Member

The fact is that, today, all 60 of these islands of immense geostrategic importance are under the sovereignty of a nuclear power with a navy. But, if we pass the Bill and enable the implementation of the Mauritius treaty, every one of them will pass to the sovereignty of a country that cannot even get there under its own steam for a flag-raising ceremony. This, incidentally, is why Article 6 of the treaty only references in principle the possibility of the resettlement of the islands: it would plainly be impossible for Mauritius to settle the islands if it cannot even get there for the flag-raising ceremony.