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US considers buying Chagos Islands from Mauritius, bypassing UK, Telegraph reports
🇸🇬 Singapore /Conflict & Security

US considers buying Chagos Islands from Mauritius, bypassing UK, Telegraph reports

From CNA · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency Context piece
  • The U.S. is reportedly considering a plan to purchase the Chagos Islands from Mauritius, bypassing the United Kingdom.
  • The proposal aims to secure control of Diego Garcia, a vital U.S.-U.K. military facility, amid ongoing discussions about the archipelago's sovereignty.
  • Both U.S. and U.K. officials emphasize Diego Garcia's strategic importance for national security and regional stability.

The White House is reportedly exploring a plan to acquire the Chagos Islands from Mauritius, a move that would bypass the United Kingdom's involvement. This proposal is part of a broader strategy to offer alternatives to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer regarding the Indian Ocean archipelago's sovereignty.

President Trump has been consistent in his position that the United Kingdom should not give away the British Indian Ocean Territory, which includes our joint US-UK military facility on the Diego Garcia atoll.

— US officialStating former President Trump's stance on the Chagos Islands.

Central to this consideration is Diego Garcia, a strategically located atoll that hosts a joint U.S.-U.K. military facility. U.S. officials have stressed the installation's critical importance to American national security, describing it as "vital and indispensable." Discussions with Britain are ongoing to ensure the island's continued viability as a regional security platform.

Diego Garcia’s strategic location in the Indian Ocean makes it a vital and indispensable military installation of significant importance to the national security of the United States.

— US officialHighlighting the strategic importance of Diego Garcia.

Former President Donald Trump has previously voiced strong opposition to the U.K. ceding sovereignty of the territory, calling any such deal a "big mistake." The British government had previously put its agreement to transfer sovereignty to Mauritius on hold.

The government inherited a situation where UK control over the military base on Diego Garcia was under threat and action was required to protect UK national interests and to prevent our adversaries from getting a foothold in a location of such strategic importance.

— UK government spokespersonExplaining the rationale behind protecting UK interests in the Chagos Islands.

A UK government spokesperson stated that the government inherited a situation where U.K. control over the Diego Garcia base was threatened. Action was deemed necessary to protect British national interests and prevent adversaries from gaining a foothold in such a strategically significant location. The spokesperson emphasized that maintaining long-term operational control and security of Diego Garcia is the foundation of the U.K.-Mauritius agreement, acknowledging long-term risks to the base known to both nations.

Diego Garcia is a key strategic military asset for both the UK and the US, which has protected our shared security for nearly 60 years.

— UK government spokespersonEmphasizing the long-standing strategic value of Diego Garcia.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by CNA in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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