France, partners working on buffer zones in Syria

French President Francois Hollande on Monday, warned of "direct intervention" if the Syrian regime used chemical weapons and vowed to recognize a transitional government once formed by the opposition. "We and our allies remain very vigilant about preventing the use of chemical weapons by the regime, which would be a legitimate cause for direct intervention by the international community," Hollande told a meeting in Paris of French ambassadors. His warning echoed similar threats last week by US President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron. Obama warned al-Assad not to cross a "red line" by using chemical or biological weapons or move them in a threatening fashion. Meanwhile, Hollande also revealed that France, which currently chairs the United Nations Security Council, was working on a Turkish proposal for the establishment of "buffer zones" inside Syria. Turkey is struggling to cope with an influx of around 80,000 Syrian refugees. Ankara has proposed the creation of a buffer zone or safe zone, where the UN could set up camps for the displaced.