London: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces being pushed for further concessions over his plan to cede sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, with the Mauritian government seeking another round of talks.
A Cabinet meeting called by Mauritian Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam did not sign off on the proposed deal and they are instead sending a delegation back to London for further negotiations.
The UK plans to hand over the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius then lease back the strategically important military base on Diego Garcia, which is used by the US, at a reported cost of £90 million ($110 million) a year.
The UK government argues that international court rulings in favour of Mauritian sovereignty mean that a treaty settling the future of the archipelago is the only way to guarantee the continued operation of the base. (PA Media/dpa)
