By Reuters Staff

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       FILE PHOTO: French President Emmanuel Macron delivers his statement at the end of the 5th France-Oceania Summit, held via video-conference, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, July 19, 2021. Yoan Valat/Pool via REUTERS

       PARIS (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron called for the opening of talks to end hostilities in Ethiopia’s northern region of Tigray, the Elysee Palace said in a statement on Saturday.

       The statement came after calls Macron held earlier in the day with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Sudanese counterpart Abdalla Hamdok.

       Macron also said all restrictions should be lifted to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid in Tigray, where thousands of children could suffer life-threatening malnutrition, according to the United Nations children’s agency.

       Reporting by Mathieu Rosemain; Editing by Mark Heinrich

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