Hong Kong Chief Executive (CE) Donald Tsang said Wednesday Hong Kong is at a crossroads in democratic development.

"If Legislative Council (LegCo) passes the constitutional development package, Hong Kong will take a big step towards our goal of universal suffrage," he said.

Tsang made the remarks while making a televised speech calling for support of the Fifth Report of the Constitutional Development Task Force.

With the success gained, he said, there is a greater chance to reach a consensus on how to achieve universal suffrage.

However, if the package is voted out by LegCo later this month, constitutional development in the areas of 2007 Chief Executive selections and? LegoCo formation in 2008 would grind to a halt.?

He noted, "If this happens, how can we realistically expect to reach a consensus on proposals for the CE and LegCo elections in 2012 and secure the necessary support from two-thirds of the legislators? Would rejecting our reform package bring us closer to our goal, or make it more distant? "

Tsang said that various opinion polls indicate that most Hong Kong people support the proposals. More important, the majority of Hong Kong people feel that the electoral arrangements for 2007 and 2008 should be handled separately from the issue of a timetable for universal suffrage.

He said that this underlines the pragmatism of Hong Kong people, who believe that constitutional development should not be hamstrung by the debate over a timetable for universal suffrage.

Tsang emphasized, "They think we should pass the constitutional development package first so that we can move towards universal suffrage from 2007 and 2008."

He said that the first step would be for the LegCo to pass their proposals.

As for the next step relating to a roadmap and timetable, he pledged to discuss the matters in the Commission on Strategic Development and other channels as soon as possible. "Hong Kong cannot rush the matter and will not be playing for time either," he noted.

He said: "We are one step away from advancing democracy in Hong Kong. I will do my utmost to secure legislators' support for our package."

Tsang said: "I fully support the move towards universal suffrage in accordance with the Basic Law, and there is also consensus among legislators to move towards that goal. There is no practical difference between us."

He said that the only difference is whether a timetable for universal suffrage should be linked to the proposals for the 2007 and 2008 elections, and hopes that all legislators will cast their votes sensibly with full regard to the overall interests and wishes of Hong Kong people.

He said: "To promote democratic development is the common wish of the SAR Government and the Hong Kong people. It is also the established policy of the Central Government."

He called on people of Hong Kong to work together to push forward the constitutional development with a pragmatic attitude.

"If we choose to mark time rather than stride ahead, we will be further away from our goal of universal suffrage, not closer to it," he added.

He explained that the proposed constitutional development package is a democratic package. It significantly enhances the democratic element of the method for selecting the Chief Executive by doubling the size of the Election Committee from 800 to 1600.

All the 400 District Council members directly elected by more than three million registered voters will be included in the Election Committee. For the 2008 LegCo, the number of seats will increase by 10. Five will be returned through direct elections in the geographical constituencies. The other five will be elected from among the District Councilors, and will likewise have an electorate base of three million voters.

Tsang said: "Our proposed package might not be all things to all people, but I believe that, after a long period of public consultation, it has given due regard to the aspirations of different sectors of the community."

(Xinhua News Agency December 1, 2005)