British PM Andy Burnham wants to 'renegotiate' the Mauritius deal on the Chagos Islands

The Prime Minister has announced his intention to change the terms of the deal

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he wants to 'renegotiate the agreement' between the UK and Mauritius on the transfer of sovereignty over the Chagos Islands. He said this in an interview with The Economist, as reported by Hugo Guy, the journalist who conducted the conversation. Burnham did not disclose the nature of the proposed changes. According to him, the agreement between the US and Denmark on Greenland could serve as a possible model for the Diego Garcia base.

What the current agreement provides for

The agreement reached by the government of former Prime Minister Keir Starmer provides for the transfer of sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while preserving UK and US access to the Diego Garcia military base for at least 99 years. Starmer's government justified the deal by the need to ensure the future operation of the strategically important base amid concerns that international courts could rule British sovereignty claims unlawful.

Political pressure surrounding the deal

The fate of the agreement is surrounded by uncertainty: US President Donald Trump initially supported it, but then withdrew his support after Britain refused to back his war against Iran. British right-wing politicians, including Nigel Farage, also opposed the deal. Meanwhile, Burnham met with Mauritian Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam on the sidelines of the Commonwealth summit. According to Downing Street, he emphasised his readiness to work with Mauritius and the US on a path that would ensure the operation of the Diego Garcia base and the protection of the national security of all three countries. The parties agreed to work on a joint plan for further progress by the end of the year.

Other foreign policy topics: the G20 and China

In the same interview, Burnham said he would not invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to the G20 summit in Manchester next year, but expressed hope for the participation of Chinese President Xi Jinping. He recalled Xi's visit to Manchester in 2015 and noted that he would 'see a big difference' in the city, which has developed in part thanks to Chinese investment. Burnham called future economic cooperation with Beijing a potential model for bilateral relations: 'We are proceeding carefully, but I am confident there is a real opportunity there.'