From Inti Landauro, the Wall Street Journal:  Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad’s regime is running out of cash to face the insurgency in the country and France plans to discuss with Russia ways to reduce Syrian government funding, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Monday.

The Syrian government has enough money to hold out for only a few months without the support of Russia and Iran as the repression costs about €1 billion ($1.23 billion) a month, Mr. Fabius said in an interview with French radio station RTL. . . .

"We are trying to tighten the pressure on his neck," Mr. Fabius said. . . .

France, which currently holds the Security Council presidency, has called for a meeting of foreign ministers on Aug. 30 in New York to discuss the humanitarian crisis in Syria.

The French government would be ready for any kind of intervention in Syria so long as there is a clear international mandate either from the U.N. or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Mr. Fabius said, reiterating the official French position.  (photo: Getty)

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