The Strategic Development Commission's Committee on Governance & Political Development operates with transparency and accountability, the Constitutional Affairs Bureau says.

The committee's conclusions on the designs of a universal suffrage system for the Chief Executive and the Legislative Council will be made public for further discussion, the bureau adds.

Commenting on the remarks made by lawmaker Emily Lau on universal suffrage in her "Letter to Hong Kong" broadcast on RTHK today, the bureau said the Government is committed to promoting constitutional development according to the Basic Law.

Regarding Article 25(b) of the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights, the bureau said the Government maintains the position that when the covenant was applied to Hong Kong in 1976, a reservation was made not to apply Article 25(b) in so far as it might require the establishment of an elected Executive or Legislative Council in Hong Kong. 

This reservation continues to apply. It allows Hong Kong to decide the method of forming the LegCo in the light of the actual situation and the principle of gradual and orderly progress.

Gov't aware of public aspirations

Hong Kong's electoral system will be determined in accordance with the Basic Law, the bureau said, adding Hong Kong's electoral system is appropriate to the city's circumstances and gives rise to no incompatibility with any of the provisions of the covenant as applied to Hong Kong.

The bureau stressed that the Government is fully aware of the public's aspirations for universal suffrage.

In November last year, the CE initiated the discussion on formulating a roadmap for universal suffrage through the Committee on Governance & Political Development of the Commission on Strategic Development.

The committee aimed to draw conclusions on the discussions by early 2007 and hoped that this would provide a basis to begin the next phase of work.

The bureau said the Chief Executive had tasked the committee to discuss the issue of constitutional development because the committee, which comprised members from different sectors of the community, could serve as an open forum to facilitate public discussion.

It is incorrect to say the committee operates with little transparency and accountability, the bureau stressed, adding all papers discussed by the committee are made public to facilitate discussion within the community.

LegCo informed of discussion

The LegCo has also been fully informed of the issues discussed in the committee. The committee's secretariat has been providing papers the committee discussed to LegCo.

As to how universal suffrage can be implemented for selecting the CE and the legislature, these are the issues being pursued through discussions in the committee.

The Government has not taken a view on the issues, including the long-term future of functional constituency seats in the LegCo, and is willing to consider different views from all sectors of the community, the bureau added.