TNAG-0831-FCO40-1039-Commonwealth-Parliamentary-Association-(CPA)-annual-conferen-1979 — Page 74

ITISH 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.

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Following an agreement between the British and United States Govern-

ments in 1966 (published as Cmnd 3231) on arrangements whereby defence

facilities might be constructed in BIOT and used by either government,

agreement effected on 24 October 1972 (Cmnd 5160) set out the terms for the

establishment by the United States Government of a limited naval communi-

cations facility on Diego Garcia Atoll in the Chagos Archipelago. A

further agreement in 1976 (Cmnd 6413) provided for the development of the

naval communications facility into a support facility. The facility pro-

vides a link in United States defence communications and furnishes communi –

cations support to United States and United Kingdom ships and aircraft in

the Indian Ocean.