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Following is the transcript (English portion) of the remarks of the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Stephen Lam, in response to media questions after attending RTHK's City Forum today (December 16):
Reporter: How would you respond to Albert Ho's accusation that the Government has been dragging the matter on?
Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs: Well, I would say that this Government, the third-term HKSAR Government, is fully committed to pursuing democracy and implementation of universal suffrage for returning the Chief Executive and the Legislative Council according to the Basic Law. If we did not have such a commitment, the Chief Executive would not have given Hong Kong people and Hong Kong society the undertaking to pursue this agenda during the new five-year term between 2007 and 2012. If we did not have such a commitment, we would not have issued the Constitutional Development Green Paper in July this year. If we did not have such a commitment, we would not have presented our report to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress so soon after completion of the three-month consultation period. We firmly believe that Hong Kong has the ability and has the public support for pursuing universal suffrage in accordance with the Basic Law. We will get to that ultimate destination.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Sunday, December 16, 2007
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