Mauritius is “overestimating its hand” with its increasing financial demands to secure the Chagos Islands, a former high-ranking official has cautioned.
Former head of the UK’s Diplomatic Service Simon McDonald advised the UK government to maintain a strong stance.
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But Mauritius has reportedly
The BBC Radio 4’s Today program suggests that the Mauritian government is overstating its position.
Some might be prompted to change after seeing the previous government’s accomplishments, having seen the efforts made just a couple of months ago in Mauritius, for example.
The new government in Mauritius, particularly in Port Louis, is essentially asking for a substantial increase in the amount they receive from the UK, rather than making any modifications to the existing agreements.
It appears to me that they are overextending themselves, and ultimately may not achieve their goals.
Lord McDonald advised the British government to “continue negotiations” and not to give in to the demand for additional funding.
Mauritian PM Navin Ramgoolam has a presence in office, but the other newcomer he faces is the presence of President Trump.
Get ready for disappointment because it’s only three weeks until the inauguration, and you won’t have to wait long to see that his situation gets no better once a new president takes office.
Lord McDonald, now sitting as a crossbench peer, stated that the UK would not be pressured into following Mauritius’s current approach.
‘If there is no consensus, this may drag on for many more years, and if it continues, the Mauritian people will face considerable delay, presumably getting no resolution in the end.’
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The decision was made before the elections in both Mauritius and the United States and several high-ranking officials within the recently formed Trump government have expressed reservations about it.
President Ramgoolam stated that the current draft agreement would not yield the advantages the nation had anticipated, and that talks have resumed.
The United Kingdom and Mauritius have jointly stated an intention to swiftly conclude negotiations regarding the return of the Chagos Islands.
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