Canada chairs international meeting in London on Iran Flight PS752 downing

#IranPlneDowned; #Investigation; #CanadaOfferingInterimCompensation

Ottawa, Jan 16 (Canadian-Media): An international meeting is being hosted in London today by Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne joined by four other countries that lost citizens in the crash: Ukraine, Sweden, Afghanistan and Britain to discuss about the thorough investigation into the Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 that was shot down in Iran by an Iranian missile last week killing all 176 aboard, including 57 Canadians, media reports said. ​

François-Philippe Champagne. Image credit: Twitter

Although Iran is co-operating with the two Canadian investigators on the scene, Marc Garneau, Canada's Transport Minister said, they still want official status in Iran's investigation to facilitate Canadian officials to take part in the analysis of the flight recorders' data.

"We will be sending very, very strong messages to Iran," Garneau said of the meeting on Wednesday in Ottawa.

"President [Hassan] Rouhani has made some comment to the effect that they want to co-operate, but of course the question on everybody's mind is: Will they deliver on that promise?"

Garneau said Canada is also seeking compensation from those responsible after an investigation.

"One of the requirements from Canada's point of view, along with justice, is compensation, compensation to be provided by those that stand guilty of playing a role in this tragic accident. But let's do the homework first," said Garneau.

In the meantime offering of interim compensation to the family members of the deceased is also being considered by Canada, said Omar Alghabra, the prime minister's parliamentary secretary while waiting for a proper compensation claim to be settled with Iran.

​A moment of silence was observed on Wednesday afternoon by the universities across Canada  to pay tribute to the students, professors and PhD candidates killed on Flight 752.