A former Rear Admiral has delivered a scathing assessment of the Chagos Islands agreement, calling it “strategically illiterate”.
Speaking on GB News, Rear Admiral Chris Parry said: “When the announcement came out, I was absolutely flabbergasted.
“I think it probably is caused more by a government that wants to display its decolonization and ideological credentials than any strategic sense.
“Even if we are able to lease the Diego Garcia Island with its fantastic air and naval base, um, the rest of the Chagos can be covered by other nations, navy’s and air forces.
Chris Parry blasted it as an “absolute disgrace “
GB News
“It’s also the biggest marine protected area in the world, and it won’t be long before you see Chinese fishing vessels and other predatory industries going in there.
“It is an amazing surrender of British overseas island territory. Of course, it’s given encouragement to other chances like the people in Argentina and the Spanish with Gibraltar.
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“It was a terrible message to send out that we’re prepared to give up sovereign territory.”
Donald Trump’s appointment of China hawks to key positions has raised fresh questions about Britain’s controversial deal.
The President-elect has named Mike Waltz, a former Green Beret, as his National Security Adviser, praising him as an “expert on the threats posed by China, Russia, Iran, and global terrorism”.
Trump has also appointed Senator Marco Rubio as Secretary of State, with both men having previously voiced strong opposition to the UK’s planned handover of the British Indian Ocean Territory.
The Chagos Islands were discussed in Parliament todayFlickr
Parry added: “The Americans are right. It is the most important island base in the world.
“It links the whole of the Indian Ocean during two Gulf Wars. Most of the American reinforcements from the Pacific going for to the Gulf went through Diego Garcia.
“For the best part of 30 years, we’ve had a number of stocks there, both ammunition and logistics stocks, that sit in a supply ships in the in the lagoon itself.
“I’ve been there several times. It’s an amazing base.
Parry said that Maritius has no rights over the islands
GB News
“To give it up I’m afraid, to a country that has had no claim whatsoever to these islands, and to disregard the rights of the self-determining Chagos Islands is an absolute disgrace.”
Waltz has previously issued stark warnings about Chinese influence in the region.
He recently said: “Should the UK cede control of the Chagos to Mauritius, I have no doubt that China will take advantage of the resulting vacuum.”
Waltz urged American officials to “work with your UK counterparts to ensure that our countries retain control of Diego Garcia, as well as make certain that China is prohibited from militarising any of the other islands in the Chagos Archipelago”.