Sigurd Odinnson

OOC: It would have been better if the outcome was not precipitated by a string of spam posts by a bunch of bored 14-year-olds. Seriously bad RPing, people.

Schildhafen saw that the ship was pulling into port. It had been a long journey, but he hoped a Canadian delegation would make it a trip worth taking.

OOC: Wow I leave the forums for two days and this happens. IC: Erdstrom watched as the forums collapsed around him. He approached Vizier Church as the Forums fell apart and ask him his opinion of ATOPEN and its viability, with a mind to still walk away with some success.

There aren't words for how terrible I feel for you two. If KaitlinK and VanHoo are reading this thread, you will both remain in my prayers until your daughter is returned safe and sound.

[quote name='Isaac MatthewII' timestamp='1326449625' post='2898716'] "Can a brand new government just days old not have some instability and infrastructure issues? It is imperialism and tyranny, 'tyr·an·ny/ˈtirənē/ Noun: Cruel and oppressive government or rule. im·pe·ri·al·ism/imˈpi(ə)rēəˌlizəm/ Noun: A policy of extending a country's power and influence through military force.' I hope that helped you understand who your supporting." OOC: Im not trying to be a jerk but John Smith doesn't like you now so if theres a flaw in something your guy says hes going to go against it, also Gallifrey doesnt like any of the asian powers really because of its imperialistic tenancies and the issue with New Cambodia. [/quote] IC: By that definition of imperialism, every new missile or plane purchased by Gallifrey or any other nation amounts to imperialism, because it "extends a country's power". Further, the Confederation fails to see any act of cruel or oppressive rule in regards to the Unnamed Republic by Tianxia as of yet and feels that Gaillifrey is projecting expectations on events. OOC: Frankly, I just wholeheartedly support Triyun's bid to drive ishabad out. I figured there would be IC consequences for that, so no worries.

[quote name='Isaac MatthewII' timestamp='1326445786' post='2898707'] "What threat did they pose might I ask. Does the confederation support tyranny now?" [/quote] In clarification of the previous Confederation statement: The clear incompetency of the government of the Unnamed Republic posed a clear and present danger both to the people under that government as well as regional peace, since an incompetent government is often and unstable and unpredictable government. Furthermore, so long as Tianxia holds good to a policy of peace and declares the region either a protectorate or Status Quo Ante in regards to the so-called Unnamed Republic, there is no tyranny here.

[quote name='Avakael' timestamp='1326444101' post='2898701'] Pretty much this, the announcement can literally be tldr'd into "Derp". Also, why an OWF announcement instead of embassy notes? Couldn't have been more than half a dozen alliances you've possibly screwed over, right? ...right? [/quote] We haven't screwed anybody over. The sitting government of TGECN is actually making sure that nobody gets screwed over. I'm not entirely sure why there's so much confusion on this point, except that people are focusing on Flinders' post rather than on the ramifications of the OP.

The Confederation of Κυκλοι recognises the victory of Tianxia in this conflict and the elimination of the threat posed by the Unnamed Republic but encourages Tianxia to leave the land as a buffer between Rebel Army and its next immediate neighbour and establish a status quo ante to the time preceding the foundation of the Unnamed Republic or to declare the area a Tianxia protectorate rather than move forward with outright annexation in the name of the right of self-determination. The Confederation further invites Tianxia to send diplomats to Kuklos with a mind towards the promotion of international peace and good-will.

[quote name='Isaac MatthewII' timestamp='1326440328' post='2898673'] "Right apologies on the miswording but that is not what I meant. We are interested in a constructive treaty of course but that treaty seems to be for the select few in the forum that have oil, in fact it is only for the select few that have oil. It is constructive for those few maybe but why would you come to the forum about it. It has nothing to do with us nations that don't have oil. So why not as ive said quite a few times we make the treaty just common trade. Nobody here is proposing a 'united front against colonial powers' except an economic front. Your treaty only proposes dividing nations with oil and those without and wastes the time of the delegates that took their time to come to a meeting that the person that proposed starting didn't even attend." [/quote] "As I recall, President Wilmington of the Continental Republic of America proposed this meeting, and he is most certainly in attendance," Erdstrom looked at President Wilmington with a half-smile, "I'm not entirely sure what the delegate from Gallifrey is getting at, but he seems quite confused about what's going on at these Forums. Perhaps we ought to hear from someone else."

[quote name='Isaac MatthewII' timestamp='1326438317' post='2898646'] "I did not say that you were randomly blurting, what I ment was this forum is going into random chaos of diffrent arguments and now treaties are popping up. We need one treaty to unify all of us, not dozens of treaties deviding us into factions. Why not make this treaty for nations with out oil. We all have something to trade here if you want oil start your own forum. Whether this is a treaty or not it is not for this forum as it is not for all of us." [/quote] "'The reason we are angered with your random blurting' - these were your exact words and yet now you are saying that you did not say these very words. If there is interest in our Organisation, then we invite all nations who are interested to join with us in treaty, and then perhaps this Forum will accomplish something, even if it is the only thing it accomplishes. It is unfortunate that there are nations here so dedicated to opposition of constructive ideas and so dedicated to a single-minded, unattainable goal. The dedication to accomplishment shown by His Excellency President Wilmington is encouraging. The Confederation will stand fast here and ask New Foundland, Pravus Ingruo, Texas, and [i]any other interested parties[/i] to join with us in our Organisation. Any nation not interested in pursuing constructive undertakings is welcome to continue bickering over some sort of united front against colonial powers and continue in the provocation of war as we have seen of the Louisiana Federation, whom I notice is no longer among us."

[quote name='Isaac MatthewII' timestamp='1326432276' post='2898579'] "Why not make the agreement for cheap oil between all nations in the Americas and those that dont have colonies in our area. The reason we are angered with your random blurting is because this is not the time or the place for random treaties do that on your own time. This is for communication between all of the nations of this hemisphere to come to agreement on what to do about colonialism and instability in our region." [/quote] "Having been invited by a fellow delegate to present the proposed treaty, I can hardly believe my ears. If His Excellency the delegate from Gallifrey calls it "random blurting" when I have been called on by fellow attendees at this conference to present a proposition - a proposition which I have repeatedly said is a trade organisation dedicated to petroleum exporting nations - how can this can be called 'random'? We delegates of the Confederation have been making efforts for communication [i]among[/i] nations present here. What we have found instead is that it appears more productive to do as you suggest and engage individual nations for treaties. The delegation of the Confederation does not share such a single-minded attitude toward this place of discussion and communication. This is meant to be an undertaking to increase cooperation among American nations. I call on the whole of the Forums, and especially on President Wilmington who called for it and on Vizier Church who is moderating it to support the constructive efforts the Confederation of Kukloi has floored, and to contribute other constructive cooperative treaties that will serve to bring the nations of the Americas together rather than to further divide them in bickering."

[quote name='Suiza' timestamp='1326416990' post='2898407'] [i]"Mr. Secretay, if I may ask. What is it you wish to accomplish here at the forums? I think its time we replenish the spirit of cooperation we walked into the American Forums with. Now, I am certainly willing to endorse the ATOPEN as proposed by the Kuklosian delegation. This treaty organization will solidify certain bonds amongst American powers- bonds that have yet to be forged in such a way and I think that is certainly a step forward. So, Mr. Adjutor, as for those of us who represent nations who are not included in this treaty, such as myself, what is the benefit to the rest of us, if any, should the ATOPEN be formed?"[/i] [/quote] [quote name='Suiza' timestamp='1326419135' post='2898433'] Wilmington would drop a reply note simply reading, [i]"I have another idea." [/i] Addressing the forum, [i]"Why don't we establish what is simple, and what most if not all of us here seek short of a petroleom treaty organizations, war, and no headway at all. Let us commit to an American Hemispherical Defense Pact. Strictly formalizing the common obligation to protect this hemisphere from further incursion. Our individual stances on foreign colonialism already here can remain our own, and this would not bind us to employ force to quell inter-American conflicts, and of course trade and other treaties can be worked out individually or later on, but let us at the very least establish this, AHDP, if you will."[/i] [/quote] Erdstrom waited for the crowd to calm and allow him to answer the question posed by Wilmington. "The chief benefit would be economic imperative for cheaper oil, I suppose; more than this, though, I had hoped that support for ATOPEN would also be generated on the part of nations seeking other economic agreements - the word 'cartel' has such a negative connotation - that would unify the Americas. I am not sure where all of these delegates are getting the idea that this somehow is the end-all and be-all of the Forums. If they came here hoping to accomplish only one thing, it seems a narrow approach to a breadth of possibilities indeed. The Confederation, however, is not interested in pursuing any binding treaties that would force us into wars we cannot fight. Judging by the foreign policies of several of the delegate nations here, I can see that provocation to foreign invasion is a common problem in the Americas. The Confederation will not wage war for anyone who has invited destruction upon themselves with bellicose rhetoric and fantasies of eradicating colonialism as a practise and ideology. We are willing to commit to a number of treaties and economic ventures here with many partners, and thus create a treaty web that will support and protect the Americas. All nations interested in proposing treaties and offering constructive ideas will receive the full support of the Confederation." Erdstrom looked, rather desperately, at Vizier Church for support. OOC: Seriously, people, we can sign more than one agreement and treaty here. Did you all get bored [i]that[/i] quickly?

[quote name='Evangeline Anovilis' timestamp='1326404522' post='2898252'] [b]OOC:[/b] Ehhh, I know, I'm no longer in charge of Vicidalia (apart from IC, where I RP Valerie), but still, neither the Autonomous Region, nor the Lunar Republic are present (given our isolationism) and therefor I wonder how you coordinate their oil trade without them agreeing. This is neither nice nor realistic. Edit: Emphasized the part of the text which I don't understand. [/quote] [quote name='Shadow hawk' timestamp='1326405595' post='2898265'] Dominic would reply to Rulfe, "It would be great to discuss the relationship between our countries sometime later. As old allies, this should be fruitful" "Me, being president of Newfoundland, would like to ask if we can be apart of this "ATOPEN", as in a few short years, we could easily become one of the largest oil and petroleum exporters in the world. Of course, it'll take a few more years to reach this, but we feel that we should be apart of this. [/quote] OOC: It was just a list I threw together a while ago. IC: "Of course, the names in the document are purely projections of the hypothetical organisation. I expect - indeed, I hope - that this list will not be the final list for the official agreement if other nations see fit to join. The organisation is in no way formed, so of course any and all interested parties here who fit the criteria are invited to become part of this great step toward greater economic cooperation in the Americas." [quote name='Atalanta' timestamp='1326405538' post='2898263'] Atalanta stood. "If creating an oil cartel is the Kuklos' way to stop foreign powers from encroaching in the Americas, then I fail to see the logic or wisdom behind it. They don't want our oil, they don't want our materials or resources. Further, the proliferation, control, surplus, or starvation of resources to a people have never had an effect in the last several decades - most nations are self-sufficient in this day and age. "We agree fully with the delegation from California." [/quote] [quote name='Fizzydog' timestamp='1326406062' post='2898270'] Harold Cheve stood. "What is this oil cartel you are creating? Why are we not unifying our entire continent and all of our economies? I do not understand what this meeting has come to; the Union was hoping for a diplomatic solution to end American colonialism and we have turned to a few nations creating an oil pact? Where is the continent wide unity I was hoping for? Are we simply going to sulk in a corner and ignore the imperialists? Bah! I am confused, what has this meeting come to?" [/quote] Erdstrom was deeply surprised by the Cuban delegation's sudden change in attitude toward economic measures. "It seems to me that Her Excellency the Delegate from Cuba is in a particularly special place if Cuba is self-sufficient. I would think that all nations ought to strive toward such economic independence; I am sure I am among many who did not think it possible for a nation to survive self-sufficiently, without the need of international trade and economic cooperation! "In response to His Excellency the Delegate of the East American Union, the debate over what this Forum was meant to achieve has led to pointless bickering and argument. If the East American Union would like to continue to quibble over the point of these Forums, they are welcome, but it is my opinion - and I hope that I am not alone - that it is far more effective to give the Forums meaning through constructive contributions. The Confederation has been invited by several members to present the planned Organisation, and I have done so. I had high hopes that the ATOPEN would be but [i]one[/i] of many steps in the right direction, but if the Delegate from the East American Union considers such an agreement to be a termination of the Forums and the extent of what these Forums can achieve, the Confederation of Κυκλοι is willing to settle for that. "I ask His Excellency what exactly he hoped for? What is 'a diplomatic solution to end American colonialism'? It should be clear to all delegates here that colonialism, like all ideologies, can only end when it has run its historical course. Without a total war on imperialist and colonialist powers, we cannot hope to eradicate colonialism, and the Confederation - which I hope is not alone - is not willing to commit to such a conflict that will inevitably engulf the world. The best diplomatic solution to our weakness as a group of nations is greater cooperation among us. It is not absurd to propose that such cooperation, like all [i]good[/i] solutions, is accomplished in steps, not in a single fell swoop. "I do hope that similar constructive contributions to the Forums will not meet such opposition from other delegates."

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[quote name='Tanis777' timestamp='1326363017' post='2898021'] The Kuklos response would merit O'Malley's time to respond, "While you are right that colonialism is an ideology, war could be used against it if it were total war. Note total war in terms of the annihilation of said governments to total victory, although I admit this is an impossible and illogical scenario. It is something I don't condone the use of war against foreign colonialism, for it is folly for the unprepared. Your goal is an admirable goal and attainable one. As I said before, control of the world markets against what others have termed "foreign occupiers" with the nations mentioned and known are fairly self-sufficient from the raw resources originating from America. And those that hold territory here, Adjutor Erdstrom, don't really need our resources, they have access to a fair amount already. The point I'm driving is Mister Erdstrom, if you are versed in the ways of economics, you need to take a good look at the map and see... colonialism won't die with whatever presumed thought of controlling the American output of raw materials. Would I be wrong with bring up these points? What say the control of the Alaskan North Slope, or the Bahamas, or the Lower Caribbean by various European and Asian powers, those regions have resources to be obtained? I cannot stress the point of the matter of my last speech, economic unity will not guaranteed the end of American colonialism, it actually might enhance it." [/quote] Erdstrom visible chafed at being called "Mister" like any commoner among the group. He was used to his title, and held the title of Adjutor, but at least expected "His Excellency" or "Your Excellency" as he had been polite enough to use in reference to his fellow delegates. His own delegation also responded with raised eyebrows at the word as it scraped across the air in their direction. The Adjutor nonetheless realised that he had to make a response, and he could not focus on titles and respect when the issue at hand was his knowledge and expertise of his own department. "I do not believe I said otherwise in regards to colonialism and total war: however, my declaration was not that total war was impossible, but that it was the most undesirable and destructive outcome, beyond the realm of a sane man's options. I have not presumed to have the power to "kill" colonialism. I have only said that through economic unity we can remove a cause of colonialism. We cannot defeat, we cannot delete, we cannot destroy the ideology of colonialism: the best we can do is face it and... [size="2"]what do you Americans say[/size]... "play ball". That is why I am proposing this Treaty Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Nations, as the first step to become colonial powers on our own - to colonise [i]ourselves[/i] in a manner of speaking, and therefore turn ourselves into an economic machine on the level of those who are presently threats to a dispersed and disjointed group of young or weak states. We cannot be strong unless we grow in strength together - simply declaring ourselves unified and following a policy of "kick out the foreigners" is not going to achieve anything, because ultimately we will remain what we are presently: weak, dispersed economies doing battled with massive empires. We are already colonies for the taking. We must take ourselves before we are taken from the outside: this is the principal which will give us world power. "That said, in response to the Winter Contingency, I think we can be clear that petroleum importing countries can only benefit from such a cartel as the one I propose. That said, perhaps I ought simply to table this agreement and see who is willing to sign on rather than continue this cacophonous argument regarding war and colonialism." [quote][b]American Treaty Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Nations (ATOPEN)[/b] [b]Preamble:[/b] The mission of the American Treaty Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Nations (ATOPEN) is to coordinate and unify the petroleum policies of its Member nations and ensure the stabilization of oil markets in order to secure an efficient, economic and regular supply of petroleum to consumers, a steady income to producers and a fair return on capital for those investing in the petroleum industry. [b]Article I.[/b] The American Treaty Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Nations (ATOPEN), hereinafter referred to as “the Organisation”, created as a permanent intergovernmental Organisation in conformity with the Resolutions of the Diet of the Representatives of the Governments of Kuklos, Pravus Ingruo, Vicidalia, and Texas, held in New York shall carry out its functions in accordance with the provisions set forth hereunder. [b]Article II.[/b] The Organisation shall be guided by the principle of the sovereign equality of its Member Nations. Member Nations shall fulfil, in good faith, the obligations assumed by them in accordance with this Statute. [b]Article III.[/b] If, as a result of the application of any decision of the Organisation, sanctions are employed, directly or indirectly, by any interested company or companies against one or more Member Nations, no other Member shall accept any offer of a beneficial treatment, whether in the form of an increase in oil exports or in an improvement in prices, which may be made to it by such interested company or companies with the intention of discouraging the application of the decision of the Organisation. [b]Article IV. [/b] The Organisation shall have its Headquarters at the place the Diet decides upon; the official language of the Organisation shall be English. [b]Article V.[/b] 1. Founder Members of the Organisation are those countries which were represented at the First Diet, held in New York, and which signed the original agreement of the establishment of the Organisation. 2 . Full Members shall be the Founder Members, as well as those countries whose application for membership has been accepted by the Diet. 3. Any other country with a substantial net export of crude petroleum, which has its fields in the Americas, and which has fundamentally similar interests to those of Member Nations, may become a Full Member of the Organisation, if accepted by a majority of three-fourths of Full Members, including the concurrent vote of all Founder Members. 4. A net petroleum-exporting country, which does not qualify for membership under paragraph 3 above, may nevertheless be admitted as an Associate Member by the Diet under such special conditions as may be prescribed by the Diet, if accepted by a majority of three-fourths, including the concurrent vote of all Founder Members. No country may be admitted to Associate Membership which does not fundamentally have interests and aims similar to those of Member Nations. 5. Associate Members may be invited by the Diet to attend any Meeting of a Diet, the Senate or Consultative Meetings and to participate in their deliberations without the right to vote. They are, however, fully entitled to benefit from all general facilities of the Secretariat, including its publications and library, as any Full Member. 6. Whenever the words “Members” or “Member Nations” occur in this Statute, they mean a Full Member of the Organisation, unless the context demonstrates to the contrary. [b]Article VI.[/b] No Member of the Organisation may withdraw from membership without giving notice of its intention to do so to the Diet. Such notice shall take effect at the beginning of the next year after the date of its receipt by the Diet, subject to the Member having at that time fulfilled all financial obligations arising out of its membership. In the event of any country having ceased to be a Member of the Organisation, its readmission to membership shall be made in accordance with Article V, paragraph 3. [b]Article VII[/b] The Diet shall be the supreme authority of the Organisation and shall hold two Ordinary Meetings a year. However, an Extraordinary Meeting of the Diet may be convened at the request of a Member Nation by the Secretary General, after consultation with the President and approval by a simple majority of the Member Nations. In the absence of unanimity among Member Nations approving the convening of such a Meeting, as to the date and venue of the Meeting, they shall be fixed by the Secretary General in consultation with the President. Otherwise, The Diet shall normally be held at the Headquarters of the Organisation, but it may meet in any of the Member Nations, or elsewhere as may be advisable. [b]Article VIII[/b] 1. The Diet shall consist of delegations representing the Member Nations. A delegation may consist of one or more delegates, as well as advisers and observers. When a delegation consists of more than one person, the appointing country shall nominate one person as the Head of the Delegation. 2. Each Member Nation should be represented at all Diets; however, a quorum of three-quarters of Member Nations shall be necessary for holding a Diet. 3. Each Full Member Nation shall have one vote. All decisions of the Diet, other than on procedural matters, shall require the unanimous agreement of all Full Members. The Diet Resolutions shall become effective after 30 days from the conclusion of the Meeting, or after such period as the Diet may decide unless, within the said period, the Secretariat receives notification from Member Nations to the contrary. In the case of a Full Member being absent from the Meeting of the Diet, the Resolutions of the Diet shall become effective unless the Secretariat receives a notification to the contrary from the said Member, at least ten days before the date fixed for publication of the Resolutions. 4. A non-Member Nation may be invited to attend a Diet as Observer, if the Diet so decides. [b]Article IX.[/b] 1. The Diet shall elect a President and an Vice President at its first Preliminary Meeting. The Vice President shall exercise the responsibilities of the President during his absence, or when he is unable to carry out his responsibilities. The President shall hold office for the duration of the Meeting of the Diet, and shall retain the title until the next Meeting. The Secretary General shall be the Secretary of the Diet. 2. The Diet shall: [list][*]formulate the general policy of the Organisation and determine the appropriate ways and means of its implementation; [*]decide upon any application for membership of the Organisation; [*]confirm the appointment of Members of the Senate; [*]direct the Senate to submit reports or make recommendations on any matters of interest to the Organisation; [*]consider, or decide upon, the reports and recommendations submitted by the Senate on the affairs of the Organisation; [*]consider and decide upon the Budget of the Organisation, as submitted by the Senate; [*]consider and decide upon the Statement of Accounts and the Auditor’s Report, as submitted by the Senate; [*]call a Consultative Meeting for such Member Nations, for such purposes, and in such places, as the Diet deems fit; [*] approve any amendments to this Statute; [*] appoint the Premier of the Senate and an Second Premier; [*] appoint the Secretary General; and [*] appoint the Auditor of the Organisation for a duration of one year. [/list] 3. All matters that are not expressly assigned to other organs of the Organisation shall fall within the competence of the Diet. [b]Article X.[/b] 1. The Senate shall be composed of Delegates nominated by the Member Nations and confirmed by the Diet.Each Member of the Organisation should be represented at all Meetings of the Senate; however, a quorum of two-thirds shall be necessary for the holding of a Meeting. 2. When, for any reason, a Delegate is prevented from attending a Meeting of the Senate, a substitute ad hoc Delegate shall be nominated by the corresponding Member Nation. Such nomination shall not require confirmation by the Diet. At the Meetings which he attends, the ad hoc Delegate shall have the same status as the other Delegates, except as regards qualifications for Premiership of the Senate. 3. Each Delegate shall have one vote. A simple majority vote of attending Delegates shall be required for decisions of the Senate. The term of office of each Delegate shall be two years. 4. The Senate shall meet no less than twice each year, at suitable intervals to be determined by the Premier, after consultation with the Secretary General. 5. An Extraordinary Meeting of the Senate may be convened at the request of the Premier of the Board, the Secretary General, or two-thirds of the Delegates. 6. The Meetings of the Senate shall normally be held at the Headquarters of the Organisation, but they may also be held in any of the Member Nations, or elsewhere as may be advisable. 7. The Senate shall: [list][*]direct the management of the affairs of the Organisation and the implementation of the decisions of the Diet; [*]consider and decide upon any reports submitted by the Secretary General; [*]submit reports and make recommendations to the Diet on the affairs of the Organisation; [*] draw up the Budget of the Organisation for each calendar year and submit it to the Diet for approval; [*]nominate the Auditor of the Organisation for a duration of one year; [*]consider the Statement of Accounts and the Auditor’s Report and submit them to the Diet for approval; [*]approve the appointment of Directors of Divisions and Heads of Departments, upon nomination by Member Nations, due consideration being given to the recommendations of the Secretary General; [*]convene an Extraordinary Meeting of the Diet; and prepare the Agenda for the Diet. [/list] [b]Article XI.[/b] 1. The Premier of the Senate and the Second Premier, who shall assume all the responsibilities of the Premier whenever the Premier is absent or unable to exercise his responsibilities, shall be appointed by the Diet from among the Delegates for a period of one year, in accordance with the principle of alphabetical rotation. The date of membership in the Organisation, however, shall take precedence over the principle of alphabetical rotation. 2. The Premier of the Senate shall: [list][*]preside over the Meetings of the Senate; [*]attend the Headquarters of the Organisation in preparation for each Meeting of the Senate; and [*]represent the Senate at Diets and Consultative Meetings.[/list] 3. Should a majority of two-thirds of Delegates decide that the continuance of Membership of any Delegate is detrimental to the interests of the Organisation, the Premier of the Senate shall immediately communicate this decision to the Member Nation affected, who in turn shall nominate a substitute for the said Delegate before the next Meeting of the Senate. The nomination of such substitute as a Delegate shall be subject to confirmation by the following Diet. 4. Should a Delegate, for any reason, be precluded from continuing in the performance of his functions on the Senate, the corresponding Member Nation shall nominate a replacement.The nominated Delegate shall assume his functions upon nomination subject to confirmation by the following Diet. [b]Article XII.[/b] 1. A Consultative Meeting shall be composed of Heads of Delegations of Member Countries or their representatives. In case a Conference is not in session, a Consultative Meeting may be convened at any time at the request of the President of the Diet. The Agenda of each Consultative Meeting shall be prepared by the President of the Diet, unless it has been previously specified by the Conference itself. 2. The Consultative Meeting may pass decisions or recommendations to be approved by the next Diet, unless otherwise authorised by a previous Diet. [b]Article XIII.[/b] 1. The Diet may establish specialised organs, as circumstances require, in order to assist in resolving certain problems of particular importance. The specialised organs shall function in accordance with the Resolutions or Statutes prepared to that effect. 2. The specialised organs shall operate within the general framework of the Secretariat of the Organisation, both functionally and financially. 3. The specialised organs shall act at all times in accordance with the principles of the Organisation, as set out in the Resolutions of the Diet. [b]Article XIV.[/b] 1. Amendments to this Statute may be proposed by any Member Nation. Such proposed amendments shall be considered by the Senate which, if it so decides, shall recommend their adoption to the Diet. 2. All Resolutions contrary to the context of this Statute shall be abrogated. [b]Article XV.[/b] This Statute shall be applied from its adoption at the American Forums in New York City.[/quote]

The ship set sail from the port of Duluth to large crowds cheering and waving flags, the aristocracy and their retainers and servants seeing off several of a delegation on an extremely important mission. It was to be the first approach of the government of C.A.N.A.D.A. since the Confederation had been formed, and hopes were high that it would cement a close relationship of alliance and cooperation. The delegates had been authorised to accept any deal up to a Mutual Defence Pact, but Pontiff Odinnson knew the likelihood of anything more than a basic economic and intelligence treaty was low. At the head of the delegation was to be none other than Cancellarius Schildhafen himself, making the delegation practically a state visit. The ocean liner that had been chosen to ferry the delegation across the often harsh seas of the Great Lakes was the height of luxury; no liner could rival it. Odinnson had arranged the purchase shortly after the formation of the Confederation from private hands. In the following weeks and months he had it completely refitted and prepared as a floating luxury liner for a projected Kuklosian cruise line under His Highness Wittekind, Herzog von Schwarzbirgen, whose Duchy consisted of the mostly mined-out, unfarmable land in the Black Hills. Hunting was always plentiful, but money for the Duchy was not, leading him to pursue the foundation and organisation of a travel agency and ocean liner company that purchased and ran ships across the Great Lakes and into the Atlantic Ocean. Wittekind had in mind a route from Duluth to London via Chicago, Quebec City, and Cherbourg, but the Chicago decision was still being debated because of the pointless journey away from the St. Lawrence Seaway. The SHS (Seine Heiligkeits Schiff – His Holiness’ Ship) Magisteria was meant to be the first ship on such a route before it was hired out for the purpose of ferrying government members to neighbouring nations around the Great Lakes. It was outfitted with two on-board swimming pools, one in-doors, one on deck, as well as a six-lane bowling alley specially designed for sea travel, three theatres each seating about 70-100 people, as well as numerous other amenities. The ship’s capacity was not nearly met on this, its first voyage since purchase and refitting. Built for 925 passengers plus 600 crew, the ship was travelling with a reduced crew of 500 and just under 400 passengers. The emptiness of the ship was noticeable in the number of close restaurants on the ship (there were 11 in full service on a normal voyage, but only 4 on this voyage). Schildhafen, though, had very time to entertain all of these concerns. He was going to spend the next week working on the draft for the treaty he was seeking from the Canadian delegation. He also had other state business to handle, which the isolation of the ship would allow him. By the time he arrived in the Canadian capital he would have the document prepared and the delegation fully briefed on behaviour. Wittekind was on the ship as well, hoping to attract some business from the Canadians.

[quote name='Suiza' timestamp='1326334302' post='2897781'] [i] "Let us work together. I understand Kuklos, Pravus, & others do not necessarily share our foreign policy, and very few of this forum have decided to take war as a means to theirs, but I think the majority of the views expressed here can be addressed and action can be taken by all of us to make this a very productive forum. First, to Kuklos, is there a basic outline for such a treaty organization as you have been describing? Perhaps if we could draft a basic agreement, we could make headway as to establishing closer American economic unity. As for the issues of the foreign incursion into America, those who have decided to stand opposed to this issue, let us do so in unison. From this point forward, any acts of aggression should not come from America but from her enemies as they have been since foreign militaries entered our hemisphere. Despite this, the Continental Republic does not condone the assault apon Athens, an action that affects far more lives than those of the parties directly involved. Those of us who are commited to a stance- a defensive stance against overseas imperialism into our house, let us do so. Those who, being bound by alliance, foreign interest, self interest, self preservation or otherwise, continue as you wish. I should like to remind everyone that it was appeasement as a policy to the expansion of Germany that preluded WW2. Will we give in to foreign expansion here in America for the sake of peace? It is a false peace, if any peace at all."[/i] [/quote] "It would seem that Mr. O'Malley has put an effective end to the heated exchange - I think that's admirable. Since His Excellency Mr. Wilmington has prompted us toward some [i]constructive[/i] discussion, if I am permitted, I would like to floor an agreement for all Petroleum Exporting nations in attendance. By "Petroleum Exporting" I mean nations whose total petroleum exports are net exporters of oil and other petroleum products, rather than simply all nations who export oil. I have come with a prepared document to serve as a draft of any agreement pursued to form a Treaty Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Nations, regardless of the finalised name."

Erdstrom rose in the wake of the Imperium’s presentation confident in his position and ignoring the accusations in the undercurrent of Mara’s speech. “It would appear that the Imperium is in full agreement with the Confederation – especially in reference to our immense natural resources. A point which I have tried to stress since arriving here, and which I believe is a commonly-held belief among many of us, is that our continent has ever been a target of colonisation because of its resources. These things bind us together, and will create a community strong enough to deter colonisation and invasion. “We of the Confederation are no friends of the Religion of Liberalism, and all its trappings from democracy to socialism to Marxism. We, like the Imperium, have a unique political background. However, I must say that I am surprised to hear that mentioned, since it seems to have little if any effect on our cooperation with foreign powers. Our bonds come not from ideology, nor are we divided by this – rather all of our strengths and our weaknesses shine forth in the realms of economic cooperation and military aggression. Our greatest strengths are without a doubt our position on this globe. “We possess, at our fingertips, the greatest expanse of natural resources – from foodstuffs to petroleum to precious metals—in the world. Only the Indian subcontinent produces more cotton than the farms of the Dixie Confederacy and the East American Union. Only Mesopotamia sees as much oil pumped from the bosom of this planet as our reserves in the Confederation and the massive fields in Vicidalia. The great breadbasket of Europe will never produce as much corn as the Kuklosian, Louisianan, and Canadian farmlands. With carefully planned cartels controlling the international prices of these necessary goods – especially petroleum – we will possess untold power that will ensure our safety and security. “All this talk of war and battle is unnecessary. ‘If it should come to that’! Why should it come to [i]that[/i]? Without provocation, with increased cooperation among ourselves to promote cooperation with the Great Powers, we remove the reasons for the ominous and nebulous [i]that[/i]. "In response to His Excellency Mr. O'Malley, I say that war against colonialism is not a last resort - it is not [i]any[/i] resort. It is not a viable option. A war against an ideology such as colonialism will create a conflict that could wipe clean our entire globe. One cannot wage war on an ideology, and one can certainly not [i]win[/i] a war against an ideology. Our key goal as American nations is and must be the preservation of our strength through control of the world markets that will remove the central drive of colonialism, which is rooted in the liberal ideology of control of resources. "In response to His Excellency Mr. Wilmington, I can say with confidence that the Confederation will stand with all but the last clause, since it is a provocative clause that is either ignorant of the present political state of the Americas or accepts that non-American nations have already established territories here and wishes war to drive them hence. The Confederation cannot and will not stand by any policy of 'America for Americans' or 'Pure America' or any other such slogan that means provoking a war with Tian Xia, Rebel Army, France, and a number of other powers which many of us lack the resources to wage." Erdstrom nevertheless remained standing.

The Confederation of Κυκλοι is somewhat behind many of its neighbours in terms of arms and armaments; however, we do have in production many pieces designed by Paul Mauser and his company. Any firearm manufactured by the Mauser Arms company, including the Kar98, Mauser Parabellum pistol (Luger P08), SP66 Sniper Rifle and, of course, the 7.92×57mm Mauser round is available for sale. We will leave our more advanced colleagues in the Cajun Armaments Company to sell you more advanced rifles and standard-issue arms.

[quote name='Curristan' timestamp='1326311420' post='2897503'] President Littlewood would respond directly to Von Erdstrom with "Well we have come together to promote unity and some people here have said we need to prevent foreign colonialism. I personally think that a confrontation will happen sooner or later. Would you rather have any foreign force preparing for it or would you rather catch them before they have the ability to use their holdings to attack the Mainland itself?" [/quote] "Your Excellency speaks as though we all already have decided enemies throughout the world. We are not talking about military tactics and catching an enemy in battle by surprise: we are talking about foreign powers which we already know they have the ability to attack [i]if we provoke them to war[/i]. Is it not better to remove the cause of colonialism by making ourselves strong rather than depart on a fool's errand to [i]defeat[/i] an ideology which will not vanish until its sources are destroyed. What you are actually talking about is not civil defense, but global war on a total scale: a war so all-encompassing as to engulf entire nations' resources and may go on indefinitely? I turn my question away from Your Excellency and toward the entire Forum. I ask you: [i]do you want total war? Do you want a war more total and radical than anything that we can even yet imagine?[/i] I would expect only lunatics to answer 'yes'." Erdstrom resumed his seat, hoping he had driven the point home. Kuklos was not interested in war with Tianxia, and Erdstrom knew that the Pontiff wanted representatives from all major European and Asian powers to know that the Confederation was not going to participate in war against them unless singularly attacked. OOC: Scissors beats paper, but Goebbels beats Star Trek quotes. Your move, Isaac.

[quote name='Sarah Tintagyl' timestamp='1326264085' post='2897289'] Forrest's nonchalant attitude was the last thing that Angelika wanted to hear after running out of burning building that had just been bombed. She wasn't completely what she wanted to hear, but his tone just did not rub her the right way. "So you've been feeding information to this rebellion and deliberately stuck me and my associate into a dangerous building? I don't know how you run security in your country, Ritter-Kommandant, but you're doing it wrong. Damn poor excuse for a knight of any order. Bah!" She threw her hands in the air and turned towards the medical teams which were tending others who had been effected by the blast. "You give me soldiers and the right information and I'd end this rebellion faster than any 'knight' ever could." As Angelika turned, Nika frowned and turned away. "Just let her calm down, but if you knew about that attack. That was a pretty !@#$%* thing to do." When the Pontiff finally arrived, both of the women were being cleaned up by the doctors but tore away in seeing Odinnson. Angelika was the first to speak as she crossed the lawn and narrowed her eyes. "Not the best welcoming ceremony I've been privy to, perhaps I might reinstate my offer now that Nika and I have been directly effected by this rebellion of yours." [/quote] Forrest was not in the mood to be accused; the truth was he didn't know how the bomb had made it into the city - and he was angry enough as it was that he'd have to get the Order involved to find out what had gone wrong. His attempts to make things seem like he had things under control had gone over very poorly with the women visitors, something he hadn't expected. His relief was found when Odinnson finally arrived and he could depart to organise the manhunt. Odinnson approached the ladies and offered his apologies for the trouble. “If there was [i]any[/i] suspicion of this kind of action on my part or the part of any of my government, I assure you we would have found you other accommodations. If you are upset, I can understand why; you are certainly not alone in that reaction. I can only say I’m extremely glad – overjoyed, really – that neither of you are harmed,” he spotted Nika’s lack of spear, “and your spear will be recovered, I assure you.” He motioned to the ladies to his car and started moving in that direction himself, “as for your offer, I remain of the opinion that with the amount of danger you have already both been in, and with the miracle of your survival unharmed, provoking fate is—” “Usually typical of fighters. If these two think they can do a better job that I have, then they can have weapons and uniforms from the main armoury. I’ll even give them each a Zenturium of troops to command.” Forrest was bitter but he was not stupid enough to let an opportunity like this pass; when he overheard Angelika pressing to join the move, he wanted to make sure to silence the inevitable opposition from the Pontiff and the Brothers. Odinnson pulled him aside with a quick, but politic “excuse us” to the Hapsburg and her companion, “I believe that what you are talking about is extremely rash – besides, do you know how it will reflect on the government in general? Use the Inquisition – that’s what they’re there for, and they’re happy to work. The Chief Inquisitor has been pressing me for a more active role in putting down this rebellion for weeks. Considering what has just happened, I have half a mind to simply assign him the job.” “Your Holiness has far too much experience with my work and too much respect for me to do that and I know it. You want the Inquisition involved? You have that. Give me these two – they want to fight, and they’re willing. If something goes wrong, it reflects poorly on them and they know that. I can use that kind of drive.” Forrest replied firmly. He was the only man in the Confederation who could address the Pontiff in that way – which is why Odinnson made sure he didn’t do it often. “If you think insubordination is the means to get your way you’re quite mistaken. Then again, let’s see how willing they are to work with you.” The Pontiff had observed Forrest long enough to know when someone had criticised him, and he was guessing there had been a heated exchange before he arrived at the scene. He might be able to count on a grudge preventing Angelika and Nika from joining the fight. He turned to them, “Ritter-Kommandant Forrest is in charge of security. If you have nothing against working with him, or indeed under him, then I cannot see how I can prevent righteous anger and vengeance for wrongs committed against you. How do you feel about working in this capacity?”

"'The Eyes of the Americas are divided.'-The Tianxian Horde. 'And our eyes are on you. Do not underestimate our strength as you surely overestimate your own.' -Admiral Regine Avenier, The Commune of France. 'They are welcomed to get a demonstration of exactly how well the Hellenic Forces can project their power globally' -The Athenian Federation.'" Erdstrom thought about the quotations by Wilmington. He knew he had to say something. “Let me once again repeat the quotations that have been uttered by President Wilmington here. These are quotations which can arise from one thing and one thing only: provocation. “Do not underestimate our strength and you surely overestimate your own”. Think on this. That is not a statement - that is a [i]reply[/i] – and further it is a reply to clear provocation. War results from provocation, and as the Vizier of Pravus Ingruo has said, how many of us have the power, even together, to withstand the consequences of that provocation? If Pravus Ingruo refuses to sign on to a policy of provocation, ultimatums, and political union in the Americas, they are following a wise policy indeed. “I repeat what I have said before: it is our cooperation in economic matters that will unify the Americas. Here is my question: on my map, the Louisiana Federation has no land in the Bahamas. Why then are they engaging Athenian forces? The willingness of a nation to act unilaterally if such a Forum as this does not produced [i]their[/i] desired end speaks to a lack of desire on the part of many to actually achieve cooperation and unity: they are looking for allies in war, not good neighbours in all things. I ask the delegates here – all delegates here – whether this describes them, and whether they [i]want[/i] it to describe them. I think we will be able to say as a whole that none of us want this to describe us: we are here because we believe in cooperation, not unilateral action and warlike provocation. “The Confederation of Kukloi has already made clear its stance on this issue: we will not provoke a war we cannot fight, let alone win. We will not let others do our fighting for us. We are a community which believes in preparation and security – we do not believe in chaos and disunity – but it must be clear that preparation and security comes from building a community, not building an alliance bloc. I look to President Narino and Vizier Church, who have spoken wisely on this subject. I think it is important to ponder the wisdom of their stance and refuse to get caught up in the passions which lead down the path to global war. “Furthermore, if Louisiana has fought a war and successfully defended itself, it seems clear to us all that those who under the greatest threat are already prepared to meet the challenges of their foreign policy without involving others. The Confederation of Kukloi is willing to support efforts of nations to defend themselves against Imperialist aggression where that aggression is clear. However, where that aggression has been provoked – where it has been invited, and where the road to peace has been ignored, the Confederation as well as, I hope, many others here, are not willing to commit supplies, industry, raw materials, and blood to opposition to vengeance.” Erdstrom took his seat again and looked to Vizier Church for his response. Odinnson would be extremely displeased about closely relating to the Empire because of its treatment of the Confederation during the Cuba débâcle, but Erdstrom could see no reason to oppose one of the few allies he seemed to have at the Forums.

Erdstrom was pleased with the support he had from the American Commonwealth, but continued to look in the direction of Louisiana and Texas with their access to oil in West Texas and the Gulf. If he could gain a similar reaction from their delegations, the hopes of an American Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Nations could remain high.

Adjutor Erdstrom felt his moment to step in was quickly passing in the coming conflict arising between the East American Union and the Cubans. He could detect a conflict arising, and he did not want to lose the possibility of trades with the other American nations. "I think," he said, standing, "that there is-- how one says -- 'an elephant in the room' that is being largely ignored by all parties. We of the Confederation of Kuklos are not native to your continent. But we are, nevertheless, Americans, or we would certainly not be welcome at this Forum. Our discussions here do not centre on a threat from France or Athens or even Tianxia -- we are not talking about colonisation by foreigners. We are talking about protection of lands which we call our own. This is not a discussion of colonisation and conquest, but of national security. If we want to preserve our national security, if we want to protect ourselves, we will not do this through provocation and talks of war. "It is for this very reason that the Confederation of Κυκλοι has chosen to attend these Forums. We believe, as all others here believe, that American unity is important. I, and my superiors at the Magisterium of Monies and Merchants, are firm in our own belief that this unity is best founded in that which most readily breeds peace, which is the preservation of well-being and the ability of rulers to protect the material welfare of their subjects. What I am talking about is nothing other than economic unity and economic cooperation among our nations. So many of us have raw materials that foreign nations desire and, indeed, [i]need[/i]. They seek to colonise because of what colonies feed them: the very root of all colonisation, all mercantilism, is wealth and power from that wealth. "We, together, have an opportunity to make it more profitable for these foreign nations [i]not[/i] to colonise the Americas by working together to control our resources. The Confederation of Κυκλοι alone is heir to a crude oil fortune of in excess of 400 [i]billion[/i] barrels. We know there are others here with similar resources. I am here with explicit orders to reach out to those nations in an attempt to protect our control of American oil. We have already lost significant fields in Alaska, but we have even more significant fields in former Vicidalia, in Texas, and in the Gulf of Mexico. This is the kind of unity that will benefit us, and this is the kind of unity the Confederation hopes to pursue. If we join together in one massive cartel, we hope our fellow Americans will follow suit - and soon we will see unity in the face of adversity, a type of unity which will preserve peace rather than provoke war."

[center][size="5"]Treaties and International Affairs[/size][/center] [quote][center][b]The Californian Republic and Kuklos Confederacy Friendship Pact[/b][/center] [b]Preamble:[/b] We, the Californian Republic and the Confederation of Κυκλοι, in the interest of improving relations between our nations hereby sign this document. In this, we seek to develop our economics, provide the opportunities to grow our potential as a nation and economically, and agree to not have hostilities between each other for as long as this document is binding. [b]Article I: Sovereignty & Non-aggression[/b] Each signatory shall recognize the sovereignty of the each other, and as such shall pledge themselves to a peaceful co-existance and non-aggression. Both signatories shall not commit hostile actions against the each other in any way, including but not limited to waging war or conducting espionage. [b]Article II: Economic Development[/b] 1. Each signatory shall agree to reduce or eliminate tariffs on goods and products from the each other, with the tariff rate set as agreed upon by both nations. 2. Each signatory agrees to promote public and private business endeavors between us in the interest of growing our economies. 3. Each signatory agrees to help facilitate the smooth operations of goods moving on various modes of interstate commerce between us. [b]Article III: Future Considerations[/b] 1. Both signatories agree to review this treaty in a year's time, to resign or add provisions based the conditions of our relationship 2. The Californian Republic will review ATOPEN for potential signature in six months time. Signed this day of the 16th of January, [b]For the Confederation of Κυκλοι,[/b] Sigurd Odinnson, als Heraklit I [i]Pontifex Maximus Confederatii Kuklorum[/i] Henrik Graf von Erdstrom [i]Adjutor Monies and Merchants[/i] [b]For the Calfornian Republic,[/b] Colin Farren President of the Californian Republic Kevin O'Malley Secretary of State [/quote]