France called on the UN Security Council to adopt a resolution on the introduction of sanctions against the Syrian regime and to condemn the arrest of lawyers in Syria, especially Mohamed Isam Zalul, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced.
"The increasing repression of the Syrian regime makes it necessary to adopt a resolution on sanctions in the UN Security Council," said ministry spokesman Bernard Valero.
On Tuesday, some European countries, including France, presented to the UN Security Council a draft resolution on sanctions against Syria, especially against President Bashar al-Assad. According to the UN, more than 2.200 people have died since March in street protests against the regime.
On Tuesday, some European countries, including France, presented to the UN Security Council a draft resolution on sanctions against Syria, especially President Assad.
"We have been saying for a long time that the Security Council cannot remain passive and indifferent to the events in Syria in the last month. An increasing number of Security Council members are aware of this," said Valero.
He stated that several lawyers were arrested in Syria. "The continuation of repression cannot be tolerated. We especially condemn the arrest of lawyer Mohamed Issam Zalul, the organizer of a peaceful rally in the center of Damascus called 'Syrian Lawyers for Freedom,'" added Valero.
Sarkozy: The Syrian people have the right to democracy
French President Nicolas Sarkozy assessed that the Syrian people "also have the right to democracy" after a meeting in Paris with an official of the Libyan Transitional National Council, Mahmoud Jibril.
"Syrians also have the right to democracy and are not condemned to be victims of repression by a regime that does not understand that we are in another century," Sarkozy told reporters.
He ruled out the possibility of military intervention, similar to the one in Libya. "Let things be clear, France will not react without an international resolution, because that is the basis. This does not mean that the Syrian people should be left to be victims of the massacre of a regime that is disqualifying itself day by day," added Sarkozy.
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