Talks to achieve a consensus among pan-democrats on a constitutional reform proposal are in danger of collapse after radical democrats rejected part of an earlier model floated for discussion.
Mainstream pan-democrats said that if an accord was not reached before a March 2 deadline, they would submit a 'mainstream proposal' to be included in the upcoming government reform green paper.
Speaking after a second meeting in three days, Albert Chan Wai-yip, a lawmaker for the League of Social Democrats, said there was a misunderstanding over the details of a previous model, but room still existed for further negotiation.
'Our group will discuss it on February 27, but if we are not satisfied that the model is in line with the principle of a universal and equal suffrage, then talks will break down,' he said.
'It doesn't really matter because we have all gone our own ways in the past.' On Wednesday pan-democrats including the Democratic Party, the Civic Party, the Confederation of Trade Unions, The Frontier and the League of Social Democrats agreed to consider a compromise model to achieve a united front.
A consensus proposal could increase the pan-democrats' bargaining position when the government comes up with a green paper to consult the public on when and how to introduce universal suffrage, after discussions are completed by the Commission on Strategic Development this year.
