President Mohamed Muizzu has said that Mauritius cut diplomatic ties with the Maldives because it is "immature" and "naive."
Meeting reporters for the first time in ten months, Muizzu criticised Mauritius' President Dharambeer Gokhool.
"Mauritius' decision to cut diplomatic ties with the Maldives is very immature and naive. That decision does not change the reality. Even if they cut diplomatic ties with the Maldives, if Mauritius does not deserve sovereignty [over Chagos], they will not deserve sovereignty," Muizzu stated.
He added that Mauritius cut ties with the Maldives "without consultation." Muizzu repeatedly said that the Maldives' stance on claiming sovereignty over Chagos would never change.
"If any country hands over Chagos, it should be handed over to the rightful owner [the Maldives]. So that fact will not change even if a country cuts ties with this country. The decision was made without consultation. Very naive. Very immature. Our stand will not change. We will go forward with the Maldives first policy," Muizzu said.
Despite Muizzu's remarks, his administration was the first to take action without consultation. He rejected the demarcation of the border and ordered the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) to seize the territory given to Mauritius by the International Court of Justice.
On February 5, President Mohamed Muizzu announced that he would not accept the decision by the international courts to demarcate the border between the two countries.
“Referring to the archipelagic base points in the Maritime Areas Act, I conclude that the SEZ is the area already defined in the law, including the demarcated marine area and declare it in the presence of you, Honorable Members of Parliament,” Muizzu said in his third presidential address at the opening session of the People's Majlis.
The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) later announced that it had taken control of the area.
Chagos is a British military base. Britain agreed last year to hand over sovereignty to Mauritius. Mauritius claims sovereignty over Chagos because about 2,000 Chagossians were sent to Mauritius to build the military base.
In 2021, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Seas (ITLOS) ruled that the UK does not have sovereignty over the Chagos. At the time, ITLOS also demarcated the Maldives' border to the south.
Some historical documents mention that former Maldivian Sultans included the Chagos Islands under the Maldives.
The UK agreed to give Mauritius sovereignty over the Chagos and to lease the land for the military base for USD 100 million a year. US President Donald Trump recently criticised the deal.
