The Hong Kong government will enhance promotion of the Basic Law in society as a whole, Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Stephen Lam said Monday.

Lam said public awareness of the subject has been improved in recent years and the government has been promoting it through various channels.

"The government will step up promotion to help different sectors of our community have a better understanding of the matter," he said.

But he said there is no plan to organize study courses on the Basic Law for civil servants who are aware of its details.

Since the handover, the SAR government has been implementing its policy objectives in strict accordance with the Basic Law, Lam told reporters after addressing the Kowloon Chamber of Commerce.

"My colleagues and principal officials know very well their scope of duties under the Basic Law. For the time being, I have no plan to run classes on the Basic Law," he said.

Lam made the remark after Lee Cho-jat, a delegate to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference - the national advisory body - put forward a motion in Beijing Monday calling for full understanding of the Basic Law by those who run Hong Kong.

In another motion, Lee proposed that the National Flag Law be implemented in Hong Kong so that government departments and schools will be legally bound to fly the national flag.

His motions received support of about 50 CPPCC delegates, including Patrick Ho, also secretary for home affairs of the SAR government.

However, Lee did not move any motion calling for establishment of a mechanism to check whether those running Hong Kong have violated their oaths made upon assuming office.

He said there is already such a mechanism in Hong Kong.

On the work of the Task Force on Constitutional Development, Lam said it will draw an initial conclusion after finishing its first round meetings with the public.

The task force will need to meet the central authorities in Beijing at some stage, however, there is no timetable for the meeting.

Noting that having mainly patriots govern Hong Kong affairs has been a policy since the 1980s, Lam said Hong Kong people can discuss constitutional issues rationally and calmly.

"We welcome different opinions before we can set aside differences and build a consensus," he said.

(China Daily HK Edition March 9, 2004)