The first seminar on constitutional development commissioned by Hong Kong's Constitutional Development Task Force will be held on Monday.

The seminar will be focused on the areas which may be considered for amendment in respect of the methods for the selection of the chief executive in 2007 and for forming the Legislative Council (LegCo) in 2008, as set out in the Task Force's Third Report.

A government spokesman said Saturday that the seminar is organized to provide a forum for participants from different sectors to put forth their views and to facilitate mutual understanding through direct communication. To this end, it will be held again in June.

The participants will include members of the Executive Council and LegCo, chairmen and vice-chairmen of District Councils, Election Committee (EC) members, the academia, and representatives of think tanks, the legal sector, the industrial and commercial sector and other sectors.

Professor Edward Chen Kwan-yiu, president of the Lingnan University, has been invited to be the facilitator. The seminar will be held at the old wing of the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Center in Wan Chai.

The spokesman said that the Task Force also welcomes written submissions and proposals from organizations and individuals on the areas which may be considered for amendments as set out in the Third Report, and other areas regarding the two election methods. They would have to be submitted before August 31.

Meetings with the Task Force could be arranged on request and as necessary, he added.

"We hope that, through the seminar, we can encourage the community to discuss, in a rational and pragmatic manner, on how the two election methods may be amended," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency May 23, 2004)