Syria appeals to French MPs

The Assad regime has told the French Parliament that "we can work together to reach a diplomatic solution" on the Syria crisis, in a letter obtained by Sky News.

It reportedly says: "We write to you as parliamentary colleagues, and as representatives of our people; but most importantly we write to you as fathers, mothers and family members, in a society no different to yours: we write to you as human beings and we ask you 'if you bomb us, will we bleed'?"

It is a similar move by the Syrians to last week when a letter was sent to British MPs ahead of the crucial Syria vote.

Read more: Military intervention would 'strengthen' al-Qaeda

Earlier French President Francois Hollande said he would not go ahead with action without the US.

Read more: Hollande - 'France will not act in Syria without the US'

International Editor Bill Neely in Damascus discusses Bashar al-Assad's threat to the French over possible military intervention in Syria and his claim that chemical weapons use would be "illogical".

French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault has said France will not act alone in Syria and still aims to create a coalition for intervention.

Speaking to French newspaper Le Figaro, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has challenged the US and France to provide proof of chemical weapons proof.

President Bashar al-Assad has warned of the danger of "a regional war" in the Middle East if the US and France launch a military strike on Syria.

Asked how Damascus would respond to any strike, the Syrian President told French newspaper Le Figaro: "The Middle East is a powder-keg, and today the spark is getting closer. One must not talk only about the Syrian response, but also about what could happen after the first strike.

"No-one can know what will happen. Everyone will lose control of the situation once the power-keg explodes. Chaos and extremism will spread. The risk exists of a regional war."

A French government official says it has intelligence that appears to show the Syrian chemical attack was an attempt to take back the territories, reports Reuters.

The official says the Syrian regime subsequently bombed areas where chemical strikes took place to wipe out evidence.

They added that the Syrian use of chemical weapons poses a major threat to French and global security.

Syria President Bashar al-Assad has told French newspaper Le Figaro that France will be an enemy of Syria if it takes part in a military intervention.

He adds that allegations his forces carried out chemical attacks are "illogical".

Read: Syria asks UN to 'prevent any aggression' against it

A French government official has said its intelligence shows the Syrian chemical attack was launched from Government-controlled areas.

The report describes the attack as "massive and coordinated" and concludes the opposition would not have had the means to carry it out.