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No UN resolution reached yet on Ukraine

The 15 members of the United Nations Security Council will engage in more consultations on the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, but are not yet ready to adopt a resolution, diplomats said Sunday.

The world peace and security body had been due to vote on a Russian-drafted resolution calling on all parties to implement the deal that provided for a ceasefire beginning on Sunday.

But some countries sought amendments, including Malaysia, which wants the text to refer to Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, which was shot down over eastern Ukraine in mid-July.

“There have been some further discussions between member states,” said British envoy Mark Lyall Grant.

“We are not in a position to vote on a text today, but there is an interest in having a Security Council reaction to the Minsk Agreement… We are watching events closely on the ground.”

He recognized that “there is no guarantee” that all of the council’s members will reach an agreed position and adopt the text, but he refused to be pressed further on the possible points of contention.

“We are working on it,” said France’s envoy, Francois Delattre.

Shelling and mortar fire thundered around a flashpoint town in eastern Ukraine, despite the shaky truce that was otherwise largely observed along the rest of the frontline separating Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on all sides to follow through on their commitments to end the 10-month war.

At least 5,300 people have died and one million have been driven from their homes in the fighting between pro-Russian separatists in east Ukraine and Kiev’s forces.