Government's response to press enquiries on universal suffrage put forth by Anson Chan
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In response to media enquiries regarding the package of proposals put forth by Mrs Anson Chan and her core group on universal suffrage today (March 5), a spokesman for the Constitutional Affairs Bureau made the following response:
"We have received the package of proposals put forth by Mrs Anson Chan and her core group on a proposed roadmap and timetable for implementing universal suffrage for the Chief Executive and the Legislative Council (Legco). As with other proposals on possible models for implementing universal suffrage, we will put Mrs Chan's to the Commission on Strategic Development for discussion. However, any models to be adopted must comply with the Basic Law.
"We note that Mrs Chan has proposed changes to the Legco election in 2008. The HKSAR Government did propose, in 2005, to broaden the democratic elements of the 2008 Legco election by enabling District Council members to elect more representatives to the Legco. Even though there was majority public support for the Government's proposed package, Legco Members of the opposition camp vetoed the package, and thus led Hong Kong to miss an opportunity to achieve more democracy.
"In accordance with the Interpretation made by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on April 6, 2004, if no amendment is made to the methods for selecting the Chief Executive and for forming the Legco as stipulated in Annexes I and II of the Basic Law, the provisions relating to the two methods in Annexes I and II of the Basic Law will still be applicable.
"As Government's package of proposals on 2007-08 elections did not receive the required two-thirds majority support of all Legco Members, the position of the HKSAR Government is that, the existing electoral arrangements will continue to apply to the 2007 Chief Executive election and the 2008 Legco election.
"The Commission is now having substantive discussion on possible models for implementing universal suffrage for the Chief Executive and the Legco. We will summarise the discussions of the commission and produce a report. It will be submitted to the Central Authorities."
Ends/Monday, March 5, 2007
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