Britain gives up the Chagos Islands
After decades of wrangling, the UK last week agreed to hand over the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean to Mauritius. However, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced that London would retain control of the military base Diego Garcia, which is also used by the US. Commentators are at odds over the decision.
Long overdue
London should have returned the islands much sooner, says The Independent:
“One of the last 'African' colonies will be liberated, peacefully, leaving only the Spanish enclaves on the north coast of Morocco as reminders of the imperial age. Put at its simplest, the United Kingdom has no business exerting 'sovereignty' on tiny specks of land in the middle of the Indian Ocean. ... It is a long-overdue tidying up of an anomaly. Under international law - or at least United Nations conventions - the islands should never have been carved out of the territory of Mauritius in 1965, while it was still a crown colony, in return for the full independence granted in 1968.”
A gift to our enemies
This is a major geostrategic mistake, says The Daily Telegraph:
“It is a vital centre for monitoring military developments in space. Its role in supporting underwater operations could be crucial in future conflict. This is no longer a time of peaceful globalisation and growth. China, Russia and their proxies are working to overturn the US-led status quo. ... Perceived weakening of a vital Western position in strategic maritime space is a gift to our enemies and a worry for our allies.”