Australia and the Netherlands initiated the action over MH17
last year at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The passenger jet was struck over rebel-held eastern Ukraine by
what international investigators and prosecutors say was a
Russian-made surface-to-air missile, killing all 298 people on
board.
Australia has said Russia was responsible under international
law and that taking the matter to ICAO would be a step forward
in the fight for victims who included 38 Australians.
The ICAO upheld its jurisdiction to hear the matter during a
session on Friday, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said
in a written statement.
"This decision is an important step in our collective efforts to
hold to account those responsible for this horrific act of
violence," Wong said.
Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra called the decision to
hear the case "an important step towards establishing the truth,
justice and accountability".
"Together with Australia, we will continue to do everything in
our power to find closure for the loved ones of the 298 victims
of flight #MH17," Hoekstra said on Twitter.
Russia has denied any involvement in the incident, and Russia's
ICAO delegation was not immediately available for comment. While
the outcome at ICAO is uncertain, experts said the move may be
seen as a further way to force Russia into negotiations over the
incident.
The technical talks by ICAO's 36-member governing council come
as Moscow is facing mounting rebukes over aviation-related
actions following its invasion of Ukraine.
In October, Russia failed to win enough votes at ICAO's
triennial assembly to keep its council seat. The council also
called out Russia for the dual registration of commercial
aircraft, which the body argued is at odds with parts of a key
agreement that sets out core principles for global aviation.
Montreal-based ICAO lacks regulatory power but holds moral
suasion and sets global aviation standards overwhelmingly
adopted by its 193-member states, even as it operates across
political barriers.
(Reporting By Allison Lampert in Montreal; Additional reporting
by David Ljunggren in Ottawa, Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles and
Sam McKeith in Sydney; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
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