New | Exco head Lam Woon-kwong calls for restraint in lead-up to reform talks

Executive Council Convener Lam Woon-kwong urged Occupy Central protesters to exercise restraint as they wait for negotiations with top government officials on political reforms.

Lam, speaking during an RTHK phone-in on Friday morning, described the government’s decision to hold talks with student leaders as a breakthrough after thousands of protesters have occupied major roads for five days.

“It shows both sides are willing to resolve the issues and destruction is not what they want to achieve,” the head of the government’s top advisory body said.

He urged protest organisers to exercise restraint and calmly work out their plan for the meeting with Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor and two other senior officials. He said the path to the meeting could possibly be winding and mingled with uncertainties, such as divided views among different groups of protesters.

Lam also renewed calls for protesters to leave sites such as Mong Kok and to consider moving to public parks to continue their demonstration in order to reduce the impact on traffic.

“Apart from protesters’ expectations, there is also the well-being of the rest of the seven million people living in the city. They should also take care of this,” said Lam.