BAGHDAD (AFP) — Iraq wrapped up a two-day unity conference on Wednesday by condemning terrorism, but the event was severely hampered by two key parliamentary blocs boycotting it.
The conference delivered a memorandum to the government on Wednesday which "condemned terrorism, extremist ideologies and urged the promotion of national unity."
But the meeting proved to be a tame one after two key parliamentary blocs, the faction loyal to Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and the main Sunni bloc, boycotted it.
"The conference was government propaganda," said Nasar al-Rubaie, the head of Sadr's group.
"It does not fix the basic problem in Iraq. The problem in Iraq is not between rival factions, but within the factions themselves."
The main Sunni parliamentary bloc, the National Concord Front, also boycotted the event, saying it had not been invited.
Akram al-Hakim, the minister of state for national dialogue and one of the organisers of the event, said the Sunni bloc had been invited.
The conference was attended by around 400 delegates from various political groups, academia and religious groups.
"It was also attended by some leaders of insurgent groups who have now returned to the mainstream," a final statement said.
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