A Syrian opposition official says rebels and political groups are preparing to appoint a 20-member delegation to United Nations-brokered talks with the government planned for Feb. 20 in Geneva, AP reported. Yahya al-Aridi of the High Negotiations Committee said Saturday that Nasr al-Hariri of the Western-backed Syrian National Coalition would head the mixed delegation of rebel leaders and exiled opposition figures. The so-called "Geneva process" to wind down the Syria war stalled in April last year. The war has raged since 2011. Diplomatic contacts picked up again in December, with rebels and the government pledging to honor a national cease-fire. The truce has not held. The two sides met again for talks in Astana, Kazakhstan last month, ahead of the planned resumption of the Geneva talks in about one week's time. On the other hand, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says the fight against terrorists and extremists in Syria cannot succeed without a political solution that is supported by the Syrian people. Guterres made the comments in Istanbul on Saturday during a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, his office said in a statement. Guterres also said he was "grateful" that a peace conference for Syria in Kazakhstan sponsored by Turkey, Russia and Iran was held in support of peace negotiations between the Syrian government and opposition being held in Geneva under the U.N.'s auspices. The secretary-general is touring Turkey, five Mideast nations and Germany on his first major trip since taking the helm of the United Nations on Jan. 1.
