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HANSARDSomalilandMy noble friend makes an important point. He is a far more experienced parliamentarian than me, and I am sure that he is able to navigate the powers that be to enable such an…10 Oct 2024HANSARDSomalilandI thank the noble Earl for the approach he has taken to this topic. It is our role to encourage dialogue, but I do not think it is our role to specify what the outcome should be,…10 Oct 2024HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: NegotiationsThe noble Baroness puts it very well and I think she does know why this furore may have erupted. I have said all I need to say about my views on that.09 Oct 2024HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: NegotiationsMy Lords, the treaty will be published very soon, and we will have a chance to properly test it according to the things that are of concern to the noble Lord. I suggest that we…09 Oct 2024HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: NegotiationsWe are watchful; of course we are. But there is nothing in this treaty, however, that leads us to have the kind of concern that has been alluded to. As I have said, the treaty…09 Oct 2024HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: NegotiationsI think it is very important that we allow Chagossians, whether they are first generation or grandchildren, to decide for themselves how they feel about that. They will have the…09 Oct 2024HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: NegotiationsI have been disappointed, as I said in my earlier remarks. We would not have played political games with the sovereignty of our overseas territories, but we have been able to…09 Oct 2024HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: NegotiationsOne of the reasons that it took so long to get this deal over the line was because of concerns such as that, and wanting to make sure that the 99 years are fixed and firm, and it…09 Oct 2024HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: NegotiationsI did not say that we would not disclose what we are putting in the fund for Chagossian resettlement; I said that the Foreign Secretary will make a more detailed statement at the…09 Oct 2024HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: NegotiationsYes; we are not party to that particular treaty, as the noble Lord probably knows, but we are party to some of its annexes. And I can confirm that this treaty is compatible with…09 Oct 2024HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: NegotiationsThe treaty will be legally binding and that is the basis on which we proceed. As to why we did not hold out to get a better deal, there had been quite a lot of holding out and we…09 Oct 2024HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: NegotiationsThat is an important question from the noble Lord. Yes, the agreement will mean that it will not be possible for other foreign states to operate from the other islands, which has…09 Oct 2024HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: NegotiationsI was talking about where we stand legally in that regard, but morally the noble Lord is completely right. The forced removal of the Chagossians at that time was shameful, but we…09 Oct 2024HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: NegotiationsI should probably have been clear about this earlier, but the detail will be in the treaty for noble Lords to see for themselves. The UK will be co-operating alongside Mauritius…09 Oct 2024HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: NegotiationsA fair point. Discussions did take place between our Prime Minister and the Prime Minister in Mauritius.09 Oct 2024HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: NegotiationsMy feelings are neither here nor there. No Government or political party, including my party, have covered themselves in glory on this issue in recent decades and there is no…09 Oct 2024HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: NegotiationsMy noble friend is completely right. On this issue of the legalities, which I am sure will come up, we had a choice. We could wait for the legal tide to come in still further and…09 Oct 2024HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: NegotiationsMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lords, Lord Purvis of Tweed and Lord Callanan, for their remarks. The noble Lord, Lord Callanan, asked me to clarify who is right—me or the…09 Oct 2024HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: NegotiationsThere will be a right to visit Diego Garcia, and it is important that we recognise that. The details of what Mauritius will agree on the rest of the islands will be included in…09 Oct 2024HANSARDBritish Indian Ocean Territory: NegotiationsThe security of the marine conservation area is very important; I think it was Foreign Secretary Miliband who instigated it. We will see it continue, and Mauritius has agreed to…09 Oct 2024