British government rejects return of Chagos Islands after US criticism

The British government has rejected the agreement to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius after criticism from US President Donald Trump. In its current form, the deal over the archipelago in the Indian Ocean cannot be implemented, said Defense Minister Wes Streeting in a BBC interview. He cited a lack of support from the USA as the reason for this.

Trump had previously described the deal as “terrible” after a meeting with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. The US President initially approved the agreement, but later changed his mind.

The deal stipulates that the largest island, Diego Garcia, where Britain and the US operate a joint air base, will remain under British control for at least 99 years. The British are expected to pay billions for this over the years. The air base is considered strategically important for US military actions in the region, but also with regard to China's ambitions to expand its influence there.