Working with the Syrian army to fight ISIS is not on the cards until President Bashar al-Assad has been removed from power, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Monday.
AFP reports that France's top diplomat said it was "obvious" Assad could not work alongside moderate rebels in Syria.
"If we achieve a political transition and it's no longer Bashar in charge of the Syrian army, there could be joint actions against terrorism. But under Bashar it's not possible," Fabius told France Inter radio, speaking at the UN climate conference just outside Paris.
"It is obvious that it's not under the leadership of Mr Assad that the army could be engaged alongside the moderate opposition," he added.
France has demanded the removal of Assad, describing him as a "butcher" of his own people.