Syrian Opposition to Meet in Riyadh December 8-10

Syrian opposition groups are set to convene for a three-day conference in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh on December 8, Badr Jamous, a member of the National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces, told Sputnik Friday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — "We will arrive [in Riyadh] on December 7, and the conference will take place on December 8, 9 and 10. The National Coalition will certainly attend," Jamous said.

Earlier in December, Saudi Arabia invited 65 members of Syrian opposition factions to attend the Riyadh conference to try to unify their positions ahead of the proposed Syrian peace talks.

During the November 14 Vienna meeting, the mediators agreed to hold negotiations on settlement of the Syrian crisis by January 1, 2016. The participating states also set a six-month timeframe for Syria to form an interim unity government, while stipulating that elections in Syria should be held within 18 months.

On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Vienna talks on Syria crisis settlement should be held with the participation of all Syrian opposition groups, as well as a delegation from Damascus.