Both Washington and Paris sharply denounced Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has been trying for four months to stamp out a broad popular revolt with troops and tanks.

"He has lost legitimacy by refusing to lead the transition" to democracy, White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters, further sharpening US rhetoric against the Syrian leader over a harsh crackdown on protesters.

On Monday, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had told reporters: "We have absolutely nothing invested in him remaining in power,"

A Security Council statement read to media by Germany's UN Ambassador Peter Wittig, this month's president, called on Syrian authorities to protect diplomatic property and personnel.

French Prime Minister Francois Fillon had earlier accused Russia and China of trying to block a UN resolution on Syria, saying it was "intolerable that the Security Council should stay silent on such a tragedy."

Syria's UN ambassador accused the United States and France on Tuesday of distorting and exaggerating facts about attacks by demonstrators this week on their embassies in Damascus.

The envoy, Bashar Ja'afari, told reporters that Syria had sought to protect the embassies and that some demonstrators involved in Monday's events had been arrested and would be brought to justice.