Internal Affairs Commissioner - Discussion & Negotiation Regarding the Caspian Dispute - March 2021
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"I think it would be best if we heard from Bridges first, before we start suggesting concessions."
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"I agree, Mr. Pravoslav, we should wait until Simon speaks up. Ms Peckan, I think we all aim for this negociation to succeed, but that cannot happen with the Copalan Government being pulled out of it. In our last meeting we already accepted being accepted subject to a prior voting in the Caspian Sea Authority, because Mr. Brdges didn't want to see us as a full member from the very beginning. But the new conditions you are proposing are unacceptable for us, and I completely agree with the words said by the Internal Affairs Commissioner, we shouldn't be isolated from our neighbours." Said Victoria Romanov. Then, she gave a look at the Copalan news and saw how Bridges' words were leaked. The plan was working, wasn't it?
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Simon was amused at how the members responded acting like children. But he knew they just wanted to play games with him. So then he will play with them.
"Ok first of all, Reitzmag's interests are simple. We just want that our security as well as the security of our interests be ensured. Inimicus had been recently acting hostile to us and with the United Duchies allowing them to enter the Caspian posed a big threat. However, if there is an assurance that this nuclear country would never attack Reitzmag, then we will be happy to coexist with them and to share the Caspian Resources with everyone. We also want a free movement on the creation of this Caspian Council so that trade would move swiftly across the region and all our economies would grow and benefit from each other. And finally, permanent access of transit through the Canal for commercial goods and products from Reitzmag. New military ships that are built by Reitzmag will have to be carried by barges upon delivery to the country that ordered such. All Caspian members must have equal and free access to the canal in order for goods to easily be transited." he said before pausing and drinking some water.
"The Islands will be dismantled by us if our interests are met, this is simply lighter than what we asked before. All the sand will have to be dumped back to Reitzmic beaches and we are open to share some to our neighbours if necessary. We will also be sinking some old ships to create artificial reefs once the sand are returned to the coasts and we will resume island building instead on a special location already prepared for what would have been Phase 2." continued Simon.
"And before I end my first statement, I'd like to remind that Copala City will no longer need to be a member even at any level. The Reitzmic Parliament is already voting on a motion to pull out of the recent Buckingham Treaty and I feel that it would be unfair if Reitzmag would seem to have 2 votes in the Council. However, I'd like to assure Ms. Romanov that the Nicolezians and other refugees in the area will not be kicked out. It's only an issue of administration and the civilian population would not be affected much by this. I hope that this clears out any issue you have. Thank you, that is all I could say for now." he finished with a smile.
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"I'll start with what I don't mind."
"I wouldn't presume to speak for Inimicus, but it borders another nuclear-armed state, Angleter, which has a defence pact with your country, so I don't think that should be a problem. I'd like to hear first from President Pekcan and Prime Minister Key on the issue of the canal, but I'll simply say that any guarantee of canal access to Reitzmag must also apply to Pravoslaviya. And we are absolutely fine with dumping the sand on Reitzmag's beaches."
"I'd also point out to Mr Bridges that, given his stance, and those of Ms Pekcan and Mr Key, the Caspian Council is highly unlikely to admit Copala City. With that in mind, we're not especially attached to the Copala City clause either. "
"What I don't get is your obsession with artificial reefs. You've just done a massive heavy-handed intervention in the environment; we don't need another one. Pravoslaviya wants the status quo ante restored. Perhaps then, after that has been the case for some time, the Caspian Council could revisit the environmental situation and discuss whether we should bring in any artificial reefs."
"Pravoslaviya is resolutely opposed, however, to the idea of free movement among the Caspian countries. We will not allow Reitzmag to ransom these islands and bounce us into dismantling our borders and opening our markets. A free movement zone extending to the Kaasian border is totally unacceptable to us; a free movement zone with a country like Reitzmag, with its radical globalist migration policies, is totally unacceptable too. Free trade is something we can talk about separately, but absolutely not as a ransom for these islands. I will, however, reiterate that we will remove all sanctions against Reitzmag if an agreement is signed to our satisfaction."
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John Peter Key looked at the Reitz proposal and said "Okay, we are fine with sand being returned to Reitzmag shores and we can assure you Telum members mean no harm to Reitzmag. Free movement should be left to EU schengen zone voluntary or to individual treaties between our nations as Pravoslaviya.~We will also obviously open up the canal to all Reitzmag goods if they pay the commercial rate to do so if a treaty is signed just as it was before but not whole military ships just like we don't allow others to ship that through its not a canal for shipping whole ships through as that is particuarly disruptive, its container and bulk freight canal, we don't want to have to revoke access for any country so we want Reitzmag goods to be able to go through consistently. However we'd have to say island building and reef building should be left as a decision by the Caspian Council once it is operational unless within 24 miles from your coast in your territorial waters. What if on the council Copala City had representation but not a vote as a compromise as an autonomous territory and we offer the same for any other autonomous territorities that may exist in the future due to similar circumstances? However all independent nations on the Caspian get membership if stable enough to do so."
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"We are up to accept the proposal from the United Duchies seeing we will not be able to enter the Caspian Sea Authority. We would like to refuse our possibility to vote in exchange of having a Copalan voice in said Authority. We will not block the agreement, because we need to end this negotiation for once and all."
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Birdane was not too pleased with Bridges' proposals, but she was down to compromise and boost her reputation as the one who solved the Caspian crisis.
"I do not support the free movement between the Caspian states because one, I think member states should decide which countries they want to trade with, and two, I don't think that Reitzmag should be entitled to free movement around the Caspian in the first place because of the reason why we're doing this meeting. Now, When it comes to the canal in the United Duchies, I don't think there should be any entry restrictions for commercial ships from any country, Reitzmag and Pravoslaviya included. Of course, the United Duchies should be able to charge ships passing there and rightfully block warships that it thinks may cause chaos, but giving them permission to use this canal in a rather politically charged way is disruptive to the peace and harmony of the European Union. "
"Also, I think that the area where the islands are, after removal, should be left alone to heal naturally. And lastly, regarding Copala City, if Ms Romanov agrees to settle down on observer status, I shall respect her decision."
"With all that in mind..." Birdane then amends the treaty and gives it to others in the room after finished.
SECTION I – THE CASPIAN SEA AUTHORITY
- The founding members of the Caspian Sea Authority will be the Kingdom of Reitzmag, the United Duchies, the Kingdom of Pravoslaviya, and the Confederacy of North Diessen.
- The Autonomous Territory of Copala City will be given observer status in the council.
may be admitted to the Caspian Sea Authority, either as a full member or an observer, subject to a majority vote of the Caspian Council.
If anyone would like to add more to this, let me know.
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"North Diessen finds itself in full agreement with the representatives from Pravoslaviya. The Caspian must be returned to its former environmental situation. Artificial reefs or deliberate sinking or half-destruction of objects in the middle of our shared heritage is unacceptable to us, as is free movement of people. North Diessen cannot accept unchecked and unlimited immigration from a nation such as Reitzmag, which has been openly hostile to us in the past. I agree that free trade and movement checks can be agreed on in the Caspian Council once it has been established.
"It troubles me that, while Mr Bridges has made some welcome concessions regarding the destruction of the islands that are already built, he continues to discuss a "phase 2" of island building somewhere else. Will these islands be inside the exclusive nautical territory of Reitzmag? If not, there is not the slightest chance of us reaching agreement here.
"Although North Diessen does not have any jurisdiction over the Caspian Canal, which is instead the sole sovereignty of the United Duchies, it would trouble us significantly if Reitzmic warships were to be transferred through this Canal, and we hope the Duchies would honour the Treaty of Telum by standing with us and our other allies. Nevertheless, this is an issue entirely separate from the Caspian Treaty proposal, and I would ask Mr Bridges to consider this."
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I think, Commissioner, in your amendment it should be 'Caspian Sea Authority', rather than just the Caspian Council.
And I'd like to accommodate some of what Mr Bridges has said about sand, and a clause periodically reviewing the ecological situation so we can consider the possibility of having artificial reefs at a later date, if necessary.
((OOC: See suggested edits in Google Doc))
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"If it solves confusion..."
SECTION I – THE CASPIAN SEA AUTHORITY
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The founding members of the Caspian Sea Authority will be the Kingdom of Reitzmag, the United Duchies, the Kingdom of Pravoslaviya, and the Confederacy of North Diessen.
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The Autonomous Territory of Copala City will be given observer status in the authority.
may be admitted to the Caspian Sea Authority, either as a full member or an observer, subject to a majority vote of the Caspian Council.
"Are people contempt with Pravoslaviya's amendments regarding the destruction of the islands?"
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"We are, Ms, Birdane. But we would rather avoid to have the European Council deciding about these islands. This shall remain as an affair between Caspian countries and the European Commission, so we reject the proposed amendment by the United Duchies." Said Victoria Romanov.
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We agree with Ms Romanov on this point. This is best resolved by ourselves and the Commission.
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"I see no issues with the amendments concerning island destruction from Pravoslaviya and the amendment by Commissioner Birdane. We thank both parties. I also agree with Ms Romanov, these islands are a matter for Caspian nations only and do not necessitate a judgement from the entire Union."
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After writing the last amendments and touches, Birdane was certain the treaty was finalized this time. She then showed the final text one more time.
"Does anyone have an objection to this version of the treaty?"
(OOC: You have until 22nd of March, 6 PM GMT / 1 PM EST to object. This has already taken long enough. @Pravoslaviya @BrumBrum @Kingdom-of-Reitzmag @North-Diessen)
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"Works for us."
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John Peter Key looked at the modified treaty and said "It works for the duchies"
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"As said before, this version is agreeable to North Diessen."
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Simon was not pleased that his interests were not respected even by this commissioner.
"Ms. Birdane, I want to emphasize the key points that we want added to the treaty. We want assurance of no attack, so I think it would be reasonable if no Non-Caspian Military Ships may exit the Diessenian Bay and enter the Caspian Sea proper. We also want a clause that ensures all commercial ships to and from all Caspian Nations be permanently allowed entry to the said canal. And finally, the clause to ensure that the sand will be transferred back to an area prepared by the Reitzmic Government. We will not sign the treaty without those clauses." he said.
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John Peter Key said "We have already assured you we will allow your commercial shipping through the canal and that we have no intention of attacking Reitzmag, there is simply no reason for us to do so. In terms of canal access it is our canal funded by us, we should get to decide who and what comes through that canal, for example what your are asking would require us to let Neo-Venetian ships and UNSR ships through the canal to breach sanctions in place on those nations. We are happy to have sand transferred back to Reitzmag if the islands are destroyed. There may be legitimate reasons for non-caspian military ships to enter the Caspian such as patrol ships entering to help with emergency patrols or to deliver goods or aid or help in an emergency situation or a hospital ship moving up to help in a crises. By putting that restriction in place you prevent that from happening .No Telum Treaty nation has any interest in attacking Reitzmag or war with Reitzmag and we have never sent ships outside our territories or EEZ's other than UD ships ."
I would also point out your request for the sand to be took back to Reitzmag is in the treaty " IV. In the event the islands are destroyed, any sand or other building material that is reclaimed shall be returned to the Kingdom of Reitzmag.". It seems every concession made to Reitzmag like Copala being given observer status or the sand clause etc Reitzmag asks for more and more unrealistic demands , I'll make it simple this is the best you will get off us , now you can have good relations under this treaty or have the sanctions continue which will mean no access to the canal or our airspace. The choice frankly is yours."
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John Peter Key thought for a second then suggested a clause for canal access "Caspian nations are allowed through permanently unless they are sanctioned at EU level as long as they follow the rules and regulations of the canal including regulations on what goods can be shipped through and environmental standards.However traffic from sanctioned nations shall not be allowed through."
