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Following is the transcript of a media session by the Secretary for Constitutional Affairs, Mr Stephen Lam, after attending a forum on the constitutional development of the Hong Kong SAR in Shenzhen this morning (December 2) (English portion):
Reporter: Is it likely that the three sides are onto a head-on clash? What are the solutions? It seems that Mr Qiao has not offered any solutions at all?
SCA: The seminar today has been very constructive. Mr Qiao Xiaoyang, the Deputy Secretary-General of the Standing Committee of National People's Congress, has made it clear that even though the current task of the HKSAR Government is to deal with the electoral methods for 2007 and 2008, he himself fully endorses the view that Hong Kong people have aspirations for universal suffrage to be introduced. He also agrees with the initiative which the Chief Executive has taken in Hong Kong to explore, through the newly established Commission on Strategic Development, the methods for introducing universal suffrage, the composition of a road map, and on this basis to explore in future the introduction of a universal suffrage timetable. So on both fronts, on promoting democracy through the 2007 and 2008 electoral methods, and on the adoption of a universal suffrage timetable, both the Central Authorities and the HKSAR Government hold very progressive views.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Friday, December 2, 2005
Issued at HKT 17:34
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