TNAG-0831-FCO40-1039-Commonwealth-Parliamentary-Association-(CPA)-annual-conferen-1979 — Page 10

BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY

The British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), which was established as a Colony by Order in Council in 1965, consists of the Chagos Archipelago. The Commissioner for the British Indian Ocean Territory has authority within the Territory and is responsible to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

Following an agreement between the British and United States Governments in 1966 (published as Cmnd 3231) on arrangements whereby defence facilities might be constructed in BIOT and used by either government, an agreement effected on 24 October 1972 (Cmnd 5160) set out the terms for the establishment by the United States Government of a limited aval communications facility on Diego Garcia Atoll in the Chagos Archipelago. A further agreement in 1976 (Cmnd 6413) provided for the development of the naal communication facility into a support facility. The facility provides a link in United States defence communications and furnishes communications support to United States and United Kingdom ships and aircraft in the Indian Ocean.