BEIRUT: White House officials are quietly preparing options to aid the Syrian opposition, Foreign Policy magazine reported.

In a blog posted Wednesday, the current affairs publication quoted two administration officials as saying the National Security Council (SNC), a body that aids the U.S. president in weighing national security policies, has commenced an informal, quiet interagency process of discussing options to assist the Syrian opposition.

Only a few select officials from the departments of State, Defense, Treasury and other agencies are engaged in the discussions headed by NSC Senior Director Steve Simon, the magazine reported.

The two officials, who were not taking part in the NSC meetings but familiar with the proceedings, said options being considered include setting up a humanitarian corridor or safe zone for civilians in Syria along the Turkish border, providing humanitarian assistance to the Syrian rebels, offering medical aid to Syrian clinics and engaging more with the external and internal opposition.

"The interagency is now looking at options for Syria, but it's still at the preliminary stage," Foreign Policy quoted one official as saying.

"There are many people in the administration that realize the status quo is unsustainable and there is an internal recognition that existing financial sanctions are not going to bring down the Syrian regime in the near future” the official said.

The United States and Europe have imposed several rounds of sanctions against Syria over its crackdown on protesters, who since mid-March, have called for reforms in the tightly controlled police state.

In an attempt to end unrest in the country, the Arab League, following a deal with Damascus, send an observer mission hoping to ensure Syrian authorities implements an Arab initiative that demands the withdrawal of the military from the streets, the release of all political prisoners, allowing access to the media and launching dialogue with the Syrian opposition.

One of the officials told The Cable, the magazine’s daily web column, that Washington was being intentionally cautious “due to the incredible and far-reaching ramifications of the Syrian problem set.”

"The criticism could be we're not doing enough to change the status quo because we're leading from behind. But the reason we are being so cautious is because when you look at the possible ramifications, it's mindboggling," the official added.

"This isn't Libya. What happens in Libya stays in Libya, but that is not going to happen in Syria. The stakes are higher," the official said. "Right now, we see the risks of moving too fast as higher than the risks of moving too slow."

U.S. officials also told the magazine that Washington was uncomfortable working in concert with the opposition Syrian National Council, fearing the nascent body headed by Burhan Ghalioun lacked the full support of the Syrian opposition inside the country.

Washington, according to officials, is also wary of supporting the Syria Free Army so as not to be seen as becoming militarily engaged against the regime of Bashar Assad, who took office following the death of his father Hafez Assad in 2000.

Officials said Washington would wait for the report by the Arab observer mission to Syria. The administration would then use that report to begin a new diplomatic initiative in late January at the Security Council to condemn Assad and authorize direct assistance to the opposition.

However, Russia’s support for Assad could thwart the new initiative. If that occurs, the officials said, the administration would work with its allies to establish their own justification for non-military humanitarian intervention in Syria. The justifications would be based on the Arab League report as well as independent reporting on Assad's human rights abuses.

The United Nations estimates over 5,000 Syrians, mostly civilians, have been killed in the crackdown by Damascus against protesters calling for reforms in Syria. Damascus denies targeting civilians, blaming “armed gangs” for the deaths.