Canada and four other international locations whose citizens died when the Iranian armed forces mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet are formally joining forces to seek out “full reparations” from Tehran, according to a letter despatched to the households of the victims on Thursday.
The letter from the coalition of 5 nations, seen by Radio Canada Intercontinental, suggests that Canada, Afghanistan, Sweden, the U.K. and Ukraine “intend to do the job with each other to negotiate with Iran to look for to assure that they are held accountable and make total reparations for the downing of Ukrainian Airlines Flight PS752, together with in the kind of payment for the fatalities of your cherished types.”
Fifty-5 Canadian citizens and 30 permanent inhabitants of Canada have been among the the 176 persons killed when Flight PS752 was shot down by two Iranian missiles shortly after takeoff from Tehran on Jan. 8.
The five nations — customers of the so-referred to as PS752 Coordination Group — have been to indication a formal memorandum of knowledge (MoU) today establishing principles for continuing with negotiations with Tehran, the letter stated. Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne’s workplace tells CBC that Canada has signed the MoU.
“All 5 of the Coordination Group associates believe that that this type of condition-to-condition negotiation is the most likely way to guarantee that we arrive to an agreement on how to settle this make a difference pretty,” the letter claimed.
“Nonetheless, if talks are not prosperous, owning formerly negotiated with Iran in very good religion will make it possible for us to be in a situation to go after the issue even more.”
A settlement could defend Iran in court docket
The letter says that while these condition-to-point out negotiations do not influence the right of victims’ families to seek out payment “from the related airways pursuant to the applicable international civil aviation treaties,” when a settlement settlement with Iranian authorities is reached, it would prevent the families from likely after Iran in intercontinental courts.
The coordination group has appointed Ukraine to discuss for it during negotiations, officers at International Affairs Canada claimed in a media statement.
The team has established up an advisory committee with associates from every member country that will be existing in the course of the negotiations and will guidance the perform of the spokesperson, the assertion said.
The five nations also have talked over the planned downloading of the flight recorders in France, payment from Ukraine International Airlines and the criminal investigation into the tragedy, the statement added.
“The team continues to advocate for accountability, transparency, justice and compensation for the families and cherished types of the victims,” the assertion explained.
People want justice just before money, suggests spokesperson
Hamed Esmaeilion, spokesperson for the affiliation symbolizing the family members of the Canadians who died on the flight from Tehran to Kyiv, said the families have made it apparent to Champagne that accountability and justice subject far more to them than any financial compensation could.
“We have stated to Mr. Champagne that payment for us is [a] whole and independent investigation and then justice,” Esmaeilion told Radio Canada Global. “Compensation stands third.”
Iran declared on June 26 that it will deliver the black bins from the downed Boeing 737 to France to be deciphered afterwards this month.
In a joint assertion, Champagne and Transport Minister Marc Garneau welcomed the announcement.
“We will continue to hold Iran to account and search for accountability, transparency, justice and compensation for the victims of this tragedy, including a comprehensive, credible and transparent investigation,” said the assertion.
Following initially denying any obligation for the crash, Iranian officials were pressured to acknowledge that an Islamic Innovative Guard Corps air defence battery mistakenly shot down the airliner minutes just after departing Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Worldwide Airport amid heightened tensions with U.S. forces in neighbouring Iraq.
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