Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal on Sunday told a meeting of the Arab League in Cairo that opposing military intervention in Syria encourages the Damascus regime to "pursue its crimes".

"Opposition to international action only encourages the regime to pursue its crimes," the Saudi foreign minister told the Arab League meeting on the Syria crisis.

"It is time to ask the international community to assume its responsibilities and to take deterrent measures" against the Syrian regime, he added.