France Says Studying All Arab League Syria Options at U.N.

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.

"We understand that there are several possible options concerning peacekeepers as put forward by the Arab League. That's all being discussed, clarified," Valero said.

The Arab League agreed Sunday on its latest initiative to try to stop the bloodshed, calling for the United Nations to approve a joint Arab-U.N. peacekeeping force.

The Syrian regime flatly rejected the proposal, and Russia cast doubt on it. Russia and China earlier this month vetoed U.N. Security Council action on Syria.

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe warned Monday against any foreign military intervention in Syria, saying such a move would only aggravate the situation.

"Peacekeepers to do what?" Valero asked.

"To support a humanitarian operation? To observe a ceasefire? To support a process of democratic transition? All of that is to be clarified in New York from today," he said.

"We have to discuss this with Arab League nations, for them to clarify their intentions, objectives, how to achieve them, and then we also have to talk about it with our partners, especially the closest, on the Security Council."

More than 6,000 people have been killed since President Bashar al-Assad's forces launched a crackdown on protesters calling for democracy in March, according to monitoring groups.

The United Nations put the figure at more than 5,400 in late December, before it gave up counting the toll, citing difficulties on the ground.