The original deal, struck by former prime minister Keir Starmer, would have given sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius while maintaining a 99-year lease for the joint UK-US base on Diego Garcia. It has been in limbo since US President Donald Trump voiced his opposition, calling the agreement a terrible deal.
Burnham told the Economist he wanted “a new discussion” with the US over the disputed islands. “We are in discussion with our US friends to see how we might recast the arrangement that better meets their concerns,” he said. Burnham also referred to the recent US-Greenland agreement, saying: “We look at the Greenland deal and obviously there was a solution reached there. Now, maybe there is something there we can take from that to see if there's a solution that works in relation to Diego Garcia. But that is something that we're very engaged on. We're working hard on it, but it is challenging.”
The Chagos Islands are home to the Diego Garcia military base. The original treaty included payments of £165m for three years and £120m annually from the fourth year. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has said the UK suspended payments to Mauritius while the UK and US work on a compromise, telling the BBC: “This deal as it is currently constituted can't go ahead without American support. So we have to get a deal to a place where it commands American support as well as the agreement of the government of Mauritius and our government.”
Under the US-Greenland deal, Greenland will remain a Danish territory but the US will be allowed to develop a significant military presence there, while its adversaries will be banned from building their own bases on the island.
Burnham was speaking on his return from the Commonwealth heads of government summit in Antigua, where Caribbean countries demanded reparations for slavery. He said he had helped move the issue forward by opening the possibility of a government apology. On the upcoming G20 summit in Manchester, Burnham said Russian President Vladimir Putin would be barred due to sanctions, but Chinese President Xi Jinping would be welcome. He also said the UK's “10-year plan” could be delayed until January but would be substantial and, in his view, compelling.