By John Keating
PARIS, Oct 18 (KUNA) - While continuing discussions with its partners on the issue of ways to protect Syrian civilians, France said nonetheless on Thursday that such measures as "no-fly zones" cannot be taken without a "solid" legal basis, meaning a UN Security Council resolution.
Diplomats noted here to KUNA that it was unlikely that any such proposal would be accepted by Russia, supported by China, so there was little point in moving in that direction in the Security Council.
"We are naturally in permanent contact with our allied and partners to evaluate ways to best protect the civilian population, "French Foreign Ministry spokesman Philippe Lallliot said in anwer to questions on the subject.
He said France was also trying to help with the humanitarian situation on the ground, by giving bilateral, local aid to a number of regions. Most of these are either in "free zones" of in zones disputed by both Syrian regime forces and insurgents.
But this will not stop aerial bombings by the Syrian air force which dominates the skies and had already targeted reconstruction projects financed by France, one diplomat said.
France is working with 15 local Councils, known as Civil Revolutionary Councils, in governorships all over Syria and has already piloted projects in five that are in "free zones" and is working with the ten others in frontline and mixed areas.
Diplomats here, who requested anonymity, said that a meeting in Paris Wednesday of some 20 countries and also NGOs and members of five Syrian Councils, had been positive and the French initiative looks like it could spread to several others.
The diplomat told KUNA that 12 of the 20 nations were "getting ready to start or looking at starting" some form of initiative to help local Councils in Syria and they were examining "technical questions" for databases that would avoid multiple or problem projects in some areas or "doubling up" by several donors on the same project.
This type of assistance, in the case of France, was used to refurbish and build bakeries, rebuild services and infrastructure, like refuse collection, water and sewage, and also start rebuilding local security by providing police stations.
Paris budgeted Euros 1.5 million for its initiative and filters the money into Syria for local use.
The diplomat added that there have been a few setbacks but the damage was contained. In Maaret Al-Numman, for example, the rebuilt previously-bombed bakery was hit by air attack for a second time but the three main ovens were given extra protection during reconstruction and were saved.
The Maaret Al-Numman bakery provides bread for over 200,000 people in the area.
But Syrian Council members speaking to KUNA here said that they had also asked for "an air exclusion zone" while in Paris, especially as the Syrian planes and helicopters are now using massive "TNT barrel bombs", which are highly effective and dangerous as they contain not only high explosives but also shards of metal, screws, bolts and other additions, a claim corroborated by French sources.
Syria is also accused of using "cluster bombs" and one Syrian attending the Paris meeting confirmed to KUNA that he has see cluster bombs being used. Damascus denied using these weapons that are banned by 102 countries, but not by Syria.
Appeals to France to provide some protection against these weapons will not be heard, not now, at least, due to the Security Council impasse.
"Concerning the question of air exclusion zones, the Foreign Minister has spoken very clearly," an official said Thursday.
"Without excluding any option, he notably insisted on the need for a solid juridical basis," his spokesman indicated. (End) jk.ajs KUNA 181623 Oct 12NNNN