France rules out military intervention in Mali

Paris, April 3 (IANS) French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe has ruled out the possibility of military intervention in Mali following a coup there, and called on French nationals to leave the African country.

Mali's President Amadou Toumani Toures was overthrown March 22 in a coup by disgruntled soldiers who accused the government of failing to provide means for the military to curb Tuareg rebels in the north, just a month before the presidential elections scheduled April 29, Xinhua reported.

"France will not engage militarily in Mali. There is no question of deploying French soldiers in Malian soil," Juppe was quoted as saying by France's BFMTV.

Juppe said Paris would help to restore stability in the African country by providing logistic spport and training.

"The situation is dangerous, that's why I asked out nationals, whose presence is not essential, to leave the country," the minister said.