Following the Government statement on the conclusion of negotiations on the sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown asks the Foreign Secretary to ensure that when he publishes the treaty, he includes details of the exclusion zone around the vital strategic base on Diego Garcia and provisions to prevent any other foreign power establishing a sovereign military base on any of the archipelagos of the territory.
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (North Cotswolds) (Con)
There is no dispute in the House that Diego Garcia is a vital strategic base in the heart of the British Indian Ocean Territory. Will the Foreign Secretary undertake, when he publishes the details of the treaty provisions, to include two things: first, the exclusion zone around Diego Garcia—how many miles—and secondly, provisions to prevent any other foreign power establishing a sovereign military base on any of the archipelagos of the British Indian Ocean Territory?
The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Mr David Lammy)
The hon. Gentleman is right to raise these issues. He will be able to scrutinise provisions in that regard in the coming months.