France plans to seek an urgent meeting of the U.N. Security Council to discuss Syria's crisis.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has told RTL radio that Paris will probably request a minister-level meeting of the council "both to try to stop the massacres and at the same time prepare the political transition."

Fabius did not specify a date for the proposed meeting.

The Syrian regime's crackdown on opposition forces since March 2011 has, according to rights activists, killed more than 19,000 people.

France takes over the rotating Security Council presidency Wednesday.

French President Francois Hollande noted Monday that attempts at past Security Council resolutions have faced opposition from Russia, a steadfast Syria ally.

Hollande, in London for the Olympics, said: "My job is to continue this pressure" for a resolution.