Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Stephen Lam says the Government hopes a community consensus on constitutional development will be garnered by the middle of next year.

Speaking after a constitutional development conference today, Mr Lam said the Constitutional Development Task Force will issue a fourth report by year��s end. It will consolidate all views the taskforce has received in the last five months, and the public will have several months to express their views on the issue.

"Our hope is that around the middle of 2005, a consensus will emerge from the community and thereafter we will issue a fifth report to set out a mainstream proposal in the hope that we can secure more enhanced support from the public and from among Legislative Councillors,�� he said.

��This will then enable us to effect a process for amending Annexes I and II of the Basic Law and thereafter deal with local legislation."

Wide support

Mr Lam said the ultimate aim of universal suffrage is widely supported in Hong Kong, and the pace and form for achieving that needs to be debated.

"I think everybody understands that we need to go through the process of the Basic Law to secure two-thirds majority support in LegCo, support of the Chief Executive for any proposals put forth and endorsement by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress,�� he said.

"This is the constitutional procedure and we do not need to add to this procedure by way of a referendum."

He said public opinion and sentiment expressed in the consultation will be reflected to the Central authorities.