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"The Government of the Republic of Mauritius has the honour to declare that it objects to the inclusion of the so-called "British Indian Ocean Territory" in the list of territories mentioned in the Declaration deposited by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland with the Swiss Federal Council on 2 July 2002 concerning the applicability of the Protocols I and II Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, adopted at Geneva on 8 June 1977, and therefore rejects the said Declaration in so far as it purports to extend the ratification by the UK Government of the said Protocols to the so-called "British Indian Ocean Territory".

The Government of the Republic of Mauritius does not recognise the competence of the British Government to adhere to any international instrument on behalf of the Chagos Archipelago, which forms an integral part of the territory of the Republic of Mauritius.

The Government of the Republic of Mauritius wishes to reassert the unequivocal sovereignty of Mauritius over the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia."

22.03.1982

27.06.2003