?It stopped the boats?: John Howard on Tampa, Siev X and the Pacific solution

Twenty years on from the Tampa affair, which prompted the offshore detention of hundreds of asylum seekers - sometimes for years - John Howard remains unapologetic.

In an interview with the Guardian ahead of the release of the 2001 cabinet papers by the National Archives of Australia, , the former prime minister said his tough policies had "saved lives" and that European nations were now facing a similar dilemma about how to avoid asylum seekers drowning at sea.

"I thought the Australian public supported what we did over Tampa and generally supported what we did on offshore processing - quite strongly," Howard said.

"The Australian public's position on migration has always been they are supportive of it provided it's properly controlled. But once they think it's getting out of control they reduce their level of support, and when it's again under control they go back to supporting."

In August 2001 the Norwegian freighter Tampa answered a mayday call from Australian authorities to rescue a boatload of 433 asylum seekers sinking in international waters off Christmas Island. But once the Tampa had rescued them, it was refused permission to enter Australian waters.

As the stalemate continued over several days, the asylum seekers, many of whom were in poor health, became agitated. Captain Arne Rinnan decided to sail towards Christmas Island, prompting the Australian government to send 45 SAS troops to board the vessel and prevent it coming any closer.

The event drew international attention.