Chagos Sovereignty Talks Reach Milestone: 3 Major Developments

Recent talks between London and Port Louis regarding the return of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius have reached a critical juncture. A high-level committee from Mauritius, chaired by Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam and inclusive of Deputy Prime Minister Paul Bérenger, is currently engaged in negotiations with British officials over several key issues.

The discussions focus primarily on the financial compensation package and the legal framework of the proposed agreement.

Mauritius is finding Britain’s financial proposals inadequate, prompting the need to revisit several aspects of the agreement, particularly those concerning the length of British occupation of Diego Garcia.

The negotiations, which have become increasingly complex, were reignited following recent counterproposals made by the UK government.

As part of the ongoing dialogue, Ramgoolam’s team is working closely with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s representatives.

Insights from constitutional lawyer Milan Meetarbhan and other technical experts are also factoring into the discussions.

The Mauritian delegation is contemplating issuing additional counterproposals in response to the UK’s latest offers, and the possibility of a visit to London by a Mauritian delegation remains on the table.

At the heart of the discussions lie differing perspectives on the compensation package offered by the UK, as well as questions concerning the language and stipulations of an agreement initially negotiated by the previous Mauritian government on October 3.

A notable point of contention involved Diego Garcia, where the original agreement permits the UK to “exercise sovereign rights over Diego Garcia” for a renewable period of 99 years.

Port Louis has requested both a review of this clause and a clarification of its wording, which has been deemed ambiguous.

Prime Minister Ramgoolam’s government has expressed dissatisfaction with the initial financial offer from the UK, contending it failed to adequately reflect the strategic and historical significance of the Chagos archipelago.

In light of Mauritian requests, the UK presented revised counterproposals recently, including an increased financial offer.

Currently, the Mauritian government is drafting a new series of counter-counterproposals to present to the British government shortly.

In a joint statement issued on December 20 by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, both nations reiterated their commitment to concluding this “historic” treaty as swiftly as possible.

Source: Defi Media