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<p>The Government has maintained regular contact on the current situation in Hong
Kong with all parties, including to representatives of both the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Regional Government and the Chinese Central People’s Government. The
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the
Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) has met the Chinese Ambassador and
I have met the Hong Kong Government’s Secretary of Justice. We have set out our concerns
about events in Hong Kong. We have made clear our view that Hong Kong’s future is
best served by a transition to universal suffrage, in line with the Basic Law, which
meets the aspirations of the people of Hong Kong, and which offers them a genuine
choice in the election of the Chief Executive.</p><p>We continue to call on all sides
to ensure that the demonstrations remain peaceful. We also encourage all parties to
engage in dialogue and to work towards a consensus that allows a significant step
forward for democracy. I look forward in due course to the resumption by the Hong
Kong Government of the official consultation on plans to implement universal suffrage
in 2017.</p>
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