London [UK], May 23: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has signed an agreement to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius in a deal that will cost £101 million ($136 million) per year.
The deal involves leasing back a crucial military base on Diego Garcia, the largest of the Chagos Islands, for 99 years and comes after a last-minute legal challenge.
Speaking from the UK's military headquarters, Starmer said, "[The base is] one of the most significant contributions that we make to our security relationship with the United States".
He added: "£101 million a year is the average cost. The net overall cost is therefore £3.4 billion overall. That's over the 99 years." When challenged by journalists that the annual cost he cited would add up to nearer £10 billion over the course of the agreement, the prime minister said it was the "net cost" accounting for inflation over time.
The UK will retain full operational control of Diego Garcia, including the electromagnetic spectrum satellite used for communications which counters hostile interference.
A 24-nautical mile (44.5-kilometre) buffer zone will be put in place around the island where nothing can be built or placed without UK consent. Not agreeing the deal would mean the UK could not prevent China or any other nation setting up their own bases on the outer islands or carrying out joint exercises near Britain's base, Starmer said.
"We would have to explain to you, the British people and to our allies, that we'd lost control of this vital asset," he added.
The agreement had been due to be signed on Thursday morning but was temporarily blocked by an injunction hours before.
High Court judge Justice Goose granted an injunction at 2:25am (0125 GMT) against the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) for "interim relief" to Bertrice Pompe, one of two British women born on the Chagos Islands who is set to bring legal action against the UK government over the deal.
A different judge later said the injunction should be discharged after an urgent hearing. The last-minute legal challenge was "in a way ... a good thing" because it forced a court to come down conclusively on the side of the UK government and clear it to go ahead, Starmer said.
Source: Qatar Tribune
