Britain gives up to salvage

Accordingly, sovereignty over the archipelago belongs to Mauritius, ending nearly 60 years of British occupation. The archipelago originally belonged to Mauritius, but Britain did not return it to Mauritius in the 1960s before being forced to grant independence to Mauritius. Britain turned it into a giant military base and leased Diego Garcia in the archipelago to the US as a military base. These military bases are of great strategic importance to the US and the UK. Mauritius regained sovereignty over the archipelago but had to agree to lease the Diego Garcia military base to the US for 99 years.

Aerial photo of the Chagos Archipelago

For Mauritius, the restoration of sovereignty over the islands is a top priority. The agreement allows the return of indigenous people who were expelled from the islands by British colonial rule in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as stipulating Britain’s financial responsibility for the islands. It is therefore a major political and legal victory for Mauritius.

The agreement also benefits the US because it loses nothing and still gets to maintain its military base in Diego Garcia.

For Britain, the great risk of returning sovereignty over the Chago Islands to Mauritius is that it will set a precedent for other territories that Britain currently disputes sovereignty with other countries in the world. Britain had to make such a decision in the case of the Chago Islands because only by doing so can it salvage its international reputation after being adversely affected by the UN General Assembly and the UN Court of Justice's rulings on the illegal occupation of the islands and the expulsion of their indigenous people. The agreement allows Britain to establish a new image in the world, through which the US continues to exploit the islands militarily.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nuoc-anh-buong-bo-de-vot-vat-18524100721180756.htm