IRAQ: U.N. envoy urges politicians to seize the moment

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The U.N. envoy to Iraq urged the Iraqi government Saturday to seize upon the drop in violence in the country over the last year to move forward on reconciliation and improving public services because its window of opportunity won’t last forever.

‘In spite of the spike of horrific spectacular acts, there is still a lot of improvement compared to the past, which should be interpreted by all of us and by the Iraqi political leaders as an opportunity,’ Staffan de Mistura told reporters. ‘The opportunity doesn’t last long.’

He spoke as the United Nations released its human rights report for the last six months of 2007 (click here for the report). Although the report draws attention to allegations of torture in Iraqi prisons and targeted killings by armed gangs, De Mistura praised strides by the government in improving prison conditions and passing some legislation dealing with reconciliation issues, and he noted a dramatic reduction in sectarian violence.

Click here to read more of the Los Angeles Times story

— Ned Parker in Baghdad