Maldives’ Muizzu has deal for Trump amid US-UK dispute over control of island bases. This is what he offers
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Maldives’ Muizzu has deal for Trump amid US-UK dispute over control of island bases. This is what he offers")
Image for representation Photograph: (AFP)
Maldives offers US continued Diego Garcia base access if Chagos shifts from UK to Maldives, challenging UK-Mauritius deal, as Trump raises national security concerns over Indian Ocean control dynamics geopolitics.
The United States and the United Kingdom are currently in a dispute over the control of islands hosting at remote locations. Amid this, an island nation, the Maldives, has extended an offer to the American President Donald Trump. The Maldives President, Mohamed Muizzu, has said he is ready to work on an "arrangement" via which the US would continue its presence at Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia. But in return, the Maldives must get control of the Chagos Archipelago, a UK-held Indian Ocean territory. London is currently planning to transfer the territory to another island nation, Mauritius.
The deal between the UK and Mauritius was confirmed last year - and was supported by Trump. But now, the American president voiced opposition, citing national security concerns. Although Mauritius has claimed that the US and UK would have the privilege to maintain operations on the territory.
Talking to Newsweek, Muizzu said, “President Trump clearly seeks to protect and secure the continuation of the use of Chagos for the US Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia."
“Currently, under British ownership, the UK and the US can operate from the Diego Garcia base freely according to their various security and defence alliances with each other and many other countries, including the Maldives," Muizzu told the outlet, adding: “Under a transfer of sovereignty to the Maldives, the government of Maldives would seek approval through our parliament as per our constitution, to facilitate the continuation of the status quo."
Muizzu even explained why Trump should consider the Maldives for this arrangement. He said that his country has the "greatest experience" in maintaining marine conservation areas across thousands of miles of ocean. "We have never overpopulated, overdeveloped, or under-protected marine conservation zones within our current borders - and we would not do so should those borders be expanded to include Chagos," the leader told.
