ATHENS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th May, 2019) The United Kingdom does not recognize Mauritius' claims over the Chagos Archipelago and is disappointed that the issue had been referred to the UN General Assembly and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) without its consent, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office told the Cypriot CNA news agency.
In a Wednesday vote at the UN General Assembly, London managed to secure just six votes in its favor over a non-binding motion submitted by Mauritius giving the United Kingdom six months to relinquish control of the Chagos islands, a territory it has retained effective control over since granting Mauritius independence.
Asked to comment on the resolution, the UK Foreign Office spokesperson mentioned "wide-reaching implications" for all UN members and referred to the basic principle under which the ICJ should not consider bilateral disputed without the consent of both sides.
The spokesman added that joint US-UK military sites, located in the Indian Ocean, helped ensure security and helped fight against organized crime and piracy.
The United Kingdom retained possession of the Chagos archipelago following Mauritius's successful bid for independence in 1968. The largest island, Diego Garcia, was then home to around 1,500 people, all of whom were ultimately dispossessed by the UK authorities, at times by force, in order to make way for the construction of a still operational US military facility.
Mauritius claims it was pressured by the then-UK government into giving up the islands, arguing such an act was carried out in violation of the UN Resolution 1514, which forbids the "partial or total disruption of the national unity and the territorial integrity of a country" as a result of colonization.
