UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 22 (UPI) -- A top U.N. official said the lull in violence in Iraq offers a window of opportunity for the international community to push toward further stabilization.
The special Representative to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Staffan de Mistura, told the Security Council the security and political situation in Iraq remains "quite daunting" but said the lull in violence recently provides a chance for the international community to "be proactive," the U.N. News Center reported.
The SRSG credited the U.S. troop surge, the Sunni Awakening Councils, a cease-fire by the influential Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr and the increased resolve of the Iraqi people with contributing to the diminished violence.
De Mistura cited four key factors -- the troop surge decreased violence by 60 percent, the 7 percent increase in expected oil output as reported by the International Monetary Fund, Iraqi de-Baathification laws and the expanded mandate for the U.N. Mission in Iraq -- with contributing to overall positive developments there.
He also commended Iran and other neighboring countries for aiding in the push for regional dialogue.
