Mr Tsang said Friday?s meeting had gone into greater details than previous talks.

?In previous meetings we had discussed the principles underpinning universal suffrage in Hong Kong; today we talked about specific details,? he explained.

Currently the chief executive is appointed by an 800-member Election Committee.

Mr Tsang said the Committee on Governance and Political Development had entered a new phase of work. ?Committee members have reached a consensus on a major point ? the election of the chief executive by universal suffrage should be preceded by the nomination of candidates by a broadly representative nominating committee in accordance with democratic procedures.?

Mr Tsang said the discussions had been in accordance with Article 45 of the Basic Law ? Hong Kong?s mini-constitution.

?Members agreed that we should now study the nomination arrangements in detail, in particular how the nominating committee should be formed, and the mechanism for nominating aspiring chief executives.

?I hope that various parties and community sectors will participate actively in these discussions and put forward specific proposals in the months ahead,? he added.

Mr Tsang said he had to balance the wishes of Hong Kong people with those of the central government.

?As the chief executive, I am accountable to the people of Hong Kong and to the central government. On the pursuit of universal suffrage, I shall fully reflect to the central government the aspirations of Hong Kong people and specific proposals from various sectors of the community,? he added.

Mr Tsang stressed that he was interested in listening to people?s views.

?It is, thus, inappropriate for the SAR Government to put forward a preferred option at this stage. What we want to do is to provide as much room as possible for various organisations and individuals to express their views before we draw any conclusions.

?I shall listen to the views from a wide cross-section of the community. If we take this approach, we shall stand a better chance of reaching a consensus on our model of universal suffrage,? he added.

Mr Tsang said the Basic Law stated that any amendments to the method of electing the chief executive must be agreed by three parties. These were the Legislative Council, the chief executive, and the Standing Committee of the National People?s Congress.

?However, we will stand little chance of improving our electoral system, and ultimately achieving universal suffrage, if everybody insists on his or her own views and refuses to hear others out.?

Mr Tsang said it was important that people co-operated. ?Only if we can pragmatically narrow differences and reach a consensus, will it be possible for us to achieve universal suffrage at an early date.

?We aim to prepare a report and draw conclusions on the committee?s discussions next year, thus continuing our advance towards universal suffrage.?

Mr Tsang said much would depend on the progress of the committee?s discussions over the next few months.

?The concluding report will of course be made public, and I will submit it to the central government. This report will provide a foundation for pushing forward political development beyond 2007.?

Adopting universal suffrage remains a contentious issue in the former British colony. Hong Kong is a liberal, sophisticated society and most of its citizens favour the introduction of universal suffrage ? regarded with suspicion by the central government.

Since July 2003, large public rallies have been held in the territory to pressure the Hong Kong government towards the adoption of universal suffrage.

The debate has been galvanised recently by the recent comments by former political leaders in Hong Kong.

The territory?s last governor Lord Chris Patten, who visited the territory last week, said Hong Kong was the only modern capitalist society of its type that was not democratic.

Lord Patten said he would be amazed if democrats accepted any deal on full democracy without a timetable ?written in blood?.

?I think it would be very difficult to do a deal which didn?t involve a timetable.? Former chief secretary Anson Chan Fang On-sang recently told the Foreign Correspondents? Club universal suffrage was inevitable.

?The tide of support for universal suffrage will not be turned back, and ... seeking to maintain the status quo indefinitely is not an option,? she said.

Mrs Chan also said she planned to set up a core group to help find the way forward for democratic development.

Former security secretary Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee has also been discussing the issue publicly. Mrs Ip said she would be happy to discuss with Mrs Chan ways to attain the early introduction of universal suffrage.

In her master?s thesis, Mrs Ip had expressed cautious optimism that universal suffrage could be implemented in 2012.

Mr Tsang has not made any commitment on a timetable for universal suffrage.