America’s concern about the consequences of Britain’s decision to cede the Chagos Islands
The English publication reported that the United States and some British officials had warned that China might use these islands for “strategic espionage” before London surrendered in the dispute over the handing over of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
According to Isna, the British Prime Minister Kerr Starmer’s governme from the Labor Party officially announced on Thursday that it will transfer the sovereigy of the Chagos Islands to the Mauritius Islands, a former colony of London. The decision ended decades of dispute and negotiation over the status of this last British African colony. London announced that in exchange for handing over the sovereigy of the Chagos Islands, a joi military base between London and Washington will be maiained on the largest island of the archipelago, Diego Garcia Island, for 99 years.
Although US governme officials welcomed the agreeme between England and Mauritius on the handing over of the Chagos Islands, the English publication “Times” quoted sources as saying that Americans expressed concern about the security consequences of this eve in private circles.
According to the Times, this agreeme has also been opposed by several British officials, and they are worried that Beijing could establish spying and eavesdropping facilities on these islands. A British Cabinet source told The Times that it would be a risky move given that Britain is “practically in a Cold War with China”.
The Times newspaper wrote, these concerns are based on the fact that Mauritius authorities may decide to lease some of these islands to China. American and British officials poi out that trade between the two couries is growing, and China has implemeed nearly 47 financial and developme initiative projects in the coury.
The Chagos Islands have been under British rule since 1814. The Mauritian governme has long argued that it was illegally pressured to cede the islands in exchange for independence from Britain. The rece agreeme between the two sides was reached after 13 rounds of negotiations that were implemeed since 2022 after the Iernational Court of Justice and the United Nations General Assembly approved the claim of Mauritius to obtain the sovereigy of the Chagos Islands.
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