'Friends of Syria' seek humanitarian access in days

LONDON, Feb 23 (Reuters) - The "Friends of Syria"

group plans to challenge Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on

Friday to provide humanitarian access within days to civilians

under assault by his forces, U.S. officials told reporters.

The officials, speaking before a "Friends of Syria" meeting

expected to gather more than 70 nations and international groups

in Tunis on Friday, did not specify specific consequences if the

Syrian authorities failed to provide such access.

"One of the things you are going to see coming out of the

meeting tomorrow are concrete proposals on how we, the

international community, plan to support humanitarian

organizations...within days, meaning that the challenge is on

the Syrian regime to respond to this," said one senior U.S.

official who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity.

(Reporting By Arshad Mohammed)