MOSCOW. July 30 (Interfax) - Moscow is categorically against the politicization of an investigation into the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17) crash in southeastern Ukraine, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Thursday when asked why Russia has vetoed a UN Security Council draft resolution on establishing an international tribunal to prosecute those responsible for the disaster.
"Russia, as has been said on numerous occasions, including by President Vladimir Putin and other of our high-ranking officials, has consistently favored a genuine investigation into this plane crash and the identification of those responsible for it," Peskov said.
"Russia has been very insistent in making sure that this investigation should be real, free from any politicization, and that this investigation cannot be taken advantage of as a pretext for some political inquisition," Peskov said.
"Russia has repeatedly addressed its questions to the investigators, and Russia has repeatedly expressed its regret that it cannot be engaged and cannot cooperate with those handling the investigation. Unfortunately, we have not always received answers to our questions in connection with the circumstances of this tragedy," he said.
The investigation should be aimed at identifying "those who are guilty of the people's deaths," he said.
"Moscow will be doing all it can to find the truth," he said.
"The top priority is to identify the guilty ones, and this can only be done through an impartial and unbiased investigation, which should not be hampered by politicization or political noise. This must be a substantive and concrete investigation," Peskov said.
Asked about Moscow's attitude toward China's decision to abstain from supporting the resolution, the Kremlin spokesman replied, "We have always respected the position assumed by our Chinese partners."