JEDDAH, July 7, 2008 (AFP) - The Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) on Monday announced it had opened an office in Baghdad with the aim of aiding reconcilition in the conflict-ridden country.

The world's largest forum of Islamic nations said in a statement from its headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, that the director of the new office, Hamed al-Teni, had arrived in Baghdad on Sunday and had immediately begun operations.

'He has already made contact with the Iraqi political circles to identify the areas of cooperation and support the OIC can render,' the statement said.

The new office would support national reconciliation in Iraq and help end sectarian violence in accordance with the Mecca agreement signed in the Saudi holy city of the same name in 2006 by Iraq's Shiite and Sunni leaders brought together under an OIC initiative, the statement added.

Under the 2006 agreement, 'spilling of Muslim blood is forbidden.'

The OIC groups 57 countries and represents 1.3 billion Muslims.