Saudi envoy said his country will host December conference to try to unite Syrian opposition

UNITED NATIONS – Saudi Arabia's U.N. ambassador says his government will host a conference in mid-December to try to unite the Syrian opposition ahead of new peace talks.

Saudi Ambassador Abdallah Al-Moualimi said Thursday that his country will be trying to bring different strands of the opposition "together for a united voice."

U.N. special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura told reporters after a closed-door Security Council meeting that a national cease-fire in Syria is now more likely because the countries participating in two rounds of talks in Vienna "have an interest in a cease-fire."