"We need to chart an agenda for sustained progress towards realising the ultimate aim of universal suffrage," Chan told the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Hong Kong.

"To this end, I am forming a core group to help me formulate more concrete proposals and map out a strategy for the way forward," she said.

Chan, the retired head of the civil service, stressed she was not trying to bring down Hong Kong's China-backed government with her recent headline-grabbing return to the political spotlight.

But at the same time she kept open the possibility of a challenge to Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang's leadership.

"I intend to choose the time and place at which I will announce my intentions as regards standing or not standing," she said.

Although Chan gave few details of her proposed pressure group, she said it would not be a think-tank that tackled a multitude of political issues.

"I want to concentrate on constitutional reform, to bring different quarters together and make everybody sit down and share their concerns so we can start addressing their concerns," she said.

In her address, Chan outlined the foundations of a political agenda based on representative government within the "One Country, Two Systems" framework that protects Hong Kong's freewheeling way of life under authoritarian China.

It was the first time she had publicly stated her views since storming back onto the political scene in December when she joined a pro-democracy rally.

The government responded with a statement that it was progressing with the transition to universal suffrage.

"Both the central authorities and the government are fully alive to the community's aspirations on universal suffrage," the statement said, adding a commission had begun looking into the matter.

Chan's popularity has remained high since her days as Hong Kong's no-nonsense Chief Secretary of Administration.

Political pundits have speculated that Chan's recent efforts to bolster her public support were part of a broader plan to run for the chief executive's post next year.

Currently, Hong Kong's political leaders are selected by a cabal of 800 elites who are mostly loyal to Beijing. Only half the territory's 60 legislators are chosen by direct election.

Although reforms are enshrined in Hong Kong's Basic Law post-handover constitution, democracy activists have argued with the government over the timing of a transition.

Anger over the government's foot-dragging was demonstrated in 2003 and 2004 when more than half a million people joined pro-democracy street rallies.

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