U.K. Considers Transfer of Chagos Islands to Mauritius
The U.K. government is weighing a transfer of the Chagos Islands, which include the joint U.S.-U.K. Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia, to Mauritius. The Trump administration has expressed opposition to the move and is in discussions with British officials.
americanbanker.comThe U.K. government is considering transferring the Chagos Islands, which contain the joint U.S.-U.K. Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia, to Mauritius. Mauritius maintains economic ties with China through a free-trade agreement signed in 2019 and was the first African nation to complete such an agreement with Beijing.
on the Facility A U.S. official told the Daily Caller News Foundation that President Trump has stated the United Kingdom should not give away the British Indian Ocean Territory. The same official said Diego Garcia's location makes the installation vital to U.S. national security. A Department of War official added that the United States requires unimpeded access to the facility.
The Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia includes an airstrip longer than 12,000 feet that has supported operations during the Persian Gulf War, the Afghanistan War, and the Iraq War. The island was targeted by two ballistic missiles during the Iran War, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio; one missile was shot down and the second failed to reach its target.
U.K. Legislative Status The U.K.
Parliament has stated that legislation on the transfer will make no further progress. The State Department declined to comment on private diplomatic conversations. U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, the U.K. Embassy in Washington, and the Mauritius Embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment.
