Russia offers `comprehensive help` to Malaysia jet crash probe

Moscow: Russia said Tuesday it was ready to offer full cooperation with an international investigation into the downing of the Malaysian passenger jet after backing the UN Security Council resolution on the probe.

"Russia is ready to give such an investigation comprehensive help including providing the necessary specialists," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The UN Security Council on Monday unanimously condemned the downing of the airliner and demanded full access to the site and for all countries to cooperate with the probe. The Russian ministry praised the resolution for "stressing the necessity of a genuinely independent and unprejudiced international investigation" as well as for calling for a ceasefire around the crash scene and guaranteeing access to investigators from the OSCE and other international organisations. Russia said that it backed the International Civil Aviation Organisation playing an "active role" after insisting on changes to wording of the resolution to clarify that Ukraine would not take the lead role in the probe.  The probe must not show "prejudice in defining the possible culprits in the disaster or anticipation of any results of the investigation," Russia emphasised.