The UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman Wednesday called for multi- dimensional and well-conceived international response for Mali in order to help the country reach a political settlement to the ongoing crisis.

Feltman told the UN Security Council in a briefing that the security situation in the northern Mali has continued to deteriorate.

Fighting between Mali government forces and Tuareg rebels broke out in the country's north in January. The hardline Islamists, who are seeking an independent homeland, seized control of the north.

Proliferation of armed groups in the north, drought and political instability in the wake of a military coup d'etat in March have uprooted hundreds of thousands of civilians this year.

Feltman indicated an urgency in dealing with the horrendous crisis facing Mali and noted that the international response for the crisis must be multi-dimensional and well-conceived.

"International support should be focused on supporting the Malian authorities in conducting an inclusive national dialogue," said the UN political chief. "This dialogue would aim to reach a national consensus on a transitional roadmap addressing the full return to constitutional order and the grievances of groups in the North."

He also called for efforts to bring about a negotiated political settlement with armed groups who have disavowed ties to terrorist groups to continue in earnest.

Feltman suggested a well-conceived and executed military intervention in the North be conducted as a last resort and planning be undertaken for stabilization activities in recovered areas.

Feltman urged Malians themselves to be at the center of any efforts to restore their democracy and fully recover their territory.

As for the possibility of funding a possible international force for Mali, the under-secretary-general for political affairs told the Security Council that the UN has a limited ability in the near term to fund such a combat force and that such operations could be supported through contributions by member states.

The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has proposed benchmarks for the possible commencement of military operations. They include the demonstrated operational readiness of the international and Malian forces, positive developments in the peace process, and the effective training of both forces' personnel on their obligations under international human rights, humanitarian and refugee law.