Source: DailyTelegraph
PRIME Minister Tony Abbott has vowed to “shirtfront” Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit in Australia next month in what is shaping as a battle of the world’s bare-chested leaders.
A fired-up Mr Abbott yesterday promised to confront the Russian president face to face in Brisbane on November 15 over Russia’s role in the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines MH17, in which 38 Australians were murdered.
“I’m going to shirtfront* Mr Putin — you bet I am,’’ the PM said. “I’m going to be saying to Mr Putin: Australians were murdered and they were murdered by Russian-backed rebels using Russian-supplied equipment.
“If the Russian president turns up he will get, in no uncertain terms from me, Australia’s attitude to what’s been done in Eastern Europe, to the atrocity that has befallen our citizens and our demand from Russia that it co-operates fully and constructively with the criminal investigation so that justice can be done.’’
Mr Abbott’s strong stance came as the Kremlin’s puppet newspaper Pravda launched a stinging attack on the PM.
“I would advise Vladimir Putin to wash his hands after shaking the paw offered to him by Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbott at the G20 summit,” it said.
“It is not about ebola, it is about the disease called insolence and Australia’s colonial chip on its shoulder.”
The wreckage of the MH17 in which 38 Australians died. Source: Supplied
When Mr Abbott and Mr Putin meet it promises to be a memorable battle of brawn.
Both leaders are fitness freaks and have often been photographed shirtless.
Mr Abbott has taken a strong personal interest in the MH17 disaster, in which 298 people were killed, including 38 Australians, when Russian-backed separatists shot down a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet over eastern Ukraine.
Since the outrage the prime minister has formed a strong bond with some of the victims’ families.
Yet despite worldwide condemnation of Mr Putin’s lack of co-operation in bringing the murderers to justice, he will be given five-star, red-carpet treatment in Brisbane.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten yesterday reiterated his stance that he did not want Mr Putin in the country.
“The government was talking tough but they haven’t been able to stop him coming,’’ Mr Shorten said.
Mr Abbott said that although it was Australia’s turn to host the G20 summit, it did not run the event and the overwhelming majority of the attending nations wanted Mr Putin to attend.
“I don’t want to be a G20 wrecker,’’ he said, adding that Mr Shorten shouldn’t play politics on the issue.
source: dailytelegraph.com.au
STUDIO 3 NEWCASTLE AUSTRALIA 