Give us Chagos Islands and we will keep out China and Iran, Mauritius tells UK

In a significant diplomatic push, Mauritius has urged the United Kingdom and the United States to finalize a deal that would transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to the island nation, suggesting that such an arrangement would serve to counter the influence of China and Iran in the region.

Dhananjay Ramful, the Foreign Minister of Mauritius, emphasized that control over the Chagos Islands would allow his government to prevent foreign powers from gaining a foothold in a territory that is home to a vital Western military installation.

Ramful asserted, “If we manage to reach a deal, that will help us secure the base and prevent a third party from entering the base. That would be in the interest of the US, UK, and Mauritius.”

His remarks followed a speech by Mauritius’s President Dharam Gokhool, who reiterated the country’s commitment to reclaiming sovereignty over the archipelago, notably Diego Garcia, which hosts a key US nuclear airbase.

Under the proposed agreement, the UK would relinquish control over the Chagos Islands, a strategically located archipelago in the Indian Ocean.

In return, Britain would lease back Diego Garcia for a century at a cost of £9 billion.

Previous attempts to expedite this deal were stalled by the Trump administration, but Ramful expressed confidence that the current US administration would recognize the strategic benefits of finalizing the agreement.

Despite growing ties between Mauritius and China, Ramful dismissed claims that the deal could inadvertently aid Chinese ambitions in the region.

He revealed plans for Mauritius to appoint a United Nations ambassador in New York to effectively communicate with the US government about the importance of this agreement for American interests.

“It is in the interest of the US to secure this base. And how do we secure this base? By coming to an agreement that contains all the terms and conditions for the base to be operated by the US without interference from anybody,” he explained.

He also highlighted that Mauritius remains the only African nation not to have signed the Belt and Road Initiative, a Chinese investment program criticized for fostering dependency.

Meanwhile, political opposition is resurfacing within the US, with some senior Republicans encouraging the Trump administration to reject any agreements made between Sir Keir Starmer, the UK opposition leader, and President Joe Biden.

Louisiana Senator John Kennedy lamented in The Telegraph that “the Chagossian, American, and British people would all be safer if this deal with Mauritius found its way into the shredder for good.”

Simultaneously, Mauritius’s new Prime Minister, Navin Ramgoolam, who took office in November following the signing of the lease agreement, expressed concerns about the potential 99-year lease.

He warned that failure to fully re-establish Mauritian sovereignty over the islands could be perceived as a “betrayal” of the nation’s interests.

Ramgoolam reportedly has called for improved financial terms from the UK if the lease is to proceed.

Labour ministers in the UK maintain that relinquishing control of the islands is essential to comply with international law while ensuring the future security of the Diego Garcia military base.

The ongoing discussions regarding the Chagos Islands highlight the complex interplay of international relations, national sovereignty, and geopolitical strategy in an increasingly contested global arena.

Source: The Telegraph