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Chagos fears rise as Mauritius pledges closer links to Russia - THE TELEGRAPH
BY Tony Diver
Mauritius and Russia have agreed to strengthen their relationship on fishing and “marine research”, raising fresh fears over the UK’s decision to give away the Chagos islands.
Representatives of the two countries met in Port Louis, the Mauritian capital, on Friday and agreed to work more closely together on marine issues.
The talks have alarmed some in the UK, who point out that Mauritius will soon gain control of the Chagos islands, where there is a strategic British-American military base.
Sir Keir Starmer has agreed to sign away sovereignty of the archipelago and lease back Diego Garcia, the largest of the islands, that hosts the base.
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The Government says the deal, which will cost the UK a reported £9 billion over 100 years, will give the military base “security” from legal threats by Mauritius, which has long claimed the islands.
Critics say it will allow Mauritian allies to build listening posts around Diego Garcia, compromising the security of the base.
On Friday concerns were heightened further after a meeting between Oksana Nikolaevna Lut, the Russian agriculture minister, and Arvin Boolell, her Mauritian counterpart.
The Mauritian government said the pair discussed their “commitment to advancing cooperation in agriculture, research, irrigation, and fisheries, and building on a longstanding partnership with a shared focus on sustainable development”.
Mr Boolell also visited a historic Russian sailing ship moored in Mauritius, and described the trip as an “opportunity to deepen collaboration in key sectors, including agriculture, irrigation, and marine research”.
Once the transfer of the Chagos islands is complete, Mauritius will control fishing rights in the area, and be responsible for marine conservation.
It comes after The Telegraph reported a similar meeting between the Mauritian prime minister and the Chinese ambassador on Thursday.
Dame Priti Patel, the shadow foreign secretary, said the close ties between Russia and Mauritius raised fresh concerns about the Chagos deal.
“It is inconceivable that a Government whose first concern and priority has to be the defence of the realm would give away one of the most important strategic and military assets we hold to a country which cosies up to a deal with Russia,” she told The Telegraph.
“We simply cannot afford to gamble in any way with our national security and defence and Mauritius’s collaboration with Russia, a country responsible for a war on European soil, sums up how catastrophic this knee-bending Labour government is.
“Britain’s standing in the world is being crushed by Labour’s disregard of our national interest.”
Ministers insist that the Chagos deal will contain security guarantees that would prevent spying by foreign powers and point to support for the deal by the Trump administration.
The final terms of the agreement, which have not been made public, were expected to be published earlier this month.
But government sources said the announcement had been delayed amid nervousness in Downing Street about how it would be received by MPs.
Downing Street maintains that it will provide “legal certainty” that will allow the military base to continue to operate.
