The UK and US governments have agreed to work together to find a solution to the controversial military base on the Chagos Islands.
The facility recently made headlines when Britain proposed handing over the Indian Ocean region to Mauritius – drawing the ire of President Trump.
Although he reportedly approved the plans last year, Trump took to Truth Social to brand the move an “act of great stupidity.”.
White House bosses declared it was “an act of complete weakness”, claiming the important position was being given up “for no reason”.
Subsequently, the Prime Minister accused Trump of making the comments “with the express purpose of pressuring” Britain to lift Trump’s objections to Greenland.
Since then, the pair has remained silent on the matter, but they finally spoke today to find a solution.
back to name
Vietnam is reportedly ‘secretly planning a second US invasion’ in response to threats regarding Greenland.
Go back, Vlad.
Ukraine agrees to US-backed security deal as Trump raises peace hopes
The leaders agreed that their governments will continue to work.
A Downing Street statement said, “The leaders agreed that their governments will continue to work together to guarantee the future operation of the base.”
Under the terms of the proposed deal, Britain would hand over sovereignty of the area to Mauritius but lease the Diego Garcia facility back over the next century at a cost of £35 billion.
However, the Prime Minister was forced to withdraw the agreement amid fears of defeat by his Tory colleagues.
The Conservative Party cited a 1966 treaty stating that the Chagos Islands “shall remain under the sovereignty of the United Kingdom”.
The treaty has never been updated, and conservatives warn that moving forward could violate international law and damage relations with Washington.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said the plan “cannot progress as long as this issue remains unresolved”.
He added, “During the Chagos debate, Keir Starmer has tried to hide behind international law.
“Now the Conservatives are exposing that their shameful surrender may have been illegal.”
Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel also took aim, saying, “He is happy to hand over British sovereign territory and £35 billion of taxpayers’ money to China’s allies— even if it conflicts with international law.”
The government stressed that they are “fully committed to the agreement to secure the joint UK-US base at Diego Garcia, which is vital to our national security”.
In any case, sources close to Washington say it is highly unlikely that the US will ever recognise Mauritius’ sovereignty over these strategically important islands.
The facility, built in the 1970s, has served as a vital hub for UK and US military operations for decades.
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