NATO military action in Syria is not on the table despite the massacre of civilians by the regime, the US envoy to the alliance said Thursday.

NATO allies have neither discussed an intervention in Syria nor made any military planning to stop the relentless crackdown by the regime of President Bashar al-Assad against dissidents, said US ambassador Ivo Daalder.

Daalder noted that the alliance launched its air war in Libya last year after three conditions were fulfilled: a "demonstrable need" to intervene, support from nations in the region, and a UN Security Council mandate.

"With respect to a demonstrable need, clearly when government forces are attacking civilians with artillery and tanks, there is a need to bring that to an end. That was true in Libya and that is true in Syria," he said.

But there is neither regional support nor a UN mandate to act militarily in Syria.

"So under those circumstances, the NATO countries understand that the issue of military intervention, which is also always complex, is not right now on the table when it comes to Syria," Daalder said.

All NATO members, notably Syria's neighbour Turkey, are watching the situation "very carefully and that is where things stand right now," the ambassador added.

"How it will evolve in the future is anyone's guess," he said.

"But the point is that for now there is no active planning in NATO for a military intervention and there is no agreement among or even within the NATO members for moving in this direction at this point."

French President Francois Hollande said Tuesday that the use of armed force could be possible in Syria following a massacre in the town of Houla last week, but that it had to be carried out under UN auspices.

World outrage over the situation in Syria intensified after at least 108 people, many of them children, were killed at Houla.

China says Annan plan needs more time
Beijing (AFP) May 31, 2012 - China on Thursday said a resolution of the Syria conflict needed more time and urged support and patience for the peace plan being mediated by UN special envoy Kofi Annan.

Beijing's call came as UN chief Ban Ki-moon warned Thursday of a "catastrophic civil war" in Syria after the massacre of more than 100 civilians in the town of Houla sparked global horror and outrage.

"The situation in Syria currently is very complex and grave, at the same time Annan's mediation efforts have been productive," foreign ministry spokesman Liu Weimin told journalists.

"Due to the extreme complexity of the Syrian issue, it will take time to reach a resolution ... we should not lose our confidence and patience and we should not easily admit failure. We must be supportive of Annan's mediation efforts."

On Wednesday, China said it opposed military intervention in the Syrian issue and regime change by force.

With Russian and Chinese support, the UN Security Council on Sunday strongly condemned the Syrian government for using artillery in a massacre in the central town of Houla in which at least 108 people were killed.

But Russia, which along with China has vetoed two UN Security Council resolutions highly critical of President Bashar al-Assad's regime, on Wednesday said it was "premature" for the council to consider new action.

On Thursday, armed rebels gave the Assad regime until Friday noon (0900 GMT) to observe Annan's plan for ending bloodshed in Syria, warning they will take "courageous decisions" if the deadline is not met.

The ultimatum by the Free Syrian Army was followed by a demand from Ban that the regime implement Annan's six-point plan, which includes a ceasefire that should have taken effect on April 12 but has been violated daily.