Hong Kong protests: Talks accepted amid protest stand-off

Protesters blockading key parts of Hong Kong have accepted talks with the government, hours after Chief Executive CY Leung rejected calls to step down, the BBC reported.

Mr Leung offered the talks late on Thursday, responding to a deadline.

Protesters have been occupying parts of the city for several days. They are angry at China's plan to vet candidates for elections in 2017.

Beijing has thrown its full support behind Mr Leung, calling the protests illegal and "doomed to fail."

On Friday Hong Kong temporarily closed government offices in the main protest-hit area, saying staff should work from home because access roads to central offices were blocked.

Protest numbers have been swelling at night and falling during the day. On Friday morning, smaller groups remained on the streets.

Late on Thursday, shortly before a deadline set by protesters for his resignation, Mr Leung said his government would hold talks with student leaders.

Hong Kong's top civil servant, Chief Secretary Carrie Lam, would open a dialogue as soon as possible, he said, without giving a time frame.

"I will not resign because I have to continue with the work for elections," he said, adding that any attempts by protesters to occupy buildings would lead to "serious consequences."

Protesters - a mixture of students, supporters of the Occupy Central democracy movement and others - have been blockading three areas of Hong Kong, including the Central business district, since Sunday.