Maldives' asks Burnham to reopen talks over Chagos Islands

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu has written to British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, asking him to reopen talks over the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, a spokesperson said on Tuesday in a statement. The spokesperson said Muizzu was 'deeply disappointed' that Britain did not consult the Maldives when British Prime Minister Keir Starmer agreed to cede sovereignty of the Indian Ocean archipelago to Mauritius. A spokesperson for Britain's foreign office said in a statement: 'We continue to speak to our counterparts in the Maldives on a regular basis about a range of issues. 'However, the question of sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago is a matter for the UK and Mauritius, which is why the previous government launched negotiations with Mauritius on the issue in 2022, rather than with the Maldives.'