Trump-Starmer Meeting Yields Surprising Outcome for UK-Mauritius Treaty on Diego Garcia Base

the apparent willingness of the new administration to approve the recent treaty between Britain and Mauritius on the future of a UK-US military base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

Many on the right, including Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch, had predicted that Trump would denounce the deal and chastise the prime minister. Instead, Trump expressed a positive sentiment towards the agreement, stating that discussions would take place soon and that he had a feeling it would work out well. He described the lease as "very long-term, powerful, and strong," indicating an inclination to go along with the UK's position.

The crux of the issue lies in the lack of international recognition for UK sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory (Biot), which encompasses the US military base on Diego Garcia and the other Chagos Islands. This unresolved status has led to ongoing legal actions and attempts by the Chagossians, who were forcibly removed from their homes in the 1960s to make way for the base, to seek redress. If the UK and the US were to disregard rulings by the International Court and the United Nations, the matter would remain unresolved. However, both countries seem determined to find a solution that legitimizes the base.

The Biot was created in 1965 from the territory of the British crown colony of Mauritius. It has no permanent residents. As Mauritius was approaching independence in 1964, the US sought to establish a military facility on Diego Garcia. The British agreed and informed the Mauritian leaders that they could only gain complete self-rule if they relinquished any claim on the Chagos Islands, accepted compensation, and allowed for the forced removal of the inhabitants. Mauritius agreed to these terms and became independent in 1968. However, they later disowned the agreement and renewed their claim of sovereignty.

The agreement between Britain and Mauritius is expected to involve Mauritius regaining sovereignty over the Biot in exchange for a substantial sum of money paid over the lifespan of a 99-year leaseback to the UK and the US Department of Defense. The exact amount and payment schedule are still under negotiation.

The issue has been politicized by some, with Kemi Badenoch arguing that Britain should not pay Mauritius any money and that the Chinese might somehow take over the base. However, these arguments have failed to gain traction due to the lack of public interest in the issue and the fact that the details of the treaty remain unpublished and subject to parliamentary approval.