October 6, 2024
2 mins read

UK Govt ‘resolutely committed’ to its overseas territories, says Doughty

Keir Starmer defended the UK relinquishing control of the Chagos Islands …reports Asian Lite News

The UK is “resolutely committed” to all of its overseas territories, the responsible foreign minister said, after Argentina vowed to gain “full sovereignty” of the Falkland Islands. Stephen Doughty said on Saturday that the sovereignty of the territories is “not up for negotiation”.

Keir Starmer defended the UK relinquishing control of the Chagos Islands on Friday and said the agreement with Mauritius over the remote archipelago would achieve the “single most important thing” of securing the long-term future of a joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia, the largest of the islands.

Doughty, minister of state for Europe, North America and overseas territories, wrote on X: “British sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar or any other of our Overseas Territories is not up for negotiation.

“The Chagos Islands are a very different issue with a very different history. The UK remains resolutely committed to all our Overseas Territories.”

Luke Pollard, the armed forces minister, added on X: “UK Armed Forces support our Overseas Territories, protect sovereignty and operational capabilities and our commitment to them remains unwavering and resolute.”

Argentina’s foreign minister, Diana Mondino, promised “concrete action” to ensure that the Falklands, the British-controlled archipelago that Argentina calls the Malvinas and claims as its own, are handed to Buenos Aires.

She said: “Following the path we have already taken, with concrete actions and not empty rhetoric, we will recover full sovereignty over our Malvinas Islands.” The Falklands’ governor, Alison Blake, has already sought to reassure residents that the UK’s commitment to the territory is “unwavering”.

On Friday, Starmer was asked to guarantee that no other British overseas territories would be signed away, and he responded: “The single most important thing was ensuring that we had a secure base, the joint US-UK base; hugely important to the US, hugely important to us.

“We’ve now secured that and that is why you saw such warm words from the US yesterday,” the prime minister added. The agreement over the continued UK-US military presence on Diego Garcia is expected to run for 99 years, for which Britain will pay an annual fee.

ALSO READ: Toddler crushed to death in migrant Channel crossing

Previous Story

Hurricane to bring heavy rain next week 

Next Story

Biden warns Trump may not peacefully concede polls

Latest from -Top News

Uganda’s President Museveni to seek reelection

The upcoming general elections will not only determine the presidency but also see voters elect lawmakers to the national assembly Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni is set to seek reelection for another term

Eritrea seeks to end UN probe into abuses

The mandate in question is held by the Special Rapporteur, a position currently occupied by Sudanese human rights lawyer Mohamed Abdelsalam Babiker In a rare and potentially precedent-setting move, Eritrea is attempting

Alps Turn to ‘Swiss Cheese’

Switzerland’s reliance on glacial runoff for hydroelectric power faces growing risk — as glaciers shrink, short-term water flow may rise, but long-term shortages could threaten energy and water supplies. Switzerland’s glaciers —

Burn Notice for Europe

As summer unfolds, Europe is bracing for what may be the first of many extreme heatwaves. Europe braced for its first major heatwave of the northern hemisphere summer on Saturday, with soaring
Go toTop

Don't Miss

UK announces new tranche of sanctions against Russia  

He said new sanctions accelerate the economic pressure on Russian

Surangon students present Tagore composition in Manchester

The musical production Kalmrigaya – The Fatal Hunt – an