MOSCOW, July 28 /ITAR-TASS/. Moscow expects that no one will try to cover traces in the investigation of a Boeing airliner crash in east Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday.

Russia will seek a ceasefire on the site of Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane crash.

"We heard Ukrainian President Petro Porosenko's pledges. But his words do not match his deed. The fighting continues. The Ukrainian army uses the Grad rocket launcher systems," he said.

Boeing-777 crash should be investigated under UN control, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

"We are alarmed about the fact that some of our partners are trying to transfer practical investigation into the course of separate bilateral talks with the Ukrainian government," Lavrov said.

"An investigation mission should be determined by the UN Security Council, based on its credibility and have security guarantess," the Minister added.

The efforts for the Ukrainian conflict settlement have failed because Kiev has been consistently refusing to display respect in negotiations with the Southeast, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov added.

“The Ukrainian authorities have been consistently refusing to talk respectfully to the Southeast, sit down at the negotiating table and start a dialogue on all issues of the Ukrainian state, first of all on the constitutional reform matters,” the minister said. “Without such dialogue, without the sincere desire to take into account the interests of all Ukrainian citizens, there is no hope for political settlement,” Lavrov added.

 

Sanctions against Russia

The EU countries do not express enthusiasm over the sanctions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday.

"The deterioration in relations between partners cannot satisfy anyone. There are many possibilities to develop mutually advantageous partnership," he said.

"Nobody can win if unilateral decisions are being taken," Lavrov said.

"I'm confident that those who have to decide on imposing sanctions express no enthusiasm. They would like to take other decisions," Lavrov said.

"Sanctions rarely hit the target. Sanctions against Russia cannot reach the goal," he said. "It is not that we are happy about it but we'll overcome possible difficulties in some economic sectors. Maybe we'll become more independent and confident".

Russia is not going to use tit fro tat principle in the issue of EU anti-Russian sanctions, he added.

"We want to take a hard-headed approach to this situation," the Minister said. "Certainly, we cannot ignore it. But going into hysterics and biting back is not decent of a big country. This will be our basic principle.

 

Ceasefire in Gaza Strip

Confronting sides in Gaza Strip should announce an immediate ceasefire to enable settlement talks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

"The most important thing is to cease fire immediately and unconditionally and sit down at the negotiation table," he said.

"We support Egypt's efforts here. They are very promising," Lavrov added.

“The priority is to immediately stop the fighting and start talks,” Lavrov said.

Russia upholds Egypt’s efforts. “They are rather promising,” he said.

On July 8, 2014, the Israel Defense Forces announced the start of the operation Protective Edge in the Gaza Strip against Hamas militants. In three weeks the death toll in Gaza reached 1000, Palestine’s Healthcare Ministry says. Thirty-four Israeli were killed in Gaza, the Israeli army reports.