Mauritius to sue UK for delay in Chagos island deal

Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam has said that Mauritius is planning to sue the UK for an impediment in ratifying the Chagos Island deal.

"We are exploring legal avenues in the Chagos case," Ramgoolam told the Defi Media newspaper on Thursday, adding that the government had begun consulting international law firms while awaiting the Indian Ocean territory's formal transfer.

Ramgoolam held ministerial talks earlier this week, where perceived delays by the UK were raised in implementing the Chagos agreement.

If ratified, the deal would see the UK hand over ownership of the Indian Ocean territory to Mauritius and lease back the Diego Garcia military base on the archipelago.

The deal was thrown into uncertainty, however, after UK Foreign Office Minister Hamish Falconer said Britain was pausing the process because of discussions with the US in February.