Govt calls on UN for Flight MH17 tribunal

Malaysia circulated a draft UN resolution on Wednesday to establish an international tribunal that it said would guarantee an independent trial for those behind the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over Ukraine.

Malaysia told the Security Council last week that it was ready to move ahead with the proposed tribunal despite resistance from Russia, which has said the move is premature.

The draft resolution calls for establishing the tribunal under Chapter 7 of the UN charter, which means that the court's efforts to prosecute those responsible could be enforced by sanctions.