The Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Tuesday that France doesn't want to see Libya stable due to its interests in the Libyan oil sector.

This statement is another episode in the war of words between Rome and Paris.

"In Libya, France has no interest in stabilising the situation, probably because it has oil interests that are opposed to those of Italy," Salvini told Canale 5 TV station.

Earlier on Monday, France summoned Italy's ambassador after Italian deputy prime minister, Luigi Di Maio, accused Paris of creating poverty in Africa and generating mass migration to Europe.

Di Maio called on the EU to sanction France for “impoverishing Africa” and for migrants to be taken to the southern French port of Marseille instead of Italy.

"If today people are leaving Africa is it because some European countries, with France taking the lead, have never stopped colonising tens of African states?” He asked.

The statement came after France had voiced dismay over the drowning of 117 migrants off Libyan shores, with French media blaming Italy for the incident.