Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06LONDON7107
2006-10-03 15:43:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy London
Cable title:  

MAURITIAN HICOM PRESSES AGAIN FOR CHAGOS TREATY

Tags:  MARR PREL MP UK IO 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0028
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLO #7107 2761543
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 031543Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY LONDON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9500
INFO RUEHPL/AMEMBASSY PORT LOUIS PRIORITY 0103
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JCS WASHDC PRIORITY
RUVNSAO/NAVSUPPFAC DIEGO GARCIA PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 007107 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR AF/E, EUR/UBI, AND PM/ISO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/29/2016
TAGS: MARR PREL MP UK IO
SUBJECT: MAURITIAN HICOM PRESSES AGAIN FOR CHAGOS TREATY

REF: A. LONDON 3980

B. PORT LOUIS 271

C. PORT LOUIS 288

Classified By: Ambassador Robert H. Tuttle, reasons 1.4, b/d.

C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 007107

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR AF/E, EUR/UBI, AND PM/ISO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/29/2016
TAGS: MARR PREL MP UK IO
SUBJECT: MAURITIAN HICOM PRESSES AGAIN FOR CHAGOS TREATY

REF: A. LONDON 3980

B. PORT LOUIS 271

C. PORT LOUIS 288

Classified By: Ambassador Robert H. Tuttle, reasons 1.4, b/d.


1. (U) This is an action request; see para 4.


2. (C) The Mauritian High Commissioner in London has
approached the Ambassador again asking the U.S. to press the
UK to negotiate a treaty with Mauritius that would give
sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago's outer islands (i.e.
not Diego Garcia) to Mauritius. During this encounter on the
margins of the UK Labour Party's September party conference,
the Mauritian HiCom did not indicate whether he thought the
treaty should be a bilateral treaty (UK-Mauritius) or
trilateral (UK-U.S.-Mauritius). The Ambassador told the
Mauritian HiCom that sovereignty of the islands is a
UK-Mauritian issue and not one for the U.S. to involve itself
in. (Comment: The HiCom apparently realizes that, given U.S.
security interests there, no agreement is possible without at
least tacit U.S. approval. End Comment.)


3. (C) HMG tells us it was surprised that, at a recent bilat
between FCO Minister Lord Triesman and Mauritian FM Dulloo on
the margins of UNGA, the subject of the Chagos Islands and
Diego Garcia was never brought up. This was the second time
HMG has granted a high level meeting to senior Mauritian
officials at the request of the Mauritian Ambassador here to
discuss these issues, and the second time the issue was never
raised. FCO contacts believe the Mauritian ambassador in
London may be out in front of his own government on this
issue. Per ref A, FCO has reaffirmed to us its position that
it would be extremely ill advised to open negotiations with
Mauritius over sovereignty of the islands while locked in an
ongoing legal battle with the Chagossians who want to
repopulate the islands, but under British sovereignty.


4. (C) Embassy requests guidance for use in the event the
Mauritian HiCom raises the issue with the Ambassador again.

Visit London's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/london/index. cfm
Tuttle