The United Nations should consider setting up "humanitarian corridors" to get aid to Syrians caught in the brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said Wednesday.

"The idea of humanitarian corridors to allow NGOs (non-governmental organizations) to reach zones where there are absolutely scandalous massacres should be discussed at the Security Council," he told France Info radio.

An explosion struck an oil pipeline in the Syrian protest city of Homs on Wednesday, with activists saying government forces bombed it from the air and the regime blaming "terrorists."

"Around 6:00 am (0400 GMT), two military planes bombed a pipeline located on the edge of Baba Amr neighborhood," Hadi Abdullah, of the opposition General Commission of the Syrian Revolution, told Agence France Presse, citing witnesses.

The international community must rule out military intervention as a solution to the Syrian crisis, the leader of a global Islamic group said Wednesday.

Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, secretary general of the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation, said he remained involved in "quiet diplomacy activities" with Syrian President Bashar Assad over the power struggle that has cost around 6,000 lives over the last 11 months. The violence has led to the country's most severe international isolation in more than four decades of Assad family rule.

The Syrian National Council, the main opposition group against President Bashar al-Assad's regime, said it will meet Wednesday in Doha to choose a new leader or extend the term of current head Burhan Ghalioun.

"We are meeting tomorrow in Doha to choose a president. There will be several candidates and we want to take an independent decision, without external interference," SNC spokeswoman Basma Kodmani told Agence France Presse by telephone from Doha.

France is reviewing a range of options proposed by the 22-member Arab League at the United Nations to deal with Syria's deadly clampdown on protesters, the foreign ministry said Tuesday.

"France is examining with its partners in New York all the options put on the table by the Arab League," foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday the EU backs the Arab League's "firm stance" on Syria and will support it through further sanctions, ahead of talks with the head of the pan-Arab body.

The EU supports the Arab League's action to try to end the bloodshed in Syria and will "also support (it) through further sanctions", Merkel told reporters, speaking alongside Arab League Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi.

Syria on Tuesday flatly rejected U.N. charges of crimes against humanity and accused the world body of ignoring crimes it said were being committed by foreign-backed "terrorist groups".

"The foreign ministry, in a message sent to the U.N. Human Rights Commission, categorically rejected the new allegations made by the commission," the state news agency SANA said.

Former Prime Minsiter Saad Hairi stressed on Tuesday that the Syrian revolution will triumph.

He declared: “I will bear the responsibility of my solidarity with the Syrian people.”

The Syrian National Council pledged on Tuesday that it will establish proper ties with Lebanon once the Syrian regime is overthrown.

It said in an address to the Lebanese people that it will back the Lebanese “in an independent Lebanon, not as people who are part of Syria.”

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat questioned on Tuesday al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri’s call for supporting the Syrian revolt, saying that he is seeking to tarnish the opposition’s peaceful movement.

He said in a statement: “The timing of the call indicates that the development was orchestrated by the Syrian intelligence.”