UN to vote on MH17 disaster resolution

The UN Security Council is expected on Monday to adopt a resolution demanding that separatists in eastern Ukraine grant unrestricted access to the site of the downed Malaysian Airlines jet. Australia is taking the lead on the measure that calls on all countries in the region to cooperate with an international investigation, an appeal that implicitly targets Russia. The draft resolution demands that all military activities, including by armed groups, be ‘immediately ceased in the immediate area surrounding the crash site to allow for security and safety of the international investigation.’ A vote is set for Monday at 3:00 pm (1900 GMT). Russia, as a permanent member of the Security Council, has the right to exercise its veto power to scrap the resolution, but diplomats said late Sunday that an agreement appeared within reach, according to AFP.