France has called on the UN Security Council to adopt a resolution of sanction against the Syrian government but ruled out military intervention, according to French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
"France will not intervene anywhere without an international resolution, it is a guiding principle," Sarkozy said, referring to recent unrest in Syria at a joint press conference with Libyan National Transition Council leader Mahmoud Jibril after a closed-door meeting on Wednesday.
Sarkozy said Foreign Minister Alain Juppe is working to convince UN Security Council on sanctions against the Syrian government and vowed to stay "at the side of the Arab people every time they demand freedom and democracy."
"The worsening of the repression carried out by the Syrian regime makes it more essential than ever to adopt a sanctions resolution by the Security Council," French foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said earlier Wednesday.
The ministry said France is working on the UN level for sanctions with several western allies in New York.
The United Nations Human Rights Council adopted Tuesday a new resolution on Syria backing an international independent commission of inquiry to be sent in the country.
According to UN data, over 2,000 people have died since the beginning of protests against the government in mid-March.