France recalled its ambassador from Syria on Tuesday, February 7 for consultations over the violent government crackdown against opponents of President Bashar al-Assad, a foreign ministry spokesman said.

"Faced with a worsening of the repression led by the Damascus regime against its own population, French authorities have decided to recall our ambassador in Syria for consultations," the spokesman said, according to Reuters.

France was in favour of a U.N. Security Council resolution which would have backed an Arab League plan for Assad to give up powers but was vetoed on Saturday by Russia and China.