Mauritian Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth will present the Chagos Archipelago issue at the UN General Assembly Summit on Refugees and Migrants, to be held in New York on September 19.
Speaking in Port-Louis, the Mauritian capital, Jugnauth expressed his determination to pursue the issue, in order to bring forth the claim of the Chagos Archipelago’s sovereignty by Mauritius at the UN General Assembly.
He said that the mission he is leading to the UN headquarters in New York was “a crucial one”, stating that he will seek referral by the UN General Assembly on the matter to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
He said that Mauritius does not recognize the so-called “British Indian Ocean Territory” (Chagos Archipelago) claim by the United Kingdom.
The prime minister also reiterated his full support to Mauritian citizens of Chagos origin in their struggle for resettlement in the Chagos Archipelago, noting that, Mauritius has a strong case with the support and solidarity of other countries on the matter.
It will be recalled that in a Joint Press Statement by the British High Commission and the US Embassy in Port-Louis released in June, both the UK and US said the Chagos archipelago belonged to the British since 1814.
They further said that the use of these islands for joint UK-US defense purposes was established in 1966 and neither the UK nor the US recognizes the Mauritian claim to sovereignty of that territory.
The UK has made binding undertakings to cede it to Mauritius when it is no longer required for defense purposes.
The US and the UK also added that, the defense purposes contribute significantly towards global security, and are central to efforts at countering regional threats, including terrorism and piracy and that Mauritius, the UK, and the US derive considerable benefit from current security arrangements.
Mauritius had reiterated its legitimate sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago including the Island of Diego Garcia which was detached by the UK from the territory of Mauritius prior to its independence.
The persons of Mauritian origin who were displaced from the Chagos Archipelago continue to claim redress for the serious human rights violations they endured, and the Mauritian government has supported their efforts to seek redress.
The Mauritian government also called on the French government to work towards the resolution of the Tromelin Island over which Mauritius has sovereignty.
The Chagos Archipelago or Chagos Islands (formerly the Bassas de Chagas, and later the Oil Islands) is a group of seven atolls comprising more than 60 individual tropical islands in the Indian Ocean about 500 kilometers south of the Maldives archipelago.
Source PANA
