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Adoption of Russia's proposal on Ukrainian ceasefire delayed

Various amendments to the text were proposed, and now the Russian side’s response is expected

© EPA/JASON SZENES

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UN chief calls for ceasefire in eastern Ukraine during humanitarian mission

THE UNITED NATIONS, August 22. /ITAR-TASS/. The adoption by the UN Security Council of the Russian-sponsored draft statement on ceasefire in the east of Ukraine for the time of humanitarian aid delivery there has been delayed, the UK mission to the UN told ITAR-TASS on Thursday.

Various amendments to the text were proposed, now the Russian side’s response to them is expected, said Iona Thomas, the head of press for the UK Mission, whose ambassador Mark Lyall Grant is president of the Security Council this month.

The draft statement for the press submitted to the UN Security Council by Russia on Thursday, urges all the parties to fulfil agreements to ensure security of humanitarian convoys along the entire route and declare a ceasefire to this end. The document also calls for starting the distribution of humanitarian supplies without delay with the participation of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Russia’s Ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin told ITAR-TASS earlier that the document was placed under the so-called “silence procedure” before 4pm, New York time. If no delegation voiced its remarks to the proposed text, it would have been adopted automatically.

The Russian initiative at once was faced with the US resistance. Deputy spokesperson for the US Department of State Marie Harf said the US considered the UN Security Council involvement for securing the ceasefire regime in the east of Ukraine unnecessary. Harf said Kiev had already signalled its readiness for the humanitarian ceasefire regime, however, the problem was that the separatist militias in the south-east of Ukraine did not stop hostilities, she added.

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Foreign policy Ukraine United Nations Vitaly Churkin

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