Leung Chun-ying refuses to quit but offers talks with students
Carrie Lam delegated to meet protest leaders in dramatic twist just minutes before ultimatum for the chief executive to stand down expired
Embattled Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying last night rejected calls by protesters besieging his office for him to resign, but delegated Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor to negotiate with student leaders.
Speaking a few minutes before a midnight deadline set by protesters demanding he quit expired, Leung said he would not step down "because I have to continue to do the work of Hong Kong electoral reform".
He said he had assigned Lam to meet representatives of the Federation of Students.
"I hope the chief secretary's dialogue with the federation's representatives will herald further communication with various sectors on political reform," Leung said.
A government source said the meeting would probably take place tomorrow.
The dramatic twist came after the federation sent an open letter to Lam earlier in the day calling for dialogue. A government source said the students did not insist on Leung resigning and on Beijing retracting its decision to limit electoral reform before the meeting could take place.