Page "Diego Garcia" Paragraph 59

According to Wikileaks CableGate documents ( reference ID " 09LONDON1156 "), in a calculated move planned in 2009, the UK proposed that the BIOT become a " marine reserve " with the aim of preventing the former inhabitants from returning to their lands.

The summary of the diplomatic cable is as follows: " HMG would like to establish a " marine park " or " reserve " providing comprehensive environmental protection to the reefs and waters of the British Indian Ocean Territory ( BIOT ), a senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office ( FCO ) official informed Polcouns on May 12.

The official insisted that the establishment of a marine park — the world's largest — would in no way impinge on USG use of the BIOT, including Diego Garcia, for military purposes.

He agreed that the UK and US should carefully negotiate the details of the marine reserve to assure that US interests were safeguarded and the strategic value of BIOT was upheld.

He said that the BIOT's former inhabitants would find it difficult, if not impossible, to pursue their claim for resettlement on the islands if the entire Chagos Archipelago were a marine reserve.

" Additionally, Diego Garcia was used as a storage section for US cluster bombs as a detour from UK parliamentary oversight.