Iraq protests a Sunni gathering in Istanbul, including Dulaimi, Dhari, the IAI, and Saudi and Pakistani clerics

Iraqi government spokesman Ali Al-Dabbagh said today (Thursday December 14) that the Iraqi government is getting ready to lodge a formal complaint with Ankara over the hosting of a conference called "Help for the People of Iraq" currently going on in Istanbul. Elaph.com, which is the only place I have seen any report of this*, says representation includes the following: From the political sphere, Adnan Dulaimi of the Iraqi National Accord, along with representative(s) Islamic Party (which is headed by Tariq al-Hashemi). From the Iraqi non-political sphere, Harith al-Dhari of the Muslim Scholars Association, along with representative(s) of the Islamic Army of Iraq. And from outside Iraq, "religious persons" from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan and elsewhere. Dabagh said this meeting sends a "wrong, sectarian message to Iraqis, aimed at drenching the country in blood". Dabagh added this meeting is anti-Iraq, and any neighboring country should avoid holding in on their soil, because by so doing they are taking a position inimical to the people of Iraq. He said it is unfortunate Turkey has permitted this to be held on its soil, and he reminded neighboring countries that the continuation of violence in Iraq will spread to them and will cause them damage.

The Elaph reporter notes that in spite of the Iraqi government's criticism of this conference, it was praised by the Islamic Party, whose head, Tareq al-Hashemi is vice president of Iraq. The Islamic Party statement said this conference is a cry for help in the face of slaughter at the hands of the militias.

The reporter notes that the official government National Reconciliation meeting (the third in the series, this one for political parties and groups) is still scheduled to be held in two days time. A government spokesman repeated hopes for good attendance from those both within and outside the political process. He said Prime Minister Maliki will attend personally, and will present a proposal for carrying out reconciliation measures, but the official didn't elaborate.

*NOTE:
Friday, December 15 there was also this report on the meeting in AlQuds al-Arabi, described here as a meeting aimed at sending a public message concerning the condition of the Sunnis in Iraq.

AlQuds says the Islamic Army of Iraq participated via a taped message from its official spokesman Ibrahim al-Shamari, and the message included a list of proposals: Creation of an international popular Sunni alliance to confront the Safavid criminals; all-out political activities to help the Iraqi Sunni condition; more efforts to publicize the Safavid atrocities; greater efforts to educate the Sunni masses about their creed and the danger represented by Safavid Iran; work on discourse for gatherings and posters and demonstrations and so on; material assistance.

The IAI statement included this: "Ibn al-Alqami [a 13th century Shiite minister in the court of the Sunni caliph of Baghdad, said to have facilitated the invasion of Hulagu Khan] has been reborn in the form of Hakim and Sadr and al-Rubaie [national security adviser] and Jaafari, and Maliki, from among the Magi and the traitors". And the IAI statement criticized Sunnis everywhere for their delay in helping the Sunnis of Iraq, who are being slaughtered day and night by the three-headed daggar of the Crusaders, the Safavids and the Jews.

The AlQuds al-Arabi account includes the remarks, reported above, by the official Iraqi government spokesman Ali Al-Dabbagh criticising the meeting as anti-Iraq.