PARIS (AFP) - There are no plans to send Western troops to southern Libya where Islamist fighters have established bases, France said on Monday, after Niger urged such a mission.

Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, asked about Niger's appeal on RTL radio, said: "No. A deployment, no." He added that an international meeting would take place in Rome early next month aimed at "giving more help to Libya, because it's true that there are terrorist gatherings in the south".