Chief Executive Donald Tsang said he will hold discussions on the principles of universal suffrage until 2006 when talks will switch to what kind of electoral system the territory will adopt.

Discussions will conclude in early 2007 ahead of the selection of the territory's new leader.

Tsang made the comments after his first meeting with a top government advisory group, the Commission of Strategic Development, charged with discussing ways of changing the electoral system in the territory.

"I will finish these two stages during my term. Once we have this design and roadmap for universal suffrage and with the most important elements in place, a timetable can then be examined," Tsang told reporters after the meeting.

"During my current term, I wish very much to help the Commission of Strategic Development to focus on this issue and bring this discussion to a new level or conclusion upon which we can draw up definitive proposals," he said.

Hong Kong was handed back to China with a guarantee in the Basic Law post-colonial constitution that the introduction of universal suffrage was the city's ultimate political goal.

Under the present system adopted when China resumed control of the city in 1997, a committee of mostly pro-Beijing elites selects the top leader and the 60-seat legislator is half elected and half appointed.

The Basic Law's vagueness on when universal suffrage may happen has been the cause of successive clashes between democrats and the government since

Tsang's suggestions on Tuesday were immediately attacked by Democratic Party Chairman Lee-Wing-tat.

"I am very disappointed that we still won't have a timetable for universal suffrage during his term. This has been dragging on for too long," he told

"Tsang is not even trying. He called himself a democrat, he's not qualified to be a true democrat," he said. "The Hong Kong people have no other choices but to go on to the street in protest."

Democrats are organising what they hope will be a large-scale protest on December 4.

Tsang proposed last month a limited reform package that also fell short of stating a time frame when the people will be given the right to elect its own leader.

His package was immediately assailed by all 25 pro-democracy lawmakers who vowed to block the plan, which needs two-thirds of votes in the 60-member Legislative Council to pass next month.

Meanwhile, the government announced Tuesday it will hold a forum this Friday in China's southern Shenzhen city to discuss constitutional development with Chinese officials.

Qiao Xiao-yang, deputy secretary general of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's parliament, will take part in the forum and some pro-democracy legislators have also been invited.

Tsang declined to comment on whether the forum was arranged to drum up support for the government ahead of the protest on Sunday.

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