Britain and Mauritius denied on Wednesday media reports that London could end up paying double the amount in a renegotiated deal to retain a U.S.-British military base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

Officials in Mauritius are optimistic that the Chagos Islands deal will be signed soon after a reportedly “cordial” call last week between the country’s prime minister and Sir Keir Starmer.

Progress on the Chagos deal has slowed since Donald Trump was consulted on it, despite previous efforts to get it signed before he was sworn in in January.

Mauritius welcomes the prospect of U.S. President Donald Trump examining a deal reached by Britain and Mauritius over the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, which house a U.S.-British military base, the island nation's prime minister said Tuesday.

The UK faces paying more to Mauritius under a renegotiated deal over the future of the Chagos Islands, the prime minister of the African island nation has suggested. Last October, the UK announced it would hand over sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius,

Mauritius has indicated that it has secured more concessions from the United Kingdom in the Chagos Islands deal, raising the lease payments for the Diego Garcia military base

A renegotiated deal on returning the Chagos Islands to Mauritius is being considered by the new US administration

Deal would prevent a third party gaining influence over territory which hosts key Western military base, says foreign minister