U.N. envoy on Syria to meet major powers on Wednesday

The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria will meet ambassadors from major powers in Geneva on Wednesday, ahead of planned peace talks set for Jan. 25.

Staffan de Mistura was already expected to meet senior U.S. and Russian envoys in the Swiss city on Wednesday.

A brief statement issued by his office said that he would also then meet the ambassadors from all five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council - Britain, China and France as well as those of Russia and the United States.

Earlier, Syrian opposition coordinator Riad Hijab, speaking in Paris, said the United States had softened its stance on Syria, including the future of President Bashar al-Assad, to accommodate Russia. Hijab also said the opposition would face a hard choice on whether to attend the Jan. 25 peace talks.