"The ceasefire must be fully respected and the protection of civilians a priority," UN political chief Jeffrey Feltman told an emergency Security Council meeting.
"We are either looking at a return to a deepening intractable conflict or a momentary upsurge in parts of the conflict zone," he told the 15-member council.
"We cannot afford either scenario."
The Security Council was convened at Lithuania's request amid fears that the four-month ceasefire brokered by France and Germany was under threat.
On Wednesday, at least 28 people were killed in fighting in the town of Maryinka, in some of the worst clashes since the truce was agreed in February.
"Developments around Maryinka are worrying," the deputy head of the OSCE monitoring mission, Alexander Hug, told the council.
The fighting suggests "that the military track has not been abandoned in favor of the political one."
Hug reported that ceasefire violations are becoming more frequent and more severe, and noted that the deliveries of Grad rockets and rocket launching systems are "cause for added concern."
AFP
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5/6/15
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EU’s Mogherini: Russia sanctions stay until full Minsk deal in place...
ReplyDeleteIn an exclusive interview, France 24’s Europe Editor Christophe Robeet talks to Federica Mogherini, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy who reacted to Moscow's decision to ban 89 European officials after Russia was hit by EU sanctions over Crimea and Ukraine.
“There is a level of tension for sure,” Mogherini said, speaking about the EU's relationship to Moscow. “We are ready to lift the sanctions once the Minsk agreement is fully implemented...but until this is the case our sanctions are going to stay.”
She also spoke about Europe's strategy to fight the Islamic State group and explained why an agreement on the Iranian nuclear programme is within reach....france24.com
5/6/15