Ankara comments on the Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi

Turkey expects all parties at conflict in Syria to fulfill their responsibilities in finding a credible political settlement, the foreign ministry said in statement Tuesday following the Syrian National Dialogue Congress in the Russian Black Sea city of Sochi.

Daily Sabah reports in its article Turkey expects all Syria parties to fulfill responsibilities that according to the foreign ministry, the most important outcome of the Congress was the call for the establishment of a Constitutional Committee and the selection of a pool of 150 candidates for this committee. The Turkish delegation, which was given the mandate to represent opposition groups that didn't attend the Congress, submitted a list of 50 candidates in consultation with the opposition.

The foreign ministry also said U.N. Special Envoy on Syria Staffan de Mistura will be able to appoint names from the list of 150 candidates or outside the list, adding that Turkey will closely monitor the establishment of the committee as the guarantor of the Syrian opposition.

According to the statement, due to recent ceasefire violations on the ground as well as unresolved concerns and uncertainties with regard to the congress, the High Negotiations Committee and the Syrian National Coalition decided not to travel to Sochi. Moreover, some of the opposition members refused to enter Russia after seeing posters and logos that were put up at the congress center and the airport, showing images of regime flags.

"Turkey expects all actors that have leverage over the Syrian regime and on the ground to fulfill their responsibilities in directing the conflicting parties in Syria to negotiate a credible political solution," the ministry said.

The Syrian National Dialogue Congress, backed by Turkey, Russia and Iran, aims to bring all the warring parties in the Syrian conflict, excluding terror groups, to the table to facilitate the U.N.-sponsored peace talks in Geneva.