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The Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, today (February 21) appointed 30 non-official members to the Task Group on Constitutional Development of the Commission on Strategic Development (CSD).
"The decision made by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC) on December 29, 2007, makes it clear that the Chief Executive (CE) may be elected by universal suffrage in 2017, and that after the CE is elected by universal suffrage, all members of the Legislative Council (LegCo) may also be elected by universal suffrage in 2020," said a Government spokesman.
"In attaining universal suffrage, we should first deal with the issue of how the two electoral methods for 2012 should be amended. In this regard, the CE has appointed the Task Group on Constitutional Development under the CSD to discuss specifically the two electoral methods for 2012 under the framework set out by the NPCSC's decision."
Among the 30 non-official members of the task group, 25 are members of the current term CSD, while the other five are members of the Committee on Governance and Political Development of the previous term CSD. These non-official members have been drawn from a broad cross section of the community comprising professionals, academics, LegCo Members, District Council members, businessmen, representatives of various political parties/groups, the labour sector and think tanks, as well as media personalities. The Chief Secretary for Administration will be the convenor of the task group, and other official members include the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs and Head of Central Policy Unit.
The spokesman said that the composition of the task group represented balanced participation by different sectors of the community, and that members of the task group had wide representation.
"The task group will hold its first meeting on February 28 to discuss the issues relating to the method for electing the CE in 2012. These include different options for the size and composition of the Election Committee and the nominating arrangements."
The spokesman said that, in the coming few months, the task group would also study the method for forming LegCo in 2012, and would organise a workshop to listen to the views of academics, think tanks and different organisations and individuals on the two electoral methods for 2012.
"We hope that the task group will complete discussions around the middle of this year so that the HKSAR Government may consolidate options which may be considered for amending the two electoral methods for 2012 in the fourth quarter of this year, and conduct another round of public consultation as early as possible."
"Our aim is to settle the two electoral methods for 2012 within the tenure of this term HKSAR Government. This will lay a solid foundation for attaining universal suffrage for the CE in 2017 and for LegCo in 2020."
The full membership and terms of reference of the task group are in the annex.
Ends/Thursday, February 21, 2008
Issued at HKT 17:18
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