Working groups to hold informal session in HK

The first meeting of the provisional legislature's two working groups will be a social function in Hong Kong, it emerged yesterday.

Meetings of the working groups on rules and procedures and administrative structure were originally scheduled for February 14 in Shenzhen.

But yesterday, the president of the legislature, Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai, said the formal meeting would be postponed and replaced by an informal exchange of ideas.

Formal meetings relating to the provisional legislature would have to be held outside Hong Kong, she said. Mrs Fan would not divulge the venue.

The two working groups are racing to prepare for the interim body's second meeting in Shenzhen this month.

In a letter to her 59 colleagues, Mrs Fan said each group would comprise 10 to 12 members. They are expected to submit reports to the next Shenzhen meeting.

The membership would be decided through consultation if the number of applicants exceeds the quota.

Those who applied to join the working group on the provisional legislature's administrative structure were Legco President Andrew Wong Wang-fat, Ip Kwok-him, Yeung Yiu-chung, Mok Ying-fan and Wong Siu-yee.

Mr Andrew Wong, chairman of the Legco Commission, said: 'I am interested in both. If I am only allowed to join one, I will sit in on the other.'