- Maldives president Mohamed Muizzu has written to prime minister Andy Burnham requesting the reopening of talks regarding the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands .
- President Muizzu expressed deep disappointment that the Maldives was not consulted when former prime minister Keir Starmer agreed to cede the Indian Ocean archipelago to Mauritius.
- The UK government previously agreed to transfer sovereignty while leasing back the strategic Diego Garcia military base, though the deal stalled following criticism from US president Donald Trump.
- The Maldives maintains it holds the most legitimate historic claim to the archipelago and has requested a bilateral meeting to discuss the issue.
- The Foreign Office has rejected the request, stating that sovereignty over the Chagos Islands remains strictly a matter between the UK and Mauritius.
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