JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia has sent invitations to all ethnic and political groups of the moderate Syrian opposition, inside and outside Syria, for their participation in the three-day meeting in Riyadh beginning on Dec. 8.

This was confirmed by a Foreign Ministry official, Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

The conference is being held in response to a request by a majority of countries who took part in the Nov. 14 Vienna 2 conference.

“The Kingdom is holding this meeting out of its commitment to find a political solution to the Syrian crisis and in the hope of unifying the Syrian political opposition groups,” he said. “The unification of Syrian opposition groups will help begin the transition of power in accordance with Geneva 1, 2012, resolution.”

The invitations have been sent after in-depth consultations with almost all international partners and the UN envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura.

The official statement concluded that the Kingdom will provide all possible means to enable the Syrian opposition representatives to sit at the negotiating table and hold free and independent discussions in order to arrive at a unified position in accordance with the principles agreed upon at the Geneva 1 conference.