3 Jul 2013 15:54

Premature to claim failure of intl conference on Syria - Turkish ambassador

MOSCOW. July 3 (Interfax) - Turkish Ambassador to Russia Aydin Sezgin thinks it is premature to declare failure in regards to the international conference on Syria.

"Probably, it would be premature to say this conference has failed," he told a press conference in Moscow on Wednesday.

In his words, Turkey is trying to influence the Syrian opposition in assisting with the conference arrangement.

"Turkey is doing everything in its power to influence the opposition and to work with it," Sezgin said.

The conference is the only floor for a political settlement of the Syrian crisis, he added.

"Syria is having a humanitarian drama. The fact that Syria bars UN investigative teams from its territory adds to the problem," the Turkish ambassador said.