France: Arm Syrian rebels now

French Minister of Foreign Affairs Laurent Fabius addresses members of Parliament on Tuesday in Paris.STORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: A report says abuses continue, mostly by government, but by rebels, tooNEW: The U.N. calls for more funding to help refugees fleeing SyriaFrench foreign minister: The rebels must have the ability to defend themselvesBritain's foreign secretary has also alluded to wanting to arm rebels

(CNN) -- With the carnage in Syria mounting out of control, there's only one thing left to do, France says: Lift a European Union embargo and start arming rebels.

"We must convince our partners, particularly in Europe, that we have no other choice but lift the arms embargo in favor of the (opposition) Syrian Coalition," French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius wrote in an op-ed for the French newspaper Liberation.

"We must go ahead and allow the Syrian people to defend themselves against this bloodthirsty regime. It's our responsibility to help the Syrian National Coalition, its leaders and the (rebel) Free Syrian Army by all the possible means.

"If not," Fabius warned, "the slaughter will continue, and there will not be any other possible outcome but to strengthen the most extreme groups and the collapse of Syria with devastating consequences for the country itself and the region."

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