ANKARA
It is important to prepare the ground to hold the Geneva 2 Conference at a right time as well as holding it within the shortest possible time, said Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Levent Gumrukcu referring to the delayed international peace conference on Syria.
Gumrukcu told a press conference on Thursday that the Syrian opposition has "right hesitations" whether to attend the conference due to the developments and the process since the Geneva 1 Conference.
"There is no other political transition or a peaceful resolution apart from the Geneva 2 Conference at this stage," he said. " Our priority is to assure that the conference will succeed. "
When asked if Iran would attend the conference on Syria, Gumrukcu said any country which would contribute to the resolution of the Syrian conflict should attend the conference.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif had said on his visit to Turkey that as an effective country in the region Iran should be invited to the conference and it would strive to reach a peaceful agreement if it was invited.
He said elections likely to be held in Syria in 2014 would not create a " healthy resolution".
Syrian President Bashar-al Assad had said earlier that he did not see any obstacles to being nominated to run in the next presidential elections.
"A transition government must be formed immediately and this government must hold free and fair elections," Gumrukcu added.
Stating that although Turkey and Russia disagreed on certain issues on the Syrian conflict, Gumrukcu said Russia was one of the "indispensable" actors to solve the conflict in the country and negotiations with Russia would continue.
On the building of a wall along the Turkish-Syrian border between Turkey’s Nusaybin and Syria’s Qamishli districts, Gumrukcu said it was a temporary measure to be taken and it should not be misinterpreted.
When asked about Turkey's decision to accept a Chinese bid to build its first long-range anti-missile system to which NATO members are strongly opposed, he said Turkey made it clear from the beginning that cost of the missile system, time and joint production were important criteria.
"Turkey has not made its final decision yet," he said.
englishnews@aa.com.tr
