The UN urged the UK to return the Chagos Islands (previous for the Falklands)

The resolution was approved at the General Assembly in New York with the votes of 116 countries and only six against. 56 others, including France and Germany, abstained.

"Since the decolonization of Mauritius has not been conducted in a manner consistent with the right to self-determination, the Assembly has affirmed that the continuation of the administration of the archipelago was an illegal act ", The international organization pointed out in a press release.

The ambbadador of Argentina to the UN, Roberto García Moritán, took advantage of the debate to remember the irrevocable claim of sovereignty over the Falklands. As reported by the Assembly, Moritán recalled that the islands of the South Atlantic and adjacent spaces are part of Argentina and commented that "they are illegally occupied" by the United Kingdom.

García Moritán the constant and clear willingness of the country to resume negotiations with a view to reaching an agreement and to comply with the international mandate in the matter, established by resolution 2065 (XX) of the United Nations to find a peaceful and final solution.

The representative of the United Kingdom Matthew John Rycroft responded to the Argentine delegate that his country There is no doubt about the English sovereignty of the Falklands and reiterated the Kelpers' right to self-determinationas well as freely determine their political condition and pursue their economic and cultural development.

The representative of Mauritius recalled that this territory – now British – had been transferred in 1965 in exchange for the country's independence. Chagos is a small archipelago located in the Indian Ocean, south of the Maldives, where there is still an American base.

For its part, the Foreign Office said it did not recognize the sovereignty of Mauritius over the Chagos, but said it was willing to surrender them. "when they are no longer needed as defense objectives". A position shared by the United States, Hungary, Israel, Australia and the Maldives.

The resolution was put to the vote a few months after a recommendation by the High Court of Justice inviting Britain to leave the islands. "as soon as possible". A position strongly supported by former colonies such as India, but which would represent for the United Kingdom and the United States "a disturbing precedent" for other territorial disputes.

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Britain bought the Chagos Islands in Mauritius in 1965 for £ 3 million, creating an area called the British Indian Ocean Territory.

Between 1967 and 1973, he evacuated the entire population to make way for an Anglo-American military base, still present on the island of Diego Garcia. From there, American planes that bombed Afghanistan and Iraq fled. The structure, according to the versions proposed by the BBC, is also used to interrogate terrorist suspects.

In 2016, the base concession was extended until 2036. Before the vote of the UN, the first Mauritian, Pravid Kumar Jug-Nauth, defended the cause of the ancient inhabitants of the archipelago, arguing that the forced evacuation was "a crime against humanity".

If the Chagos were sent back to Mauritius, the government would maintain the military base, he said, to work "in accordance with international law".