Government response to HKFS' statement
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     A Government spokesman today (October 5) gave the following response to a statement issued by the Hong Kong Federation of Students (HKFS) last night:

     As mentioned in his media session on October 2, the Chief Executive has asked the Chief Secretary for Administration to engage in dialogue with the HKFS on constitutional development. The Chief Secretary for Administration and relevant officials have made initial contact with the HKFS.

     The door to dialogue is always open, if the HKFS is willing so. The Chief Secretary for Administration is ready to continue the working-level preparation for dialogue with the HKFS.

     While preparing for the dialogue, the Government hopes that the HKFS and relevant organisations could assist and co-ordinate the following two aspects today:

(1) Reopening the footbridge leading to the Central Government Offices (CGO) and the access to Lung Wo Road and Tim Wa Avenue to allow some 3 000 government staff to return to work tomorrow and allow, at least, the partial resumption of traffic leading to the CGO, thus enabling the normal functioning of the Government headquarters.

(2) Reopening carriageways in Admiralty to alleviate the impact on traffic in the area, to allow schools in Central and Western, and Wan Chai to resume classes tomorrow after days of suspension.

Ends/Sunday, October 5, 2014
Issued at HKT 15:00

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