Britain Halts Handover of the Chagos Islands
The UK suspended plans to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius after the deal was criticized by US President Donald Trump. London acknowledged it could not take the legislation forward without Washington’s support and would therefore not bring it before parliament for the time being.
At the same time, the British government is trying to persuade the US to formally back the project.
The agreement would allow Britain to retain the strategic Diego Garcia base through a 99-year lease, which is also key to US military operations. London believes this is the best way to secure the future of the facility.
The situation comes at a time of tension between the US and Britain. Relations have cooled, mainly because of differences over the Middle East conflict and restrictions on the use of British bases by the US military.