TNAG-2169-FCO40-3106-House-of-Commons-Foreign-Affairs-Committee-inquiry-into-Hong-1990 — Page 34

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(Mr Maude) I can tell Mr. Rowlands that there is nothing in the

accepted international practices which distinguishes and says it is

acceptable to carry out these exercises at one time of the day or night and

not at another. It is the way in which it is carried out that is important

and accepted international practices allow for the minimum use of force

because, if you exclude the use of force in all circumstances, it is simply

an open invitation to those who are the subject of this process to resist

because they know by resisting they can avoid being sent back. The

Committee will know that in probably 999 cases out of 1000 force is not

used and does not need to be contemplated, but it is the fact that

international practices accept that minimum force can be used where

necessary that makes this whole process, which is essential to countries

right across the world, work. That is why it is necessary.

27.

Chairman

Minister, as you see, there are obviously differences of

feeling in this Committee about the methods used. I think the figures you

have shown us, if we measure by those, mean the policy must be judged an

unqualified success. The numbers have dropped in the spring months by an

enormous amount. Just a final question on that: is there any evidence

that people have been seen to be leaving Vietnam as migrants and going

elsewhere, those thousands who did not come to Hong Kong?

(Mr Maude) Yes, there is some evidence that influx into some of the

other first asylum countries has increased, especially the flow to

Indonesia, but other ASEAN countries as well, which is why there is the

growing concern that the policy of first asylum, which is the absolute

linchpin of the Comprehensive Plan of Action, may be under threat. I think

it would be regrettable if it were to be discontinued, but I think the

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