OIC ministers focus on reform, Iraq

"The Iraqi request is clear. We believe that our neighbours can play an influential role in helping to stablise Iraq," Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari told counterparts on the sidelines of a meeting of Islamic foreign ministers in Yemen.

"Until now, we have not received such support. We hope that there will be a new trend towards cooperation in security matters, as well as in economic and commercial affairs."

Iraq's neighbours last held a meeting on April 30 in Istanbul during which they pledged support to Baghdad authorities and vowed to increase security cooperation.

The United States has blamed Syria in particular for allowing foreign militants to cross into Iraq, while Zebari has said Iraq was holding hundreds of foreign Arab militants.

The minister called on Islamic countries to "condemn explicitly acts of terrorism in Iraq and the attempt to sow sedition between the different religious communities".

Recent months have seen a spate of killings of Shiite civilians by Sunni Arab insurgents, prompting occasional tit-for-tat killings and growing talk of retaliation.

Zebari also demanded a higher diplomatic representation of Islamic countries in Iraq, where few have posted full ambassadors.

In their second day of talks, ministers of the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference were expected to discuss proposals for internal reform of a bloc originally established in 1969 to try to preserve the Islamic character of Jerusalem, but now with a much broader brief.

"I want to push for real reform in the organisation, not just a superficial one ... to enhance capabilities and improve performance," said secretary general Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu of Turkey.

He also proposed finding a new name for the organisation that would reflect what he called "its reality".

Ministers were also expected to discuss ways of securing a greater role for Muslim countries in world affairs and a permanent representation on the UN Security Council.