Strategic Island Agreement Returns to Workshop for Additional Strategicness
LONDON -- The British government is reviewing its Chagos Islands agreement after renewed criticism from US President Donald Trump, reopening debate over sovereignty, security and the strategically important Diego Garcia base.
The existing arrangement involved transferring sovereignty to Mauritius while retaining long-term use of Diego Garcia. Financial Times report on the UK review of the Chagos agreement For related political satire, see Political Satire UK.
International diplomacy is complicated because every agreement has three stages.
Negotiation.
Announcement.
Someone important saying, "You did WHAT?"
Then everybody returns to negotiation.
The Chagos debate contains enough geopolitics to require several maps, international lawyers and at least one person whose job title includes the word "strategic."
The ordinary public hears "Diego Garcia" and vaguely remembers there is an island somewhere containing an airfield.
Governments hear "Diego Garcia" and immediately become extremely awake.
Military bases do this.
You can propose transferring an empty rock and nobody answers the telephone.
Put bombers on the rock and suddenly four capitals schedule meetings.
The British government's review shows why diplomatic agreements should perhaps come with online-shopping features.
Your sovereignty transfer has been dispatched.
Track package.
Change delivery.
Cancel within 30 days.
"Reason for return?"
Wrong size
Duplicate order
Strategic ally furious
Trump's objection has added American pressure to a debate already involving Britain and Mauritius.
The result is international diplomacy behaving exactly like a family trying to divide inherited property.
Mauritius: "That belongs to us."
Britain: "We agree, although we need the garage."
United States: "Nobody is touching the garage."
International lawyer: "I charge by the hour."
Diego Garcia's strategic significance means the issue is far more serious than this domestic analogy, but the analogy remains irresistible because nations frequently behave like homeowners discussing an easement.
"We recognise your title to the garden."
"Fine."
"But we require uninterrupted aircraft access through the hydrangeas for 99 years."
The fascinating British habit is calling such moments "reviews."
A review sounds calm.
Measured.
Administrative.
Nobody panics during a review.
A review is simply government language for taking the document into another room and staring at it harder.
Officials may eventually preserve, revise or replace elements of the arrangement.
Whatever the outcome, expect extensive reassurance that Britain's strategic interests remain fully protected.
Governments always say strategic interests are fully protected.
Nobody announces:
"Good afternoon. We have accidentally misplaced the Indian Ocean."
The opposition, allies and various experts will continue debating costs, legal principles and military security.
The public will continue discovering geography through crisis.
This may be Britain's greatest educational programme.
Nobody remembers islands from school.
Then diplomacy goes wrong and suddenly everybody becomes Professor Archipelago.
Britain once controlled enormous territories around the planet.
Modern Britain spends considerably more time negotiating exactly which pieces it still needs access to.
History does have a sense of humour.
The sun once never set on the British Empire.
Today the Foreign Office would simply like everyone to initial page 47 concerning runway usage. https://prat.uk/?p=49133
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