Baltic States – CIS, Latvia, Legislation, Transport, Ukraine

''We must await additional information on what has happened, but the news I have received is very serious,'' he said, adding that an investigation must now be launched to find out the circumstances of the crash.

He said that the investigation must be launched as soon as possible, and must be carried out by an international team. ''According to the information available to me, the plan has crashed in an area controlled by the pro-Russian separatists, which could hamper the investigation,'' Rinkevics said, adding that the information that has already been made public is very plausible.

Rinkevics also pointed out to the fact that pro-Russian separatists in the area had even bragged about shooting down a plane in the area yesterday.

''Now their ''bragging'' has subsided. In any case, if it is confirmed that the ''Malysia Airlines'' plane was shot down, similar to other Ukrainian planes being shot down this week, then I believe that no more talks with these so-called separatists are possible,'' Rinkevics said, adding that the international community must now do everything to support Ukraine in annihilating this ''terrorist den'' in the country.

The Latvian foreign minister said that if such a scenario is confirmed, Russia must first be held responsible for allowing such weapons to get into the hand of people who carried out the attack.

Latvia has expressed its condolences in regard to the Malaysia Airline crash in Ukraine, LETA was informed by the Foreign Ministry.

Latvia's highest officials express their deepest sympathies to the friends and families of those killed.

Latvia also urges an investigation to be carried out as soon as possible to find out the circumstances of the crash.

At the same time, the Foreign Ministry also urges pro-Russian separatists that control the area where the plane crashed not to hinder the international investigation.