US President Donald Trump formally approved the proposed deal between the UK and Mauritius on the future of the Chagos Islands, cleaning a major obstacle for the transfer of sovereignty.
Downing Street confirmed on Tuesday that the agreement is now in its final stages, setting to interact on the remaining details before signing a treaty with Britain and Mauritius.
A spokesperson of Prime Minister Sir Kir Stmper said, “We are now working with the Mauritius government to finalize the deal and sign the treaty,” quoted by The Independent.
The move follows the months of discussions with the US, with an effective veto on the agreement due to the strategic importance of the largest Atol Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean Islands.
In the agreement, Britain will see sovereignty of Mauritius on Chagos Islands, while the initial 99 years will have the option to expand for another 40 years, leaving behind Diego Garcia for a period of 99 years. A major property of the UK-US, Aadhaar, played an important role in security campaigns, including anti-terrorism missions and regional surveillance.
Trump initially suspected the plan, but when he met the starrer at the White House in February, he indicated his support. “I think it’s going to work very well,” he said at that time. “I think we will be willing to go with your country.”
Now, his formal sign-off is expected to give a smooth way to complete the deal.
However, the agreement has faced criticism from several fronts. Senior Republican in the US warned that transferring the sovereignty of the islands could strengthen China’s influence in the region. At home, the stormers are on fire from both conservatives, who initially started negotiations in 2022, and reforms UK, who argue that Britain is unnecessarily giving a strategically important field.
According to independent, critics have also expressed concern about the cost of the deal, which can reach £ 18 billion. There are some questions why the UK is paying to lease an airbase back which it already controls. Meanwhile, the Financial Times reported that the UK officials assured Washington that the agreement would not come at any expense for US taxpayers.
Downing Street has not provided a timeline for the influence of the treaty, but close sources of the dialogue believe that there is no need for further approval from Washington. The deal stems from one International justice Britain should end its sovereignty on the islands.
