【明報專訊】THE MEETING between Beijing officials and Hong Kong lawmakers in Shenzhen has failed to reconcile the differences between the central government and the pan-democrats. With the pan-democrats reiterating before the meeting their insistence on the withdrawal of the August 31 decision, the public did not really expect the meeting to result in any breakthrough in the constitutional reform deadlock. Still, it was hoped that the Beijing officials and the pan-democratic lawmakers would use this opportunity to prepare for the future after the rejection of the current reform proposal, such as establishing a consultative committee through which the central government and Hong Kong might tackle the political reform issue together, thereby reducing controversy and differences of opinion. Unfortunately, this proved to be no more than wishful thinking, and attracted little discussion at the meeting.