The transfer of sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius is now in jeopardy following the opposition from Donald Trump, who has called for the deal to be abandoned.
The crucial legislation required for the deal will not be part of the upcoming King’s Speech as Trump has criticized it as a “foolish act” and withdrawn his support. Despite this, Keir Starmer is still in favor of the agreement and aims to convince Trump to reconsider his stance.
Government officials are said to be deeply frustrated by Trump’s inconsistent position, as he had previously endorsed the deal after extensive discussions. However, Trump’s abrupt change of heart is believed to be linked to a disagreement with NATO concerning the proposed acquisition of Greenland.
The agreement, which sparked controversy in the UK, would have transferred the islands to Mauritius with a subsequent 99-year lease for Diego Garcia, home to a UK military base. The estimated cost of the deal was £3.5 billion.
Starmer’s relationship with Trump has deteriorated in recent months, culminating in the Labour leader criticizing the US President over the Middle East conflict. Trump, in turn, rebuked the UK for rejecting American requests to utilize the base on the island during potential strikes on Iran.
Starmer denounced the proposed strikes on Iran as illegal and poorly planned, expressing public discontent with both Trump and President Putin.
The government’s agenda for the upcoming parliamentary session, outlined in the King’s Speech on May 13, will not feature the Chagos Islands deal. However, efforts are underway to persuade Trump to support the agreement.
There are concerns that Mauritius may pursue legal action to compel the UK to grant temporary access to the waters surrounding the islands, potentially complicating US maritime patrols in the region.
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