The president of the Maldives has formally told the UK that it does not recognise the deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. President Mohamed Muizzu's office told the BBC the Maldives had expressed its opposition to the 'deeply concerning' deal in two written objections and a phone call with Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy. The nation of tropical islands in the Indian Ocean is asserting sovereignty over the Chagos Islands and is threatening international legal action to press its claim.
UK Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty has said the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands is a matter for Britain and Mauritius, not the Maldives. However, a government source noted that international courts had already considered the question of sovereignty over the islands and found in favour of Mauritius.
The Chagos Islands - officially known as the British Indian Ocean Territory - are located in the Indian Ocean and the UK has controlled them since the early 19th Century. Last year, the UK government agreed to transfer control of the territory to Mauritius, paying an average cost of £101m a year to lease a joint UK-US military base on the largest island.
The Maldives opposes Mauritian control of the Chagos Islands and argues it has historical claims to the archipelago dating back centuries. In formal communications, it highlighted that the UK's sole consultation with Mauritius without considering Maldivian interests is 'deeply concerning.'
President Muizzu's government is reviewing international rulings supporting Mauritius's claims and asserts that it holds prior claims to the island's sovereignty, hinting at pursuing legal avenues to uphold its national interests. The situation has drawn attention amid debates over military basing rights from the UK's perspective, showcasing the complexities inherent in the Chagos Islands' sovereignty disputes.
UK Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty has said the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands is a matter for Britain and Mauritius, not the Maldives. However, a government source noted that international courts had already considered the question of sovereignty over the islands and found in favour of Mauritius.
The Chagos Islands - officially known as the British Indian Ocean Territory - are located in the Indian Ocean and the UK has controlled them since the early 19th Century. Last year, the UK government agreed to transfer control of the territory to Mauritius, paying an average cost of £101m a year to lease a joint UK-US military base on the largest island.
The Maldives opposes Mauritian control of the Chagos Islands and argues it has historical claims to the archipelago dating back centuries. In formal communications, it highlighted that the UK's sole consultation with Mauritius without considering Maldivian interests is 'deeply concerning.'
President Muizzu's government is reviewing international rulings supporting Mauritius's claims and asserts that it holds prior claims to the island's sovereignty, hinting at pursuing legal avenues to uphold its national interests. The situation has drawn attention amid debates over military basing rights from the UK's perspective, showcasing the complexities inherent in the Chagos Islands' sovereignty disputes.
