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Sovereignty and security in the Indian Ocean: why the UK should not cede the Chagos Islands to Mauritius
This paper makes the urgent case for the Government not to cede control of the Chagos Islands.
In November 2022, the Foreign Secretary announced that the UK was entering into negotiations with Mauritius about the exercise of sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), one of the United Kingdom’s fourteen overseas territories.
The BIOT is situated in the middle of the Indian Ocean and is made up of more than a thousand islands in the Chagos Archipelago, most of which are very small. The largest island, Diego Garcia, is the site of a US/UK joint military facility, which is vital to the defence of the UK and our allies.
As the report outlines, the strategic importance of the Indo-Pacific region is only increasing. With the return of great power competition, and an increasingly aggressive Chinese regime active throughout the region, the BIOT is of fundamental importance to UK security and foreign policy.
Its authors argue that the Government...
Show moreThis paper makes the urgent case for the Government not to cede control of the Chagos Islands.
In November 2022, the Foreign Secretary announced that the UK was entering into negotiations with Mauritius about the exercise of sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), one of the United Kingdom’s fourteen overseas territories.
The BIOT is situated in the middle of the Indian Ocean and is made up of more than a thousand islands in the Chagos Archipelago, most of which are very small. The largest island, Diego Garcia, is the site of a US/UK joint military facility, which is vital to the defence of the UK and our allies.
As the report outlines, the strategic importance of the Indo-Pacific region is only increasing. With the return of great power competition, and an increasingly aggressive Chinese regime active throughout the region, the BIOT is of fundamental importance to UK security and foreign policy.
Its authors argue that the Government should revert to the longstanding, cross-party position that the UK enjoys sovereignty over the Chagos Islands. It should explicitly reject the assertion that the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion was legally binding and should make clear that the Chagos Islands will not be ceded to Mauritius.
Show less- Date
- 2023
- ISBN (print)
- 9781910812