Negotiations between Mauritius and the UK over the future of the Chagos Islands may be foundering over the issue of the size of the financial compensation to be paid by the UK to Mauritius. Under the deal currently under discussion, based on an agreement signed in October, the UK would cede ownership of the islands to Mauritius over the next year. However, the UK would retain a 99-year lease over Diego Garcia, which is currently home to a British/US military airbase. As part of the deal, the UK agreed to provide an unspecified package of economic support to Mauritius. However, the current Mauritian government, which was not in power when the deal was signed, now wants various amendments.
Officials from both countries issued a joint statement on 16 January stating that they remain committed to finalising a treaty as quickly as possible. This should include “the secure and effective operation of the existing base on Diego Garcia and that Mauritius is sovereign over the archipelago.” They added that the “ongoing conversations” were progressing well.
According to the deputy Prime Minister of Mauritius, Paul Berenger, the negotiations have snagged over economic aid to be provided by the UK. However, he did not reveal precisely what the problems are. The new Mauritian Prime Minister, Navin Ramgoolam, has said that the UK is keen to conclude the deal before Donald Trump is inaugurated as US President.
Trump’s choice for Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has accused the agreement of threatening US security. Critics in the UK have also condemned the agreement, with Priti Patel, in the opposition Conservative Party, saying that the deal would put British security at risk. Nevertheless, Foreign Office Minister Stephen Doughty has insisted that the agreement is sound.
The Chagos Islands are seen as a contentious issue with some international bodies. It has been claimed that the UK took the islands when Mauritius was gaining its independence illegally. Last year, the United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to demand that the UK withdrew from the islands so that “complete decolonization of Mauritius” can be achieved
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