The Constitutional Affairs Bureau says it will put Anson Chan's proposal on universal suffrage, together with other proposals, to the Strategic Development Commission for discussion.

The bureau today said it has received the package of proposals put forth by Mrs Chan and her core group on a proposed roadmap and timetable for implementing universal suffrage for the Chief Executive and the Legislative Council.

Noting Mrs Chan has proposed changes to the LegCo election in 2008, the bureau said any models to be adopted must comply with the Basic Law.

In accordance with the  National People's Congress Standing Committee's April 6, 2004 interpretation, if no amendment is made to the methods for selecting the Chief Executive and for forming the LegCo as stipulated in Annexes I and II of the Basic Law, the provisions relating to the two methods in the annexes will still be applicable.

Existing arrangements to continue

As the Government's package of proposals on 2007-08 elections did not receive the required two-thirds majority support of all lawmakers in 2005, the existing electoral arrangements will continue to apply to the 2007 Chief Executive Election and the 2008 LegCo Election.

The commission is now having substantive discussion on possible models for implementing universal suffrage for the Chief Executive and LegCo. The bureau will summarise the discussions and produce a report to be submitted to the Central authorities.