Tsang sets target for reaching consensus, rejects referendum
The government will issue a concrete proposal on constitutional reform by the middle of next year after a consensus is reached on the pace of democratisation, Chief Secretary Donald Tsang Yam-kuen has pledged.
Speaking after a meeting with the pro-democracy action group Power for Democracy yesterday, Mr Tsang dismissed calls for a referendum to decide whether universal suffrage should be introduced by 2007, saying it would be a waste of time.
Despite the central government's decision in April ruling out the introduction of universal suffrage by 2007, more than 60 per cent of the vote cast in last month's Legco election went to the pro-democracy camp, which demands direct elections for both the chief executive and all members of Legco by 2007 and 2008.
Mr Tsang, who heads the government taskforce on constitutional reform, said he hoped a consensus could be reached before the middle of next year, when the fifth and final taskforce report setting out a 'mainstream proposal' should be released.
The proposal would then be put to Legco in the form of legislation, which must be passed by two-thirds of the 60 legislators before being approved by Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa and Beijing.
The fourth report will be published this year, setting out options for reform.
