Baku, Azerbaijan, July 18
By Sabina Ahmadova - Trend:
President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, and the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso have made a joint statement on the crash of the Malaysian airliner in Ukraine.
"We are shocked by the crash of the Malaysian airliner in Ukraine and the tragic loss of so many lives," the website of the European Council said.
On behalf of the European Union, Rompuy and Barroso conveyed their deepest condolences to the prime ministers of the Netherlands, Malaysia, to the governments of all other affected nations, and to the families of the victims.
"Citizens from many nationalities including from the European Union have been killed. We call for an immediate and thorough investigation into the causes of the crash. The facts and responsibilities need to be established as quickly as possible. The European Union will continue to follow this issue very closely," the statement said.
On July 17, news reports revealed that flight MH17 of Malaysia Airlines crashed in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region, with 295 people on board.