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UNITED NATIONS, May 20-- The Security Council on Monday rejected a Russian request to discuss the enactment of a Ukrainian language law. In a procedural vote, only five of the 15 members of the council voted in favor of the Russian request. Nine votes are required for the adoption of a contended provisional agenda item of the Security Council. After the announcement of the provisional agenda, Francois Delattre, French ambassador to the United Nations, voiced objection, prompting the procedural vote. The French objection was backed up by Germany, the United States and Poland in their representatives' statements before the vote. France, Germany, the United States, Poland as well as Britain and Belgium voted against the Russian proposal, and four other members abstained, effectively blocking the meeting. In his remarks, the French ambassador said Russia's request for the meeting, which coincides with the inauguration of new Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, "clearly does not intend to contribute to the resolution of the Russia-Ukraine crisis," but to "put the new president of Ukraine in the worst light." In his remarks before the vote, Russia's UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia argued that the new Ukrainian law "violates the spirit and letter of the Minsk Agreement, which the Security Council approved." "We are talking about a violation of decisions by the Security Council," he said. China voiced regret over the Security Council's rejection of the Russian request. | 
