Maldives has welcomed the United Kingdom's (UK) decision in pausing the handover of Chagos to Mauritius.

Last week, the UK had decided to pause the handover of the Chagos atoll. The atoll includes the UK and the United States of America's (USA) Diego Garcia military base, with the decision that was paused stating that the governance of the archipelago would not be handed over to Mauritius without the approval of the USA. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement regarding the matter, with it reading that Maldives has a legitimate interest in the future and governance of the archipelago. The statement also reads that the UK's decision offers an opportunity to reignite discussions.

The statement further states that Maldives calls on the UK to respect Maldives' rights, prioritize regional stability and to move forward in line with international laws and for the sustainability of the Indian Ocean region.

According to reports, legislation that was submitted to the parliament regarding the handover of the islands in the Indian Ocean to Mauritius has almost reached its deadline.

In January, President of the USA Donald Trump had stated that the agreement to handover Chagos to Mauritius is an act of "great stupidity" by the UK and had heavily criticized them for it.

Under the Chagos agreement that was signed in May, it was decided that Mauritius and around islands 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) north of Mauritius were to be handed over to Mauritius. The UK also agreed to rent the military base for a period of 100 years.