Subject: Re: [BoundaryPoint] Diego Garcia<br/>
Date: Dec 01, 2002 @ 23:58<br/>
Author: Kevin Meynell (Kevin Meynell &lt;kevin@...&gt;)<br/>
<a href="8216.htm">Prev</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Post in Topic&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Next&emsp;[<a href="topic8115.htm">All</a> Posts]<br/>
<a href="8217.htm">Prev</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Post in Time&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="8219.htm">Next</a><br/>
<br/><br/>
<div id="ygrps-yiv-567023606">Harry,<br/>
<br/>
<blockquote><span title="ireply"> &gt;It seems that the island is leased!<br/>
<br/>
 </span></blockquote>I read lots of confused information about Diego Garcia ;-) I even read one <br/>
article that was under the impression Diego Garcia was leased from <br/>
Mauritius, so you have to wonder about how much research some journalists do!<br/>
<br/>
I suppose it depends on how you define a lease, but the UK Government <br/>
doesn&#39;t consider the island to be leased. In response to a recent question <br/>
asked in the UK Parliament, the<br/>
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs replied...<br/>
<br/>
&quot;The United States pays no rent or makes any similar payment in respect of <br/>
its right to use the British Indian Ocean Territory, including Diego <br/>
Garcia, for defence purposes. However, in 1965, when it became clear that <br/>
the costs of setting up the territory as a separate dependency would exceed <br/>
original estimates, the US Government agreed to contribute £5 million <br/>
towards these costs.<br/>
<br/>
No part of the British Indian Ocean Territory, including Diego Garcia, has <br/>
been leased to the United States. Under the 1966 Agreement between the UK <br/>
and USA Governments, the islands will remain available to meet the defence <br/>
needs of both Governments until 2016, and then for a further period of 20 <br/>
years, unless either side has previously given notice of termination.&quot;<br/>
<br/>
The full reference is <br/>
<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200102/cmhansrd/cm020513/text/20513w13.htm">http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200102/cmhansrd/cm020513/text/20513w13.htm</a><br/>
<br/>
The usual apologies for the lack of multipointing content.<br/>
<br/>
Regards,<br/>
<br/>
Kevin Meynell</div>