The use of military will not end the crisis in northern Mali French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe says, calling for political dialogue as a way out.

The French foreign minister made the call in the Malian capital Bamako on Sunday, when he met with President Amadou Toumani Toure.

During the meeting, Juppe affirmed France's commitment to Mali's unity and territorial integrity. "This is absolutely a fundamental principle and at no time have we ever wavered on that, " he said.

He insisted that "there will be no military solution in the ongoing confrontations." He called for "political dialogue which must be as inclusive as possible with all the concerned parties being invited to the negotiation table."

"President Toure assured me that this was his intention. I think this is the responsibility of the Malian authorities, but external mediation will be useful. We have spoken with our Algerian friends, also with Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore, with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union. We are ready to assist," he said.

Regarding Mali's upcoming presidential elections, Juppe said it is important to respect the electoral timetable.

"President Toure has played a very big role in this country's political transition and I think that he will respect the constitutional provisions regarding the elections. I think that the election should be held on the scheduled dates across the entire national territory, including in the north," he said.

Mali plans to hold the polls on April 29 amid the worsening situation in the north, where the separatist National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) has been battling the government forces since Jan. 17.

Tens of thousands of people have been displaced with many taking shelter in neighboring countries.

The MNLA was formed on Oct. 16, 2011, after the regrouping of Tuareg rebels, of whom many reportedly returned from Libya with military equipment including portable missile systems. They used to be employed by former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi as mercenaries.

The MNLA is the latest formation of the rebel movement seeking independence of an Azawad land composed of three northern regions of Timbuktoo, Gao and Kidal.

Tuareg is a nomadic community of 1.5 million people across the southern edge of the Sahara desert, or the Sahel region, in countries like Algeria, Burkina Faso, Libya, Niger and Mali.

Tuareg rebels have launched repeated uprisings since Mali's independence from France in 1960.

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