MAURITIUS SOFA AND DIEGO GARCIA: ADDITIONAL REQUEST

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT LOUIS 000020 SIPDIS STATE FOR PM/SNA,PM/ISO,L/PM; LONDON FOR DAO AND POL:CPALMER E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/20/2025 TAGS: PREL MARR PGOV MP SE SUBJECT: MAURITIUS SOFA AND DIEGO GARCIA: ADDITIONAL REQUEST REF: PORT LOUIS 0014 Classified By: CDA BARRIE WALKLEY FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (U) This cable contains two action requests. ¶2. (U) As explained in reftel, Diego Garcia/Chagos is a highly-emotional issue in Mauritius, with the GOM claiming that the archipelago is an integral part of the territory of Mauritius which "the British government illegally excised from Mauritius prior to independence." Unfortunately, our attempts to secure a SOFA with Mauritius have become entangled in the Diego Garcia/Chagos issue. ¶3. (C) Reftel requests information on a U.S. - UK SOFA in order that the Embassy might respond to a GOM diplomatic note. Embassy awaits a State Department response to the request. ¶4. (C) Embassy has an additional action request. In a meeting with the CDA on January 19, Prime Minister Arvin Boolell requested copies of "one or two SOFAS signed with Middle Eastern countries." Other than the SOFA with Iraq (which might not be appropriate in this case),are there US SOFAs with Middle Eastern countries which are in the public domain and which thus might be provided to the GOM? Many SOFAs -- such as those with Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and UAE -- appear to be secret. WALKLEY