UK says ‘no change’ to terms in Chagos US base deal

Base is leased to United States and has become one of its key military facilities in Asia-Pacific

By AFP
February 06, 2025
A US soldier is seen during a handover ceremony of Taji military base from US-led coalition troops to Iraqi security forces, in the base north of Baghdad, Iraq August 23, 2020. — Reuters
A US soldier is seen during a handover ceremony of Taji military base from US-led coalition troops to Iraqi security forces, in the base north of Baghdad, Iraq August 23, 2020. — Reuters

LONDON: The British government was grilled in parliament on Wednesday as it denied claims by Mauritius that a new deal to return the Chagos Islands changes the lease terms for a key US military base.

The foreign ministry hit back at reports that Britain would pay Mauritius up to £18 billion ($22 billion) to use Diego Garcia island in the Indian Ocean archipelago where the base is. Britain and its former colony reached a deal in October to hand back the isles -- which it kept control of after Mauritius gained independence in the 1960s -- on condition that the military base remains on Diego Garcia, the largest island. The base is leased to the United States and has become one of its key military facilities in the Asia-Pacific.