UK pledges to resolve Diego Garcia base dispute with Mauritius

LONDON — Prime Minister Andy Burnham held talks with Mauritian counterpart Navin Ramgoolam on Monday, signalling London's willingness to work towards settling the long-running disagreement over Diego Garcia's sovereignty and the presence of the military base on the strategically important atoll.

The commitment comes amid renewed diplomatic efforts to address Mauritius's longstanding claim to the territory. The Indian Ocean island has served as a joint military facility for British and American forces for decades, a presence Mauritius views as a violation of its territorial sovereignty.

The exact details of the talks and proposed timeline for resolving the dispute were not immediately disclosed. However, Burnham's engagement with Ramgoolam suggests a shift in approach from the previous British government on the contentious issue.

Diego Garcia remains one of the most sensitive geopolitical issues in the region, with implications for maritime security, territorial integrity, and Cold War-era military arrangements. The U.S. military presence on the atoll is considered strategically critical for operations across the Indian Ocean and Middle East.