Hong Kong talks set for Friday
Hong Kong talks set for Friday
Talks between pro-democracy protesters and government officials in Hong Kong will be held on Friday, officials say.
The talks will discuss "legal implementations of these political reforms," said Lau Kong-wah, government undersecretary, referring to the 2017 elections for chief executive.
The protesters want a fully free vote, but China says it will vet candidates for Hong Kong's top job in advance.
Mass demonstrations which began more than a week ago have largely subsided.
In the past week parts of central Hong Kong were brought to a complete standstill as tens of thousands gathered on the streets in the financial district and over the harbour in Mong Kok.
'DISAPPOINTED'
Senior government officials - including Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor and Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Raymond Tam Chi-yuen - will take part in Friday's talks, scheduled to begin at 16:00 (08:00 GMT).
Lester Shum, a leader of one of the main pro-democracy student groups, said that protesters were eager to talk to senior government officials, but said he was "angry and disappointed" that the scope of the talks would probably be limited.
He reiterated that the talks would not go ahead if the few remaining demonstrators were removed from the streets by force.
There have been growing complaints from Hong Kong's business community that the protests have gone on for too long and are disrupting everyday life.
Department stores suffered a loss in sales of up to 45% in the first week of October, according to the Hong Kong Retail Management Association, during what would normally have been a popular shopping period over the Golden Week holiday period.
The Hong Kong stock exchange has seen up to $50bn (£31.1bn) wiped off the value of shares, with the World Bank warning the demonstrations were hurting the local economy.
"We know we have caused some inconvenience but we have our reasons," said Ronald Chan, a protester in Hong Kong's central business district.
"We hope that other people understand."