The Government understands that there are concerns in certain quarters of the community about the interpretation of the Basic Law and it will continue to make use of different channels to explain to the public matters relating to the interpretation.

Last week, the Government arranged for the Deputy Secretary-General of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Qiao Xiaoyang, and others, to come to Hong Kong to meet with various sectors of the community.

The purpose of these meetings was to help the Hong Kong community better understand the legal basis for the interpretation. The Government will continue to make use of different channels to explain to the public matters relating to the interpretation.

By the end of March, the Constitutional Development Task Force completed and submitted to the Central Authorities its first report on the issues of legislative process.

Before making the interpretation of the relevant provisions of the Basic Law, the standing committee considered fully the position of the Hong Kong Government as set out in the task force's report, as well as the views of the Hong Kong community as reflected by the task force.

The interpretation is made under powers conferred upon the standing committee under the Constitution and the Basic Law.

The task force is compiling its second report on the issues of principle. It will take into account fully the views of various sectors of the Hong Kong community.

It will also respond in this report to the question of whether the methods for electing the Chief Executive in 2007 and for forming the Legislative Council in 2008 need to be amended.