Britain said Tuesday Hong Kong had made "little or no visible progress" towards democratic reforms and urged an early transition to full democracy in its former colony.
In Britain's latest six-monthly report covering January 1 2006 to June 30 2006, Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said she believed universal suffrage was the best way to build a stable society.
"We believe that Hong Kong should advance to a system of universal suffrage… as soon as possible," she wrote in the report issued by the British consulate here.
"We believe that a system of universal suffrage is the best way to create stable, accountable and transparent government, of protecting rights and freedoms, and of upholding the rule of law.
"Such a system gives government the mandate needed to govern efficiently, effectively and strongly and to allow difficult decisions to be taken," she added.
Beckett also called on the Chinese government to lift bans on some Hong Kong legislators who are barred from entering the mainland.
Her comments came after the former British colony's last governor, Chris Patten, criticised the city's slow democratic development during his five-day visit to the city.
He also urged Beijing to give a clear timeline when Hong Kong people will be given the right to choose their own leaders, currently selected by a 800-member committee of mostly loyal to Beijing.
Half of the 60-seat legislature is directly elected.
Although democratic reforms are enshrined in Hong Kong's Basic Law which came into force when it reverted to Chinese rule in 1997, the government has refused to set a timetable for universal suffrage.
Beijing ruled out a transition to full democracy by 2008, fearing sudden change would destabilise its richest city and encourage pro-democracy groups on the mainland.
