Maldives' Muizzu asks UK PM Burnham to reopen talks over Chagos Islands sovereignty


Maldives' President Mohamed Muizzu attends the United Nations climate change conference COP29, in Baku, Azerbaijan November 12, 2024. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

LONDON, Sept ⁠8 (Reuters) - Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu ⁠has written to British Prime Minister ‌Andy Burnham, asking him to reopen talks over the sovereignty of the Chagos ​Islands, a spokesperson said ⁠on Tuesday in ⁠a statement.

The spokesperson said Muizzu was "deeply disappointed" ⁠that ‌Britain did not consult the Maldives when British ⁠Prime Minister Keir Starmer agreed to ​cede ‌sovereignty of the Indian Ocean archipelago ⁠to ​Mauritius.

A spokesperson for Britain's foreign office said in a statement: "We continue to ⁠speak to our counterparts ​in the Maldives on a regular basis about a range of issues.

"However, ⁠the question of sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago is a matter for the UK and Mauritius, which ​is why the ⁠previous government launched negotiations with Mauritius ​on the issue ‌in 2022, rather than ​with the Maldives."

(Reporting by Sam Tobin; editing by William James)

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Others Also Read