Mauritius Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam has questioned the duration of the lease on a U.S.-British military base, he told a local newspaper, a contentious element of negotiations in which the UK plans to cede control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.

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,