UK court puts last-minute block on a deal to hand Chagos islands to Mauritius

LONDON – A British tribunal blocked the U.K. from transferring sovereignty implicit the Chagos Islands, to Mauritius, hours earlier the statement was owed to beryllium signed connected Thursday.

The U.K. has agreed to manus Mauritius the Indian Ocean archipelago, which is location to a strategically important naval and bomber basal connected the largest of the islands, Diego Garcia. The U.K. would past lease backmost the basal for astatine slightest 99 years.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, which was consulted, gave its approval, but finalizing the woody was delayed by last-minute negotiations implicit costs.

The statement was owed to beryllium signed Thursday greeting astatine a virtual ceremony.

But a High Court justice granted an injunction successful the aboriginal hours of Thursday putting a clasp connected the agreement. It came successful effect to a assertion by 2 women representing the islands' archetypal residents.

“The suspect is to support the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom implicit the British Indian Ocean Territory until further order," Judge Julian Goose said. Another tribunal proceeding is acceptable for 10:30 a.m. (0930GMT).

Britain divided the islands distant from Mauritius, a erstwhile British colony, successful 1965, 3 years earlier Mauritius gained independence, and called the Chagos archipelago the British Indian Ocean Territory.

In the 1960s and 1970s Britain evicted up to 2,000 people from the islands truthful the U.S. subject could physique the Diego Garcia base. Many moved to Britain.

Under the draft deal, a resettlement money would beryllium created to assistance displaced islanders determination backmost to the islands, isolated from Diego Garcia. Details of immoderate specified measures stay unclear.

Mauritius has agelong contested Britain’s assertion to the archipelago and successful caller years the United Nations and its apical tribunal person urged Britain to instrumentality the Chagos to Mauritius.

Britain agreed to bash truthful successful a draught woody successful October, but that was delayed by a alteration of authorities successful Mauritius and reported quarrels implicit however overmuch the U.K. should wage to lease the base.

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