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Participants in a forum for interfaith  dialogue that  aimed to shape a global approach to terrorism left Indonesia as alienated as when they arrived, with a clear split between  east and west.

The Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting  ended in disharmony when Indonesia, India, Algeria and Iran introduced a contested resolution on Iraq blaming the United States for the escalating violence there.

They called for the  withdrawal of all foreign forces from Iraq and, if necessary, the deployment of peacekeeping forces under the supervision of UN and Islamic countries.

Western countries gathered under the geopolitical group 'Twelve-Plus' boycotted the debate,  arguing the process did not follow regulations and that Iraq should not have been included under the topic 'International co-operation to combat terrorism, its root causes and its financing, including cross-border funding'.

The western group's boycott on Friday meant there was no discussion, and the resolution was adopted without a vote.

The position adopted by the Twelve-Plus grouping  was endorsed by IPU secretary-general Anders Johnsson,  who said that what had happened in Bali was very serious and unprecedented.

'The Twelve-Plus was absolutely right,' he said. 'IPU's regulations state that only one emergency issue can be adopted at each meeting. What we have seen here is that, through negotiations, certain countries pushed two topics: terrorism and Iraq.'

Other IPU members, including some of the 43, mostly western, nations in the Twelve-Plus grouping, criticised the boycott.

Senator Saporito Learco,  head of the Italian delegation, said it was an anti-democratic stance.

'In parliament there are only three choices: you vote in favour, against or you abstain,' he said. 'Boycotting a vote is not contemplated.'  The Italian delegation dissociated itself from the boycott.

Established in 1889, the Inter-Parliamentary Union has 148 members and claims to be the focal point for worldwide parliamentary dialogue. In a recent interview, its president, Pier Ferdinando Casini,  said:  'IPU's role as a forum for interreligious dialogue is particularly important in the current world climate.'

The Bali session adopted other resolutions on promoting diversity and equal rights for all through  democratic and electoral standards, on job creation and employment security in the era of globalisation.



East-west split over Iraq sours interfaith talks on terrorism