Foreign Minister Julie Bishop will be at the United Nations next week to push for the establishment of an international criminal tribunal over the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 a year ago.

“The UN Security Council is faced with a critical decision next week,” she said in a statement on Saturday.

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“And I am determined to work with the international community to achieve accountability and closure for the sake of the victims of MH17 and for their loved ones.”

Australia and the four other members of the joint investigation team – Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Ukraine – want the tribunal to investigate the crash that killed 298 people over Ukraine.