Dutch government denies non-disclosure agreement on MH17 criminal investigation which existence was confirmed by Australian government

Despite a promise made by Dutch PM Mark Rutte that not a single stone would be unturned in the MH17 case, there is a long list of acting by the Dutch government which proves the contrary. The list is 88 points long and another one can be added right now.

In a letter dated August 16, 2017 addressed to Dutch parliament, Dutch government provides a strange answer to the question below:

2. Question. Does the non-disclosure agreement means that states can keep information outside the process?

Answer: The question suggests there is a non-disclosure agreemeent. This however has never been said,

2. Houdt de non-disclosure overeenkomst ook de mogelijkheid in dat een land informatie buiten het proces kan houden?

Antwoord op de vragen 1 en 2
De vraag veronderstelt dat sprake zou zijn van een non-disclosure-overeenkomst tussen de JIT-landen. Dat is echter nooit gezegd. De inhoud van de JIT-overeenkomst is vertrouwelijk en openbaarmaking zou de internationale verhoudingen schaden, zo is reeds aangegeven (o.a. Aanhangsel Handelingen II 2016/17, nr. 1217 en Kamerstuk 33 997, nr. 97).

Well, that is a remarkable statement by Dutch government.

Dutch RTL Nieuws at November 26, 2014 reported about a non-disclosure agreement between states which are member of the Joint Investigation Team .

RTL shows on the website an official letter dated October 15, 2014 by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade which states:

All parties to the criminal investigation have signed a non-disclosure agreement , which requires consensus among the parties before information regarding the investigation will be released.

Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms the letter shown below is authentic. The letter is published here.

So the Dutch government denies there is a non-disclosure agreement while Australian government states there is such an agreement.

1 Comment on Dutch government denies non-disclosure agreement on MH17 criminal investigation which existence was confirmed by Australian government

  1. Slozhny // August 21, 2017 at 10:30 pm // Reply

    I think the JIT Agreement is not entirely about non-disclosure of information, even if it (surely) includes a part about this. The answer you did not translate is “The content of the JIT Agreement is confidential, and disclosure would harm international relations”. The phrase “this has never been said” is an attempt not to admit and not to deny presence of the “non-disclosure” part in the Agreement.

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