UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The government of Mali has not given a green light yet for a U.N. peacekeeping operation in the troubled west African nation, the U.N.’s deputy chief said Monday.

Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson told a group of reporters that there appears to be growing agreement — including from the African Union and west African nations — for a U.N. force, but “there is still hesitation from the government of Mali.”