The House of Lords
International Agreements Committee
has today published its report on the UK-Mauritius
Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego
Garcia.
The Agreement recognises Mauritian
sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean,
which is currently administered as the British Indian Ocean
Territory, an overseas territory of the UK. The UK and US operate
a joint military base on Diego Garcia. The Committee agrees with
the Government that securing the long-term effective operation of
this vital UK strategic asset is critical. The Committee has not
heard any substantial disagreement with the Government's
proposition that the Agreement protects the ability of the UK and
US to operate The Base - at least for so long as the Agreement
remains in force. The fact that the US Government supports the
Agreement is significant.
The Committee concludes that while the
Agreement is not perfect, if it is not ratified, Mauritius is
likely to resume its campaign to obtain a legally binding
judgment on sovereignty against the UK, which the Committee has
heard detailed evidence on. It has further heard that any
international court looking at this issue would be unlikely to
find in favour of the UK.
The report has taken into account the
views of the Chagossian community. The Committee regrets that
members of the Chagossian community feel that their interests
were not sufficiently taken account of in the negotiation of this
Agreement and notes the regrettable perception that Chagossian
interests have been subordinated to the national interests of the
UK. It calls on the Government to engage with Mauritius to
establish a programme of resettlement of the islands, including
for members of the Chagossian community currently based in the
UK, and says that more could have been done in the Agreement in
relation to the employment of Chagossians at The Base on Diego
Garcia.
The report calls on the Government to
clarify how Chagossians will be consulted in the administration
of the Trust Fund capitalised by the UK Government for the
benefit of the Chagossian community, and asks whether Chagossians
based in the UK will benefit from this fund. Similarly, the
report calls on the Government to clarify what oversight and
accountability mechanisms will be put in place to ensure
transparency and the equitable and effective allocation of the
development grant to be paid to Mauritius to fund economic
development and welfare projects for the benefit of Mauritius and
its people.
, Chair of the International
Agreements Committee
said:
““Like all treaties, the Agreement
reflects a compromise between the views of the two Parties. In
particular, the cost to the UK taxpayer is high and the Agreement
does not guarantee that Chagossians can return to the islands.
There is no guarantee the Agreement will be extended after the
initial 99 year term.
“However, the UK cannot ignore the
Advisory Opinion from the International Court of Justice which
found that the Chagos Archipelago had been unlawfully detached
from Mauritius at the time of its independence in the 1960s. If
the Agreement is not ratified there would be a greater risk from
the adverse ruling of an international court to the future of the
military base.
"the very limited time the Committee
has had to take evidence and scrutinise the controversial and
complex treaty illustrates why the current arrangements for
scrutiny by Parliament of treaties made by the Executive are
seriously deficient. It is time for
change."
The full report is available to read
on the Committee's website.
The House of Lords
International Relations and Defence Committee
will also be publishing a letter
tomorrow on this issue to the Secretary of State for Foreign,
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, The Rt Hon MP.
