The Syrian opposition is to announce its delegates for the next round of U.N.-based peace talks in Geneva planned for later this month, the main opposition umbrella group said.

The choice of opposition delegates has been subject to disagreement and the U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, has said it would choose the opposition delegates if they could not agree, "to make sure that it can be as inclusive as possible."

The Saudi-backed High Negotiations Committee (HNC), Syria's main opposition body which includes political and armed groups, has criticised Mistura's comment as "unacceptable".

HNC spokesman Salim al-Muslit told Arabic news channel Arabiya al-Hadath on Saturday that following meetings in Riyadh, Syrian opposition officials would present the 20-member delegation they have chosen to attend the talks.

More at Reuters.