UK cedes Chagos Island sovereignty to Mauritius, retains Diego Garcia airbase

An undated file photo shows Diego Garcia, the largest island in the Chagos archipelago and site of a major United States military base in the middle of the Indian Ocean leased from Britain in 1966. REUTERS/HO/U.S. Navy

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain said on Thursday it would give up sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius in a deal that would allow people displaced decades ago to return home while London retained use of the important UK-U.S. military base on Diego Garcia.

Britain said that the operation of Diego Garcia, a strategic airbase in the Indian Ocean jointly operated with the United States, was protected by the agreement, which also allows Mauritius to resettle the rest of the islands after its population was displaced.