Iraq national conference to begin on August 15

Iraq's much-anticipated national conference, seen as a major experiment in democracy, will open Sunday, the president of the preparatory committee confirmed Saturday.
"There was concern during the past few days that the conference would be delayed, but it will start tomorrow at 11:00 am (0700 GMT)," Fuad Maassum told reporters.
He spoke as the government announced it would resume military operations in central city of Najaf after talks with representatives of radical Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr failed to put an end to fighting. Maassum again invited Sadr's movement to attend the conference, although the cleric has previously rejected the invitation.
"I invite the Sadr camp to attend," Maassum said. "We did not want to put Sayed Moqtada in an uncomfortable position by inviting him personally, but the invitation is open to his movement."