Democracy option delayed in Hong Kong political reform paper

Jul 9, 2007, 3:42 GMT

Hong Kong - The Hong Kong government was Monday accused of trying to delay democracy in the former British colony as it prepared to release a consultation paper on political reform that includes no model for universal suffrage.

To the disappointment of pro-democracy campaigners, the government has confirmed the paper that will launch a three-month public consultation contains no concrete proposals on democracy.

Instead, the consultation paper is expected to lay out only general principles for choosing Hong Kong's chief executive and legislature by universal suffrage in future elections.

The revelation has been met with an angry backlash from pro-democracy legislators who say chief executive Donald Tsang promised three distinct options for universal suffrage in the consultation paper.

They claim that the government has shied away from the three options formula for fear that the model supported by the pro-democrats could win overwhelming public support.

Hong Kong is technically entitled to full democracy from 2007 under the 'one country, two systems' arrangement by which it was returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Currently, only half of Hong Kong's legislators are directly elected and there is no popular vote for the position of chief executive, who is instead chosen by a largely pro-Beijing election committee.

Around 55,000 people took part in a march demanding democracy in Hong Kong on July 1, the 10th anniversary for the territory's return to Chinese rule.