Munich deal could be breakthrough: chair of U.N. aid talks

GENEVA (Reuters) - Jan Egeland, the head of the Norwegian Refugee Council who will chair a U.N. meeting on Syrian humanitarian access later on Friday, said an agreement by big powers in Munich on Thursday could be a breakthrough if pressure is put on the warring sides. “We have high hopes that the parties in the International Syria Support Group, including Russia and the United States, will do everything they can to push for humanitarian access to civilians in need inside Syria. We need sustained and full access,” Egeland said in a statement. “This could be the breakthrough we have been waiting for to get full access to desperate civilians inside Syria. But it requires that all those with influence on all sides of the conflict are putting pressure the parties.” The Geneva meeting is set for 1500gmt. (Reporting by Tom Miles)