British Indian Ocean Territory Debate
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Earl of Sandwich
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British Indian Ocean Territory
Earl of Sandwich Excerpts(14Â years ago)
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Lord Howell of Guildford
There are ongoing discussions with the United States Government about this and other matters related to broad defence needs and to the particular problems we are discussing today. So the answer is yes: discussions have been ongoing at various levels.
The Earl of Sandwich
Does the noble Lord agree that the European court is likely to decide in favour of the Chagossians and that it is high time that the Foreign Office prepared for the massive compensation scheme which will arise and to forecast where the money will come from? The money cannot come from Mauritius, and we have the responsibility.
Lord Howell of Guildford
I cannot possibly speculate on the outcome of a legal process—but the noble Earl has rightly pointed to one of the possible outcomes should it go a certain way, which has a really vast implication in terms of resources.