Malaysia Airlines MH17 crash: China's leader urges 'fair and objective' probe

China's President Xi Jinping at a press conference next to Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (out of frame) after a meeting in Buenos Aires on July 18, 2014. He called on Friday for a "fair and objective" investigation into the crash
China's President Xi Jinping at a press conference next to Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (out of frame) after a meeting in Buenos Aires on July 18, 2014. He called on Friday for a "fair and objective" investigation into the crash of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in Ukraine.

BUENOS AIRES (AFP) - China's President Xi Jinping called on Friday for a "fair and objective" investigation into the crash of a Malaysian airliner in Ukraine.

"We feel consternation over the Malaysian plane that fell in Ukrainian territory and express our condolences to the victims and solidarity with their relatives," Mr Xi said after a meeting with Argentine President Cristina Kirchner during a visit to Buenos Aires.

The Chinese leader said he was in favor of "a fair and objective investigation" into the crash of the airliner, which killed all 298 people on board.

The plane was flying at an altitude of some 10,000m on Thursday when it disappeared from radar screens, according to European air controllers.

The Ukrainian authorities and Russian-backed separatists have accused each other of bringing down the plane with a surface-to-air missile.

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