BEIJING, April 26 (Xinhuanet) The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) adopted a decision here Monday which favors modification of the existing methods for selecting the Hong Kong's chief executive in 2007 and forming the Legislative Council in 2008, but rules out the possibility of universal suffrage for the upcoming elections.

    The decision was made in response to Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa's report on whether such methods need to be amended.

    "The method of universal suffrage shall not apply to" the election of the Third Chief Executive of the HKSAR in 2007, nor tothe election of all members of the Fourth Legislative Council of the HKSAR in 2008, the Decision said.

    However, the Decision said that specific methods for selecting the Chief Executive in 2007 and forming the Legislative Council in2008 could be "appropriately modified" in the principle of gradualand orderly progress and in the light of specific conditions of Hong Kong, in accordance with the Basic Law, the Decision said.

    Current conditions do not satisfy the general election of the Chief Executive and the general election of all Legislative Council members, it said. Enditem