The UK government defended its agreement to cede the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while leasing back a key military base, following criticism from former U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform, described the planned handover as an "act of great stupidity," despite earlier indications of support from him and senior U.S. officials. He later confirmed he was "against" the deal.
The UK government responded by asserting it would "never compromise on our national security," according to the prime minister's official spokesperson, who also maintained that the U.S. continues to support the agreement. The deal, signed in May, involves a 3.4 billion pound (4.6 billion dollar) arrangement under which the UK retains control of the UK-US military base on Diego Garcia, the largest of the islands.
The agreement aims to resolve a long-standing dispute over the Chagos Islands, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean which the UK detached from Mauritius in 1965, three years before Mauritius gained independence. The UK then evicted the local population to establish a military base on Diego Garcia, which has been a strategically important asset for both the UK and the U.S.
Mauritius has consistently argued that the UK's continued administration of the islands is a violation of international law. The International Court of Justice ruled in 2019 that the UK should relinquish control of the Chagos Islands, a decision the UK has acknowledged but not fully implemented until this agreement.
Trump's criticism introduces a complex element to the situation, raising questions about the future of the UK-US military cooperation on Diego Garcia. The base has been crucial for military operations in the Middle East and Asia. The UK government insists the agreement with Mauritius includes provisions to ensure the continued operation of the base and safeguard mutual security interests. The situation remains fluid, with potential implications for the strategic balance in the Indian Ocean.
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