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            Hong Kong Protest Leaders Reject 'Foreign Forces' Claim

   by VOA News

   Hong Kong's pro-democracy leaders have strongly denied claims by the
   city's chief executive that the weeks of mass rallies are being
   orchestrated by "foreign forces."

   The secretary-general of the Hong Kong Federation of Students, Alex
   Chow, rejected Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying's allegations
   Monday, saying the city chief is "just making it up."

   Chow challenged Leung to "put forward the evidence."

   During a TV interview late Sunday, Leung said the weeks-long
   demonstrations are "not entirely a domestic movement." He accused
   "foreign forces" of involvement in the protests. However, he declined
   to name the foreign countries or groups he believes are behind the
   protests.

   His comments echo recent commentary in China's state-run media, which
   have accused the United States and other Western countries of
   manipulating the protests.

   Earlier Sunday, Hong Kong police clashed with protesters, deepening a
   sense of impasse between the government and the pro-democracy movement.

   Dozens of police with shields and helmets pushed into a crowd of
   protesters gathered at barricades in the Mong Kok district.

   The scuffle came hours after Hong Kong's government said it will likely
   begin talks with student demonstrators on Tuesday.

   Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung recently said he was seeking ways to
   resume talks with protest leaders that stalled earlier this month after
   the government backed out.

   Leung has said he is open to discussing universal suffrage, but
   communist authorities in Beijing say they will not change a decision to
   vet candidates for the territory's 2017 vote and will not enact more
   electoral reforms.

   Police have clashed with demonstrators several times to unblock city
   streets since late September when protesters occupied the city's center
   to press China to stop interfering in upcoming local elections.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/hong-kong-protest-leaders-reject-fore
   ign-forces-claim/2489340.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/hong-kong-protest-leaders-reject-foreign-forces-claim/2489340.html