British sovereignty of Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands is just not up for negotiation, the prime minister’s spokesman has stated.
Questions over the federal government’s dedication to sustaining the British abroad territories as a part of the UK have been raised after the federal government introduced on Thursday it was handing the Chagos Islands over to Mauritius.
Sir Keir Starmer’s official spokesman stated the federal government was ruling out negotiations over Gibraltar, claimed by Spain, and the Falkland Islands, claimed by Argentina.
“There is no question about British sovereignty of those two, it is not up for negotiation,” he stated.
Nonetheless, Sir Keir’s spokesman stated: “The Falklands is not up for discussion – that remains our position.
“Chagos is a singular scenario with a singular historical past, it has no bearing on different territories.”
Gibraltar’s chief minister Fabian Picardo said the UK’s decision on the Chagos Islands has “no attainable learn throughout” to Gibraltar as the situations “are fully totally different”.
Falkland Islands governor Alison Blake stated the UK authorities’s dedication to the islanders’ UK sovereignty was “unwavering” and “remains undiminished”.
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Argentina claims the Falkland Islands within the south Atlantic as its personal. Pic: PA
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The UK-US navy base on Diego Garcia, the most important Chagos island, will stay. Pic: Reuters
Sir Keir’s spokesman stated the previous Conservative authorities had carried out 11 rounds of negotiations over the Chagos Islands since 2022 and the federal government had picked them up and reached an settlement.
The archipelago between Mauritius and India had been on the centre of a 50-year dispute after Mauritius gained independence from the UK in 1968 however the Chagos Islands didn’t.
Mauritius has been making an attempt to assert the Chagos Islands since then however the UK has resisted because it has a key naval assist base with the US on the most important island, Diego Garcia.
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Chagossians ‘really feel betrayed once more’
The native Chagossians had been expelled from the islands for the bottom to be constructed, with most going to Mauritius or the Seychelles, and about 3,500 coming to the UK since 2002.
Below the brand new deal, the navy base will stay beneath UK and US jurisdiction for at the least the subsequent 99 years.
Senior Conservatives criticised the choice as they concern it may grant China a foothold within the Indian Ocean as Beijing is closely invested in Mauritius.
However Sir Keir’s spokesman stated the deal settles the authorized challenges, contested sovereignty and worldwide courtroom tribunals.
A protest was going down exterior parliament immediately by Chagossians who’re indignant they weren’t included within the talks for his or her homeland’s sovereignty.
