27/01/2003 (Agence Europe) - MEP, Andrew Duff, has criticised the ideas expressed by Tony Blair on the BBC on Sunday. Mr Blair indicated that if the measures decided already on for reducing the number of applications for asylum were ineffective, it would be necessary to take others, including examining the British obligations (in the frameowrk of the Human Rights Convention. Mr Duff explained that if the United Kingdom withdrew from the Convention, "it would be on a colision course with its European partners". Mr Duff also affirmed that the inclusion in the treaty of the European Charter of fundamental Reights recommended by the European Convention, "consodidated these very rights that the British govenrment wanted to water down".