Chagos Islands bilateral issue with Mauritius, says Britain after objections by Maldives

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - Britain said Friday that sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago is a matter only between the UK and Mauritius, following objections raised by the Maldives.

"Various courts, rulings and institutions have made clear that the question of sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago is between the UK and Mauritius," the Foreign Office said in a statement in response to Anadolu's question about objections by the Maldives.

The Maldives said Thursday that it objected to the UK's Chagos Islands deal to transfer the sovereignty of the archipelago to Mauritius.

President Mohamed Muizzu told parliament that the government formally submitted objections to the UK on Nov. 8, 2024, and on Jan. 18, 2026, expressing "rejection of this decision."

However, the British Foreign Office highlighted that the Diego Garcia treaty has "robust security provisions that categorically prevent compromises" to the Diego Garcia military base.

"The deal protects the base for generations to come and ensures that the UK can retain unique and vital capabilities to deal with a wide range of threats," it added.

In May last year, the UK and Mauritius signed a deal to transfer sovereignty over the Indian Ocean archipelago to Mauritius, ending over two centuries of British rule, in exchange for allowing the US and UK to continue operating the strategically important Diego Garcia military base for the next 99 years.

The agreement has not yet entered into force, as it is pending domestic ratification.

The Chagos Archipelago, a group of seven atolls comprising over 60 islands in the central Indian Ocean, is located about 500 kilometers (310 miles) south of the Maldives.