The Syrian opposition " senior leadership" will hold an informal meeting with members of the UN Security Council later this week, Britain's UN ambassador said on Tuesday.

"The United Kingdom is convening an informal meeting to enable members of the Security Council to engage with the senior leadership of the National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces at the UN on Friday," said British Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant.

"The coalition delegation will be led by Ahmed al-Jarba, president of the coalition," he said.

The meeting "will provide a forum for members of the Council to have a frank and informal exchange with the National Coalition, to discuss key issues relating to the Syrian conflict," he said in a statement.

The key issues included ending the violence and preparing for the Geneva II conference, humanitarian access, human rights, refugees and protection of civilians, according to the statement.

The UN Security Council members have been divided over Syria, with three Western-backed draft resolutions proposing sanctions against the government of President Bashar al-Assad abortive.

More than two years of fighting between the government and opposition forces in Syria has killed an estimated 100,000 people and the UN refugee agency reported 1.8 million registered refugees from Syria. Endi

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