Britain is shelving its plan to hand back the Chagos Islands -- which hosts the strategic Diego Garcia US-UK military base -- according to a government spokesperson Saturday, following strong opposition from US President Donald Trump.
"We have always said we would only proceed with the deal if it has US support" the spokesman said in a statement, as reports said legislation to return the Indian Ocean archipelago to Mauritius was due to run out of time in parliament.
kAm%CF>A :? y2?F2CJ =2D965 @FE 2E H92E 96 42==65 {@?5@?VD Q8C62E DEFA:5:EJQ @G6C E96 562=]k^Am
kAm{2DE |2JVD r928@D 28C66>6?E H@F=5 92G6 D66? qC:E2:? 92?5 E96 2C49:A6=28@ \\ D@>6 a[___ <:=@>6EC6D W`[a__ >:=6DX ?@CE962DE @7 |2FC:E:FD \\ E@ :ED 7@C>6C 4@=@?J 2?5 A2J E@ =62D6 s:68@ v2C4:2[ E96 =2C86DE :D=2?5[ H9:49 :D 9@>6 E@ E96 >:=:E2CJ 32D6[ 7@C 2 46?EFCJ]k^Am
kAmQs:68@ v2C4:2 :D 2 <6J DEC2E68:4 >:=:E2CJ 2DD6E 7@C 3@E9 E96 &z 2?5 E96 &$] t?DFC:?8 :ED =@?8\E6C> @A6C2E:@?2= D64FC:EJ :D 2?5 H:== 4@?E:?F6 E@ 36 @FC AC:@C:EJ – :E :D E96 6?E:C6 C62D@? 7@C E96 562=[Q E96 s@H?:?8 $EC66E DA@<6DA6CD@? 25565]k^Am
kAm“(6 2C6 4@?E:?F:?8 E@ 6?8286 H:E9 E96 &$ 2?5 |2FC:E:FD]Qk^Am
kAm%CF>A 925 6?5@CD65 E96 562= 27E6C :E H2D D:8?65 3FE E96? =2F?4965 2 D42E9:?8 2EE24< @? :E :? %CFE9 $@4:2= 4@>>6?ED :? y2?F2CJ]k^Am
kAmQ%96 &?:E65 z:?85@>[ :D 4FCC6?E=J A=2??:?8 E@ 8:G6 2H2J E96 xD=2?5 @7 s:68@ v2C4:2]]] 7@C ?@ C62D@? H92ED@G6C[Q 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAmQ%96C6 :D ?@ 5@F3E E92E r9:?2 2?5 #FDD:2 92G6 ?@E:465 E9:D 24E @7 E@E2= H62<?6DD[Q 96 D2:5[ 255:?8 E92E :E D9@H65 H9J E96 &$ ?66565 E@ 4@?BF6C vC66?=2?5 7C@> 2==J s6?>2C<]k^Am
kAms:68@ v2C4:2 H2D @?6 @7 EH@ 32D6D H9:49 E96 &z 2==@H65 E96 &$ E@ FD6 7@C H92E E96 qC:E:D9 8@G6C?>6?E :?D:DE65 H6C6 Q5676?D:G6 @A6C2E:@?DQ :? :ED H2C 282:?DE xC2?]k^Am
k9am\ hh\J62C =62D6 \k^9am
kAm$E2C>6C 92D AC6G:@FD=J :?D:DE65 E92E :?E6C?2E:@?2= =682= CF=:?8D 92G6 AFE qC:E2:?VD @H?6CD9:A @7 E96 r928@D :? 5@F3E 2?5 @?=J 2 562= H:E9 |2FC:E:FD H@F=5 8F2C2?E66 E92E E96 32D6 C6>2:?D 7F?4E:@?2=]k^Am
kAmv@G6C?>6?E @77:4:2=D 4:E65 3J E96 qqr D2:5 E96 28C66>6?E H2D ?@E 36:?8 6?E:C6=J 232?5@?65]k^Am
kAmqFE E96J D2:5 E96 =68:D=2E:@? F?56CA:??:?8 :E H@F=5 ?@E A2DD 367@C6 A2C=:2>6?E :D 5:DD@=G65 :? 4@>:?8 H66<D 2?5 2 ?6H r928@D 3:== :D ?@E 6IA64E65 E@ 36 AFE 7@CH2C5]k^Am
kAmqC:E2:? <6AE 4@?EC@= @7 E96 r928@D xD=2?5D 27E6C |2FC:E:FD 82:?65 :?56A6?56?46 :? E96 `he_D]k^Am
kAmxE 6G:4E65 E9@FD2?5D @7 r928@D :D=2?56CD H9@ 92G6 D:?46 >@F?E65 2 D6C:6D @7 =682= 4=2:>D 7@C 4@>A6?D2E:@? :? qC:E:D9 4@FCED]k^Am
kAmx? a_`h[ E96 x?E6C?2E:@?2= r@FCE @7 yFDE:46 C64@>>6?565 E92E qC:E2:? 92?5 E96 2C49:A6=28@ E@ |2FC:E:FD]k^Am
kAm%96 562= H@F=5 92G6 8:G6? qC:E2:? 2 hh\J62C =62D6 @7 E96 32D6[ H:E9 E96 @AE:@? E@ 6IE6?5]k^Am
kAm%96 &z 8@G6C?>6?E 92D ?@E D2:5 9@H >F49 E96 =62D6 H@F=5 4@DE 3FE 92D 72:=65 E@ 56?J E92E :E H@F=5 36 £h_ >:==:@? WS``` >:==:@?X 2 J62C]k^Am
kAm92C^8Gk^Am
