Backs down after Trump's criticism: Retaining archipelago

TT

Published 10.34

            

            An aerial view of the US-British air base Deigo Garcia on the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean.              Archive photo. Photo: AP/TT

Great Britain is withdrawing the decision to hand over the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean to Mauritius.

This follows criticism from US President Donald Trump.

The Chagos Islands consist of seven atolls in the middle of the Indian Ocean. The archipelago is a British territory that has been governed from London since the 19th century and where the US and Britain have a joint military base.

But last year, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed an agreement to return the archipelago to Mauritius. This included leasing the land where the Diego Garcia air base is located to the UK.

However, the extradition process was paused earlier this year, following criticism from Donald Trump, who called it “a big fool.” Now the time frame within which the legislation was to be considered has expired and the process has been definitively halted, a government spokesman announced on Saturday.