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Hong Kong's Federation of Students began what they are calling preparatory talks for a planned meeting with the Chinese territory's second-ranking government official, Chief Secretary Carrie Lam. Federation members met with Lau Kong-wah, undersecretary for constitutional affairs, and other officials, to discuss conditions for the discussion with Lam, and will meet again before entering a formal session with Lam, according to a ranking federation member. The group said members would continue the protests that have paralyzed parts of Hong Kong, despite the 4 a.m. Monday deadline that Chief Executive C.Y. Leung set for protesters to stop blocking access to government headquarters, threatening "appropriate force" if they don't move. The protests subsided enough, however, for many government workers and others to return to work Monday morning.