Mexico's Slim says will not convince leftist candidate on airport's future

MEXICO CITY, April 16 (Reuters) - Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim said on Monday that he will not attempt to convince the leftist presidential election front-runner to proceed with the new Mexico City airport during the campaign.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who leads major polls ahead of the July 1 vote, has threatened to abandon the $13 billion project, which is already under construction.

Slim, one of the top investors in the project, told a news conference that Lopez Obrador would undertake his own studies to come to a decision, adding that suspending the airport construction would halt growth in Mexico's economy. (Reporting by Christine Murray Writing by Daina Beth Solomon Editing by Gabriel Stargardter)