Pope says Britain should obey U.N., return islands, including U.S. base

Pope Francis stands next to his spokesperson Matteo Bruni, as he addresses journalists during his flight from Antananarivo to Rome, after his seven-day pastoral trip to Mozambique, Madagascar, and Mauritius, September 10, 2019. Alessandra Tarantino/Pool via REUTERS

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (Reuters) - Pope Francis said on Tuesday Britain should comply with a U.N. resolution and return a chain of islands it holds in the Indian Ocean to Mauritius, including one rented to the United States for the Diego Garcia air base.

In greetings to various delegations after a Mass on Monday in Mauritius, Francis referred to the archipelago and used the name Chagos Islands, which Britain rules as the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT).