Mauritius wants to rethink a deal with the UK over remote islands housing a key US base

Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — The British government says it still plans to hand over a contested Indian Ocean archipelago, which is home to a strategically important military base, to Mauritius. It comes after that country’s new leader backed away from the contentious deal. The U.K. and Mauritius announced an agreement in October to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands. Under the deal, the U.K.-U.S.  base on the largest of the islands, Diego Garcia, would remain under U.K. control for at least 99 years. Newly elected Mauritius Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam said he was reopening negotiations because the draft deal “would not produce the benefits that the nation could expect.” The deal has also been criticized by allies of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.