Canberra working on the operation.
Mr Abbott said Australia was working with the many nations that lost citizens.
'This is a humanitarian mission, with a clear and simple objective,' he said.
'I expect the operation on the ground in Ukraine, should the deployment go ahead, to last no longer than a few weeks.'
AFP Commissioner Tony Negus said this would be one of the largest delegations of AFP officers since the Bali bombing.
He said over the next 24 hours another 100 AFP officers were getting ready for deployment for any international mission should it go ahead to secure the site.
The announcement comes as more human remains were found and wreckage uncovered during a visit of three Australian officials to the MH17 crash site.
'Previously undiscovered wreckage has been found and I regret to say more human remains have been found and we expect that further remains will be found in the days ahead,' Mr Abbott said.
He said this made it more important than ever to properly secure the site.
- See more at: http://www.skynews.com.au/news/top-stories/2014/07/25/australian-deployment-to-ukraine-imminent.html#sthash.Bbjn61sQ.dpuf
The federal government is close to finalising an agreement with the Ukrainian government to deploy federal police officers to the MH17 crash site.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the deployment would include Australian Defence Force personnel alongside AFP officers.
Some of the police officers may be armed and a further 100 are set to travel to Europe to join 90 who have already arrived.
The prime minister made the announcement during a press conference at the AFP's national headquarters in Canberra.
Mr Abbott stressed any deployment of Australian police officers and ADF personnel would come under a Dutch-led investigation.
'It would be an international police-led mission and it's a humanitarian mission to ensure that we bring (the crash victims' bodies) back.'
He said problems within the Ukrainian government, including the resignation of the prime minister, would not impact on negotiations on the security agreement.
'We are very close to finalising a memorandum of understanding with Ukraine with the president of the Ukraine - that is what is required under Ukrainian law.'
There are now more than 200 Australian personnel abroad as well as hundreds in Canberra working on the operation.
Mr Abbott said Australia was working with the many nations that lost citizens.
'This is a humanitarian mission, with a clear and simple objective,' he said.
'I expect the operation on the ground in Ukraine, should the deployment go ahead, to last no longer than a few weeks.'
AFP Commissioner Tony Negus said this would be one of the largest delegations of AFP officers since the Bali bombing.
He said over the next 24 hours another 100 AFP officers were getting ready for deployment for any international mission should it go ahead to secure the site.
The announcement comes as more human remains were found and wreckage uncovered during a visit of three Australian officials to the MH17 crash site.
'Previously undiscovered wreckage has been found and I regret to say more human remains have been found and we expect that further remains will be found in the days ahead,' Mr Abbott said.
He said this made it more important than ever to properly secure the site.
- See more at: http://www.skynews.com.au/news/top-stories/2014/07/25/australian-deployment-to-ukraine-imminent.html#sthash.Bbjn61sQ.dpuf