France's President Francois Hollande speaks during a ceremony to commemorate the 68th anniversary of the Liberation of Paris in 1944, at the city hall in Paris, Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
France's President Francois Hollande speaks during a ceremony to commemorate the 68th anniversary of the Liberation of Paris in 1944, at the city hall in Paris, Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
This citizen journalism image made from video provided by Shaam News Network SNN and taken on Monday, Aug. 27, 2012, purports to show a Syrian military helicopter on fire and falling to the ground after it was apparently hit during fighting between government forces and rebels in the capital Damascus, Syria. The helicopter?s downing comes amid a widening government offensive to recapture districts in Damascus and its suburbs that have fallen into rebel hands. (AP Photo/Shaam News Network, SNN)THE ASSOCIATED PRESS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS CITIZEN JOURNALIST IMAGE
PARIS (AP) ? French President Francois Hollande called on Syria's opposition to form a provisional government, saying Monday that France would recognize it once such a government is formed.
The announcement from Hollande, in a speech to France's ambassadors, amounts to an attempt to ratchet up diplomatic pressure on Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime amid escalating bloodshed in the country.
Syria's opposition remains badly fragmented, and it is far from clear whether such a provisional government could be formed anytime soon.
But Hollande's statement, believed to be the first of its kind, appeared aimed to give an impetus to the creation of such a government.
"France asks the Syrian opposition to form a provisional government ? inclusive and representative ? that can become the legitimate representative of the new Syria," Hollande said.
"We are including our Arab partners to accelerate this step," he told hundreds of diplomats and dignitaries at the presidential palace. "France will recognize the provisional government of Syria once it is formed."
Hollande also took issue with Russian and Chinese reticence about reaching tougher language against Assad's regime, saying "their attitude weakens our ability to carry out the mandate conferred on us by the U.N. charter."
Syria's opposition has been plagued by divisions and infighting since the start of the uprising last year, and a formation of a transitional government is fraught with difficulties.
Abdelbaset Sieda, the leader of main umbrella opposition group the Syrian National Council, said recently the group was making plans and consultations for a transitional government. However, several other opposition groups are known to be making similar plans, including a new opposition alliance headed by veteran opposition figure Haitham Maleh.
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