Turkey-Russia-Iran talks to proceed despite shooting

By Diyar Guldogan

MOSCOW

A Russian parliamentary official has said a trilateral meeting between Turkey, Russia and Iran on Syria would go ahead Tuesday despite the murder of Russia's envoy to Turkey.

Chairman of the Russian State Duma’s international affairs committee, Leonid Slutsky, told state TV Rossiya-24 on Monday evening the assassination of Andrey Karlov would not damage Turkish-Russian relations.

Slutsky said he believes "constructive" conclusions could be reached during the talks which will take place in the shadow of Monday’s "terrible tragedy".

"Now, Ankara and Moscow should move faster to solve the problems on the agenda, including tomorrow's meeting," Slutsky added.

Karlov died after being shot multiple times at an art exhibition in Turkey's capital Ankara on Monday evening.

He had been delivering a speech when an assailant opened fire on the diplomat before shooting into the air, according to an Anadolu Agency correspondent who witnessed the incident.

Tuesday’s meeting, which was expected to convene on Dec. 27, had previously been moved to an earlier date.