Mauritius accepts Trump representative to ‘strengthen’ Chagos talks process
The Chagos Islands include the important UK-US military base on Diego Garcia.
Donald Trump’s US administration will have a seat at talks over the future of the Chagos Islands, the Mauritian prime minister has revealed.
The UK is in talks with Mauritius about handing over sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory, but leasing back the strategically important Diego Garcia military base which is used by the US.
There has been scepticism about the proposed deal among allies of Mr Trump, including secretary of state Marco Rubio, but the UK has argued it is the best way to address uncertainty over the legal status of the base following international rulings in favour of Mauritian sovereignty.
Mauritian leader Navin Ramgoolam is confident there will be a “positive resolution” to negotiations over the archipelago.
A Mauritian government statement said Mr Ramgoolam had used a speech to affirm that the country had “shown openness and willingness to find common ground by accepting the presence of a representative from the new administration in the United States of America in the negotiations so as to further strengthen the process”.
Downing Street would not comment on whether the US had requested a seat at the table.
A No 10 spokesman said: “I wouldn’t comment on negotiations and the details of how they’re carried out.
“Our position on Chagos remains unchanged.
“We have consistently said it’s right that this new US administration has the opportunity to look at the agreement.”
Meanwhile Mr Trump’s special envoy to the UK Mark Burnett was in Downing Street on Thursday for an “officials only meeting”.
A Downing Street spokesman said: “I understand his primary engagements were with senior officials.
“As often happens, foreign diplomats, ambassadors and envoys frequently hold meetings in Downing Street, and this is no different.”
The No 10 spokesman would not say whether Mr Burnett met with national security adviser Jonathan Powell, who helped broker the proposed deal to hand over the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius.
