TNAG-2169-FCO40-3106-House-of-Commons-Foreign-Affairs-Committee-inquiry-into-Hong-1990 — Page 31

in the first place.

21.

But does this list of 200 people actually exist, the list

whose existence was revealed by the Hong Kong Secretary for Security?

(Mr Maude) There are discussions continuing with the Vietnamese about

this process.

22.

You must know whether the list actually exists or not?

(Mr Maude) These are matters essentially dealt with by Hong Kong and I

am not going to comment on detailed arrangements.

23.

to try

There was widespread public outrage, not just in this country

but throughout the international community, last December in the wake of

the first enforced repatriations. Can we have an absolute assurance that

there will not be a repetition of the brutal tactics which were used

against these people last December and can we also have an assurance that

the Government will not take advantage of the Parliamentary recess

and take similar initiatives when Parliament is not sitting, because surely

we are entitled to an explanation, if not in this Committee then on the

floor of the House, before we go into recess on this very important matter?

(Mr Maude) I think I disagree with every aspect of the description you

have given. The tactics used were not brutal. There was no force used.

None of those who were returned in December resisted in any way; they all

acquiesced in the inevitability of returning to Vietnam, so your

description is wholly incorrect. You also described there being a very

widespread hostile public reaction in the international community. I have

to tell the Committee that simply does not reflect the position.

an adverse reaction by the United States Government but there was

widespread agreement in the rest of the international community that what

we were doing was right and inevitable.

There was

It might be disagreeable. There

was a widespread feeling that it was disagreeable but inevitable, and there

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