NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has stated that the investigation into the tragic downing of a Malaysian Airlines MH17 flight jetliner, which was carried by Dutch Safety Board, was independent, neutral and open.

"I commend the Dutch Safety Board for conducting an independent, neutral and open investigation. Their report fulfils the objectives set out by the United Nations Security Council and the investigation was conducted in full accordance with the rules and procedures of the International Civil Aviation Organization," reads the Secretary's statement released on NATO website.

According to Stoltenberg, this report contributes to provide answers to the many questions from the families of the victims.

"Those directly and indirectly responsible for the downing of MH17 should be held accountable and brought to justice as soon as possible," he stressed.

As earlier reported, an international expert team investigating the cause of the Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 crash in eastern Ukraine has concluded that the plane was shot down by a Buk surface-to-air missile system on July 17, 2014.

This conclusion follows from the final report of the Dutch Safety Board which was released in The Hague, the Netherlands.

According to the report, the missile hit the cockpit's left-hand side which separated from the rest of the fuselage after impact.