Chagos Treaty: UK Prime Minister Seeks New Terms With Washington

Andy Burnham stated he intends to rewrite the United Kingdom's agreement regarding the Chagos Islands following resistance from the United States. The prime minister told the Economist that the government wants a new discussion with Washington over the disputed territory, which hosts the Diego Garcia military base.

The original treaty was negotiated by former prime minister Keir Starmer. It would have transferred sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius while the UK retained control of the joint military base under a 99-year lease. The agreement stipulated that Mauritius would receive £165 million over the first three years and £120 million annually from the fourth year onward.

The deal has stalled since Donald Trump voiced his opposition. During a bilateral meeting with Burnham in New York in September, the US president said, "I don't support it. I think it's a terrible deal." The US suggested the agreement could instead model the terms of its recent deal with Denmark regarding Greenland.

Burnham acknowledged the complexity of the situation. "We are in discussion with our US friends to see how we might recast the arrangement that better meets their concerns," he said. He noted that the Greenland deal offered a potential template. "Maybe there is something there we can take from that to see if there's a solution that works in relation to Diego Garcia," Burnham added. "It is challenging."

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting confirmed that the British government has suspended payments to Mauritius while the UK and US negotiate a compromise. Speaking to the BBC, Streeting said the current deal cannot proceed without American support. The goal is to reach an arrangement that commands support from the US, the government of Mauritius, and the UK.

The US and Denmark reached an agreement over Greenland after months of threats. Under that deal, Greenland remains a Danish territory, but the US gains permission to develop a major military presence. Adversaries of the US are banned from building their own bases on the island.

Burnham made these comments on his return from the Commonwealth heads of government summit in Antigua. Caribbean nations pressed Britain for reparations for slavery during the meeting. Burnham said his government had opened the possibility of an official apology. "I think we have done something, we've achieved something out there," he said.