Iraq called on Islamic states Wednesday to show greater understanding of the horror of the bombings rocking the country and to take an unambiguous position in the war on insurgents.
"There is a case of carelessness in the organisation's attitude towards Iraq," Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari told a foreign ministers' meeting of the 57-member Organisation of the Islamic Conference.
"There is not a single real initiative to help the people of Iraq during the current hard circumstances," he said.
He complained that member states do not have a clear position about the insurgency in Iraq and the newly elected government, which has seen a sharp escalation in deadly attacks since taking office in early May.
"We want their positions towards our situation to be clearer," he said.
Earlier, Zebari met with counterparts from neighbouring countries on the sidelines of the gathering in the Yemeni capital and issued a similar plea for help.
"The Iraqi request is clear. We believe that our neighbours can play an influential role in helping to stabilise Iraq," he said.
"Until now, we have not received such support. We hope that there will be a new trend towards co-operation 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 co-operation.
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 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 Organisation 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.
"The Islamic world, which represents one fifth of total mankind, cannot remain excluded from the activities of the Security Council which assumes a fundamental role in keeping security and peace in the world," said Ihsanoglu.
But Zebari said he doubted whether the Muslim world would be accorded a permanent seat alongside Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.
"It is a good idea, but difficult to achieve. Countries like Germany and Japan have a better chance of getting in," he told AFP.
The OIC meeting is being held amid tight security in a stadium complex in the Yemeni capital, with journalists excluded from the venue.
The impoverished Arabian peninsula republic is al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden's ancestral homeland and is still fighting al Qaeda linked militants with assistance from US special forces.