Franco-British Relations

[Shave N Haircut]

 

To: British Foreign Affairs Office

From: French Foreign Affairs Office

 

The French Government wishes to reaffirm the friendly relations that were established between our nation and the predecessor of the present British government. It is entirely possible for a very cordial and working relationship to be created between the nations on the channel, as demonstrated by previous generations of our respective governments.

To this effect, we wish to send a small diplomatic delegation to your nation to discuss our position.

~Empress Jeanne de LaQueu

 

[Triyun]

To: The Office of the Empress of the French

From:  The Foreign Office

Subject:  Relations

 

The British King accepts the offer of the Empress to visit London.  The British look forward to visit, and hope you enjoy your visit to the greatest city in Europe.

 

-F.U.

[Shave N Haircut]

The Empress wouldn't be able to go, even if she wished to due to her present affairs, and the PM and FM were both out on other diplomatic missions, so it would have to come down to another party.
 
Strangely enough, this is where France found its most unlikely diplomat.
 
Le Marechal de L'Armee, Marechal Arsenault stepped up before any intermediate diplomat could be called upon to go. However, he was convinced that it would probably be a bad idea to fly out in a military plane; It would be a good meeting.

Edited September 27, 2014 by Shave N Haircut

[Triyun]

Britain is deeply saddened to hear the Empress could not make it.  However, we will welcome what I'm sure is a highly capable diplomat in M. Arsenault.  The French Army is afterall legendary for its strategic foresight, fierce bravery, and political acumen among other things.

 

Most Sincerely,

 

F.U. 

[Shave N Haircut]

Marechal Arsenault landed in London not long after the confirmation had been given, in full dress and with his sabre at his side, understood to be fully ornamental by everyone in France, as no one had ever seen the blade thusfar but him and the man who had made it (Who was rumored to have been himself). He'd arrived with only two people with him, a secretary and a lawyer, as he was confident that the land who had formerly been French Allies would be unlikely to attempt an assassination against him.

[Triyun]

They would indeed be safe.  The British were many things, but they were not in the business of killing he unarmed.  At least not publicly.  

 

The Marshall was escorted to White Hall for a meeting.  On the opposite end of the table sat Malcolm Churchill, a portly man dressed in a double breasted grey patterened suit, a plaid tie and white shirt.  At his side was a cup of coffee a a morning apertif.  He was leaning back in the leather chair, looking up at the busts of his family ancestors, Marlborough, and Winston.  In many ways he considered leading White Hall his noble birthright.  

 

"Ahhh!!!  M. Arsenault my good man.  Welcome to England." he exclaimed in a sharp accent.  "Sit, drink, eat.  For heaven sakes, its a bunch of fruits.  MAAARGAREEET!!!!" he yelled.

 

His young secretary walked in meekly as he puffed away on his cigar, looking at it through the cloud of smoke.  "Get us some bloody roast, and a side of bacon.  For christ sakes the man's a field marshall not a bloody horse.  Though his face... well we won't go there." Churchill exclaimed laughing heartily as he took another swig.

 

"So what brings you French Buggers over our Channel today, eh?!  Certainly not this swill Mrs. Churchill calls wine." he said gruffly.

[Shave N Haircut]

The Mareshal gave a wide grin, though half of it was covered by his great bushy mustache, "Read my mind monsieur." he said, "Your wine is indeed something of a disappointment, but as you surmise it is also not what brought me here." he said, "No, I'm here to possibly establish some manner of positive cross channel relationship, like France and Britain have had for the better part of a couple centuries. Military, economic, doesn't really matter."

[Triyun]

"Economics... well I'm afraid that that's something for that effeminate chap Keynes in the Treasury to talk of.  Whiz with numbers, women... not so much if you catch my drift.  Hmmmph." he said chuckling as he opened a bottle of scotch pouring it into two snifters, just enough to cover the bottom handing one to the field marshall.  "Perhaps you'll find this more to your liking, cheers." he said as they were both served prime rib and yorkshire pudding.  "Alongside a light lunch."

 

"Now...  Military." he said, contemplating for a moment.  "To be truthful sir, what concerns us is more your allies.  These huge build ups on your soil from a nation halfway across the world with no interest in Europe, to the point where it is inviting allies with whom you have no treaties.  This makes us very much sceptics to the idea of cooperation, lest you wish the United Kingdom to stand with you against some of our friends in the region.  

 

We also have felt that the Northern Italians have been poorly treated in a way not at all proper for the interaction between sovereign states.  The thing fundamentally about it is, we are looking for a positive relationship with the French absent French exceptionalism and allied adventurism.  In truth we could probably return to a period of relations analogous to the Entente Cordiale if France not necessarily cancelled all its treaties, but asked its allies to remain in their parts of the world and seemed to make Europe and cooperation among all European states a priority.

 

Our feelings though are that is not the case.  You're prioritizing relations with Americans and Asians first, rather than treating the Italian Dispute as a matter to be settled between equally sovereign states, you've demanded it back without preconditions  These make us worry.  More worrisome is frankly Japan is a louder, and more antagonistic voice for you, which you do not reassure much of your neighbors about you independence from.  And frankly they want to make the destructive road of Geopolitical competition go through Orleans, Marseilles, and Paris, while sparing Tokyo and Osaka.

 

I do not believe any nation, French, Carthage, Japanese, whatever has purely benevolent intentions, nor do I claim it for the British, but I do believe we need to act as both realists and with respect to the principle of national sovereignty for all.  Show us that your Empress is more Tallyrand than Louis XIV and we can look at a more comprehensive partnership.  That is my blunt but honest assessment."

[Shave N Haircut]

The Marechal's phone buzzed after a short, awkward silence, and he pulled it out and looked at it, after which his eyebrows sprang up his forehead. He put it away and coughed briefly, "Terribly sorry my good sir, but it seems that I must take my leave, it seems like there are certain things that require my attention." He stood and tipped his hat, "However, I'll leave you with this; My Empress is no Tallyrand, the treacherous bastard did nothing good but damage control after he watched regime after regime fall before his eyes, never once attempting to save them before their fall but simply picking up the pieces.

 

"But I must also inform you that she's no Louis XIV, for she has no towering ego, nor any conceptions of deification, nor has she bankrupted the nation on lavish construction projects. She needs not to centralize her power, nor to curb any power hungry nobles. She is a competent ruler whose only concern is the safety of her people, not herself, and she will defend them and their liberty with all the assets at her disposal. She believes not in the sovereignty of nations, but of the people within.

 

"To be honest, she's more of a Napoleon." He says before putting his cap back on and tipping it towards the descendant of Winston, "Good day sir." he then turns and begins to walk out.

[Triyun]

Churchill merely smiled, "Your information has been most helpful.  I shall quote you on that."