Hong Kong's "Iron Lady" rules out bid for top job

HONG KONG, Sep 23 (Reuters) Anson Chan, Hong Kong's former top civil servant, today said she would not contest a March election for leadership of the Chinese region, pledging instead to push for universal suffrage through her own core group.

Ms Chan, a popular and respected public figure, had kept Hong Kong guessing for months over whether she would run for the post of Chief Executive. Many saw the 66-year-old as the only pro-democracy figure capable of mounting a credible challenge to Beijing-backed contenders.

''I never intended to contest the election,'' she told reporters today, rejecting suggestions she had ever considered such a plan, despite a refusal to clarify her intentions in recent months.

While Ms Chan insisted Beijing had put no pressure on her to pull out, she expressed frustration at electoral rules which analysts say are stacked in Beijing's favour.

''The current rules don't encourage eligible people to stand for election,'' she said.

Under the Basic Law, the mini-constitution by which Beijing has run the former British colony since 1997, Hong Kong's Chief Executive is selected by a panel of 800 electors. To get on the ballot, a candidate requires at least 100 nominations from the electors, a requirement no pro-democracy candidate has ever met.

Martin Lee, former chairman of Hong Kong's Democratic Party, said he was disappointed by Ms Chan's decision.

''It is a pity that the best candidate that Hong Kong could find as an alternative to Donald Tsang is ruling herself out,'' he said, a reference to the incumbent Chief Executive who is widely seen to have Beijing's blessing for a new 5-year term.

''The process is not democratic and fair,'' Mr Lee said.

While few expected Ms Chan to win enough votes on the 800-strong selection committee, her candidacy could have pressured the bowtie-wearing Tsang to make solid commitments on advancing democracy.

Despite her pullout, Ms Chan announced that she had recruited six local experts to a core group she recently formed to propose a roadmap for universal suffrage as allowed for in the Basic Law.

''This is an A-team. I'm confident we can all work happily together,'' she said.

Her core group will include academics and retired government officials but no businessmen, a suggestion of some political pressure working against her.

''I think businesspeople have specific concerns, either that they don't wish to be seen to be offending the Chief Executive, nor trampling on the toes of Central Government and maybe therefore affecting their business interests here or in the mainland,'' she said.

Ms Chan remained ambiguous about her long-term plans, refusing to rule out a bid in 2012 when the next election is due.

''2012 is still a long time away, I don't know what my health will be like then. Let's discuss it then,'' she said.

Ms Chan, the first woman to head Hong Kong's civil service, remains an icon of the region's autonomy from the People's Republic.

Some call her the ''conscience of Hong Kong'' and the ''Iron Lady'' for her staunch defence of the territory's rule of law and respect for civil liberties.

REUTERS SHB VV1635