Britain said on Saturday it has paused plans to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, delaying legislation needed for the deal amid opposition from Donald Trump. The islands host the key U.S.-UK military base on Diego Garcia.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government said it will seek Washington’s approval before moving forward. The agreement would lease back the base to Britain for 99 years to preserve U.S. operations.
London said securing the base remains a priority and that talks with the U.S. and Mauritius are ongoing. The delay comes amid broader tensions between the UK and the U.S., while Mauritian officials say both sides must find “common ground” to finalize the deal.
Britain’s centrist and center-right opposition parties have proposed working together to defeat the deal concocted by the Labour government to hand the islands over to Mauritius, which in recent years has increased its ties to China.
