Sir Keir Starmer’s deal with the Mauritian government for the Chagos Islands may be about to hit the buffers after the country’s Deputy Prime Minister suggested that the UK may need to pay more to lease the territory.
Despite there being a major UK-US airbase on Diego Garcia – the largest island in the Chagos Archipelago – the UK Prime Minister agreed a deal to give up the islands to Mauritius in October.
Under the terms of the agreement, the UK would lease Diego Garcia for a period of 99 years. In exchange the UK would offer Mauritius financial support, including annual payments and infrastructure investment.
But now that deal may be in jeopardy, as a new government has been elected in Mauritius since the pact was made and the fresh administration wants to see some changes.
Even before the Mauritians suggested any changes, the Tories branded Labour’s deal a « monumental failure of statecraft ».
After the deal was announced in October Sir Keir and the then Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth heralded it as a « seminal moment in our relationship and a demonstration of our enduring commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes and the rule of law ».
However, the deal has not been totally finalised and in a joint statement put out on Friday, the UK and Mauritius said they were committed « to finalising a treaty as quickly as possible ».
The statement added that the deal would include the « secure and effective operation of the existing base on Diego Garcia and that Mauritius is sovereign over the archipelago ».
It noted that « ongoing conversations » were productive.
Sunday, however, brought with it fresh concerns that the new Mauritian government does not wish to accept the current terms of the deal.
Deputy Prime Minister Paul Bérenger said: « This base existed on our land, on our territory… but not only it is [about] our sovereignty. There are some things you can’t accept if you’re a true patriot. They are trying to make us sign and they are quibbling on a small amount, » he said.
Bérenger also said in the country’s parliament last week that Mauritius needs « money to get out of the economic mess the previous government got us into, but not at any price, not under any conditions ».
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