Saudi Arabia is to host a meeting of the Syrian opposition later this month as the UN prepares to convene new peace talks with the government, AFP reported Tuesday (November 14th).

The meeting will be held in Riyadh from November 22nd to 24th at the request of opposition factions and will aim to form a "joint negotiating delegation to resume direct negotiations in Geneva under the auspices of the UN", the official Saudi Press Agency said.

The latest round of UN-brokered peace talks is due to open on November 28th. UN envoy Staffan de Mistura said late last month that the talks had reached a "moment of truth".

Late on Monday, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis voiced strong support for the peace process, vowing that the international coalition would remain committed to the search for a lasting political solution.

"We are not just going to walk away right now until the Geneva process has traction," Mattis told reporters.

"We are going to make sure we set the conditions for a diplomatic solution."

This year, the Geneva talks have been largely sidelined by a separate talks process in the Kazakh capital Astana sponsored by opposition supporter Turkey and government allies Iran and Russia.

Those talks have resulted in the establishment of three safe zones in key battlegrounds between the government and the opposition, and plans for a fourth.