Speculation is rife that U.S. President Donald Trump might block an agreement between Britain and Mauritius to resolve their long-running dispute over the Chagos Archipelago in the central Indian Ocean.

The UK must hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, even if Donald Trump scuttles the current proposed agreement, the Mauritian prime minister has said. Navin Ramgoolam has demanded that deal or no deal, the Chagos Islands should return to Mauritian control.

UK Halts Chagos Islands Deal as US Review Looms The UK government has paused its plans to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. The decision comes as the US prepares to review the implications of the deal for its key military base,

Britain’s government has confirmed that it will not finalize a deal to hand over sovereignty of the contested Chagos Islands to Mauritius until President-elect Donald Trump’s administration is consulted.

Britain's foreign secretary David Lammy said it was right that the new U.S. administration has the chance to review a deal with Mauritius over the future of a U.S.-British military base in the Indian Ocean.

The UK plans to hand over the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius then lease back the strategically important military base on Diego Garcia, which is used by the US, at a reported cost of £90 million a year.

Britain struck a deal in October to hand over the Chagos Islands while retaining control of the base on Diego Garcia, the largest island of the archipelago in the Indian Ocean, un

Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam criticised the deal and described Britain’s agreement the government before his as a ‘sell out’.