Muizzu pitches Trump Chagos deal; US keeps Diego Garcia | World News
The United States and the United Kingdom disagree over islands that host important bases in remote areas. Meanwhile, Maldives offered a deal to US President Donald Trump.
Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu said he was open to a deal. According to this agreement, the USA will be able to keep the Naval Support Facility in Diego Garcia.
In return, the Maldives would gain control of the UK-held Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean. The developments come after England planned to transfer Chagos to Mauritius.
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The United Kingdom and Mauritius finalized the agreement last year, and Trump initially supported it. Now the US president opposes it due to national security concerns. Looking at the latest developments regarding the UK-Mauritius agreement, Malé assured that the US and UK could still operate bases at Diego Garcia in the Chagos archipelago.
Maldives President Muizzu said in an interview with Newsweek: “President Trump clearly wants to ensure the preservation and continued use of Chagos for the US Naval Support Facility in Diego Garcia.”
In his proposal, Maldives President Muizzu said, “Currently, the Chagos Archipelago belongs to the United Kingdom. This allows the United Kingdom and the United States to freely use the Diego Garcia base. They operate here within the scope of security and defense agreements with each other and with other countries, including the Maldives.”
Muizzu told Newsweek that his government would seek parliamentary approval if sovereignty was transferred to the Maldives. This is in accordance with the constitution of the Maldives. The goal is to maintain current operations in Diego Garcia unchanged.
The President of the Maldives also explained the reasons why President Trump should choose the Maldives over others. He underlined his country’s strong experience in protecting large sea areas across thousands of ocean miles. The Maldives has never overcrowded, overdeveloped or underprotected its maritime zones. Muizzu promised that they would maintain the same high standards if Chagos joined their borders.
