Britain has been warned that it should not surrender the Chagos Islands to Mauritius as it will endanger national security and open the floodgates to returning the Falkland Islands to Argentina.
A paper by Policy Exchange cautioned that giving up the Islands – a British overseas territory in the Indian ocean - would be a “major self-inflected blow”.
Last November, Rishi Sunak agreed to open negotiations with Mauritius over the future of the Chagos Islands.
Lord West of Spithead, a former First Sea Lord, warned Sunak that forsaking the territory would heavily damage Britain’s national security, in a forward for the report.
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He also suggested that it would put the future of the Falkland Islands at risk.
“Diego Garcia is a strategic jewel, possession of which is crucial for security in the region and hence our national security,” Lord West wrote
“It is no exaggeration to say that Diego Garcia – the largest of the Chagos Islands – hosts the most strategically important US air and logistics base in the Indian Ocean and is vital to the defence of the UK and our allies.”
A US airbase, Diego Garcia, is based in the Chagos Islands. American and British jets flew from there during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
It has belonged to the UK since 1810, after capturing the islands from the French.
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Downing Street is now considering giving the islands to Mauritius, which is over 1,300 miles away from Chagos.
No10 has insisted that they would keep control over the airbase.
However, there are fears that it could be compromised by Chinese influence, as Mauritius is an ally of Beijing.
“How on earth can the Government explain a decision to negotiate with Chinese-aligned Mauritius to hand over sovereignty of the strategically vital island of Diego Garcia, an island which is located some 2,152 kilometres from Mauritius itself?” Lord West added.
“It would be a colossal mistake and one which opposition parties in parliament would also be complicit in, given they are supporting the Government’s stance.”
No10 has insisted that they would keep control over the airbase.
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Lord West argued that by giving up Chagos, Britain’s other overseas territories would be put at risk.
“By agreeing the very principle of a Mauritian claim over Diego Garcia, they are also putting at risk other British Overseas Territories such as the Falkland Islands,” he said.
Last month, Sunak held talks with the prime minister of Mauritius, Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, at the G20 in India.
The pair discussed negotiations over a handover, which Maurittus has been campaigning for, for 10 years.
The International Court of Justice said that the UK should give up control of Chagos.
Richard Ekins KC, a leading lawyer, said the Government should reject the verdict and “make clear that the Chagos Islands will not be ceded to Mauritius”.
