The UK government could face a massivecompensation bill from Mauritiusif President Trump's opposition forces the collapse of Sir Keir Starmer's Chagos Islands handover.
Ministers are alarmed that pulling out of the treaty might triggerlegal proceedings against Britainin international courts, according to reports.
Starmer signed off on the controversial pact last year, agreeing to hand sovereignty of the remote archipelago to Mauritius in exchange for continued British access to Diego Garcia — home to a crucial military installation — under a lease running until 2124. The total cost: £3.5 billion.
That arrangement is now in jeopardy following Trump's direct appeal to Britain not to "give away" the territory, accompanied by his assertion that the legal reasoning behind the transfer is bogus.
Read more:Nigel Farage explodes with fury as his Chagos Islands aid mission is 'blocked'
Read more:Fury as Keir Starmer moves to evict Chagossians arriving on island in protest
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The Daily Telegraph reports Whitehall fears centre on Mauritius filing breach-of-contract claims if London backs away from the signed agreement.
Port Louis is battling severe fiscal problems, with government debt mounting and budget deficits widening. Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam has demanded the payment timeline be restructured to deliver £1.8 billion during the opening decade — money flowing from base rental charges and infrastructure investment pledges. Officials in Mauritius were counting on those funds to patch holes in national finances.
This wouldn't be Mauritius's first rodeo challenging Britain over the Chagos archipelago through global tribunals — previous cases have gone the island nation's way.
Source: Daily Express :: World Feed
