Syria: Tunis conference seeks diplomatic breakthrough

A major conference is being held in Tunisia to seek a breakthrough in the increasingly bitter Syrian unrest.

The US, Europe and Arab countries plan to challenge President Bashar al-Assad to provide humanitarian access within days to the worst-affected areas.

But Russia and China, key allies of Syria which have blocked UN resolutions again Damascus, are not attending the "Friends of Syria" conference.

Syrian state TV said the conference was a meeting of "symbols of colonialism".

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-17144805