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Invitation to Texas


JEDCJT

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Private:

Imperator James Norton was silently seething at the foreign encroachment in North America. The Europeans and Asians were truly hypocrites of the worst kind. While forbidding foreign encroachment in both Europe and Asia, they thought they were free to encroach upon North America with impunity. And what was especially galling was that the Chinese had to question the Empire's commitment to treaties such as the Pacific Harmony Accords. Apparently the Chinese and their allies expected the Ursalians to kowtow to them and condone their hypocritical actions.

The $%&@ he was going to do that. They were allies, not servants.

He had never really liked the Chinese. After all, they were the ones who had backstabbed the first Ursalia by supporting the Communists when they overthrew the Kingdom of Ursalia, and were responsible for the nuclear attack that had vaporized his father and devastated much of Vancouver in the process--as well dealt the deathblow to the Kingdom his father had worked so hard to build. Who was to say that they wouldn't do that again?

He was seriously considering withdrawing from both the ATO and the PH treaties when his friend, the Grand Vizier informed him of Texas's withdrawal from the ATO pact. It was at that moment Norton had a thought: perhaps he could build a rapport with the Republic of Texas and perhaps use that as a basis to combat foreign influence in North America?

He comprised a message, which was sent to the Texan embassy in Ursalia City through secure channels. It would be brief and to the point:

[quote]Dear esteemed leaders of the Republic of Texas,

Considering the recent circumstances regarding foreign expansion in North America, of which we both were forced to accept due to events outside our control, and of Texas's withdrawal from the ATO, I was wondering if you would be open to a meeting to discuss our relations and the like. The meeting will be held in the City of Regina, should you desire to attend.

- With regards,
James Norton, Imperator and Protector of the Holy Empire of Ursalia[/quote]

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[quote]Dear esteemed leaders of the Republic of Texas,

Considering the recent circumstances regarding foreign expansion in North America, of which we both were forced to accept due to events outside our control, and of Texas's withdrawal from the ATO, I was wondering if you would be open to a meeting to discuss our relations and the like. The meeting will be held in the City of Regina, should you desire to attend.

- With regards,
James Norton, Imperator and Protector of the Holy Empire of Ursalia[/quote]

Michael Croix and his Vice-Chancellor Gabriel Valcoste smoked their cigars as they considered Ursalia's invitation. Gabriel was the first to speak, "It would need to be done in secret you know."

Michael glanced sideways, "Oh?"

"So recently after the cancellation and our strong reactions to Austria and Greenland, definitely not good to advertise a meeting such as this."

"Now Gabriel, you know that foreign nations don't dictate with whom we have meetings with."

"Of course, it's not foreign nations I'm worried about but our own people - better that we inform them once we're on the ground or better yet after the meeting. Tensions are still high due to the previous week's events."

"Very well, I shall send a letter informing them of our acceptance... and terms."


Classified:

"Dear Imperator Norton,

Thank you for your kind invitation, I would be overjoyed to travel to your nation along with my Vice-Chancellor. Due to the recent rise in tensions across the continent, I feel it prudent to keep this meeting a secret until it is over, both for your safety and my own.

I look forward to speaking with you in person.

Best Regards,

Michael Croix,
Chancellor of Texas"

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[quote name='Yawoo' timestamp='1309656366' post='2747252']
Classified:

"Dear Imperator Norton,

Thank you for your kind invitation, I would be overjoyed to travel to your nation along with my Vice-Chancellor. Due to the recent rise in tensions across the continent, I feel it prudent to keep this meeting a secret until it is over, both for your safety and my own.

I look forward to speaking with you in person.

Best Regards,

Michael Croix,
Chancellor of Texas"
[/quote]

Classified:

A reply would be sent thru secure channels once again:

We have every intention to have the meeting be held in secret, and your concerns are perfectly understandable. Our diplomatic personnel will receive you in secrecy, and the press will not know of this. We will send you the coordinates of a secret government runway located outside Regina for your jetliner to land in. I and the Grand Vizier look forward to meeting with you.

[coordinates enclosed]

With regards,
James Norton, Imperator

***

Classified:

As soon the message was sent, the Imperator and Grand Vizier boarded an unmarked jetliner and flew to Regina. Being a low-key city, distant from other more larger, obvious cities like Ursalia City, Bastion, Byss and Nadrink, Regina was the perfect meeting place. The Federal government undertook appropriate measures: due to the secretive nature of the meeting, there would be no pomp or cheering crowds; instead, a low-profile armored SUV would wait at the runway to pick the Texan leaders. It would take them to the meeting place alongside a secret, out-of-the-way route.

Once the Texan leaders reached the meeting place, the Imperator and the Grand Vizier would be there, waiting. "Hello, it is good to see you once again. How are you doing?" Norton greeted Croix and Valcoste with a handshake and friendly smile, the Grand Vizier doing the same. Despite the nature of the meeting, Norton wanted to exchange pleasantries a bit before getting on with the meeting.

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[i]"Hello, it is good to see you once again. How are you doing?" Norton greeted Croix and Valcoste with a handshake and friendly smile, the Grand Vizier doing the same[/i]

Michael and Gabriel would shake hands and exchange pleasantries with the gentlemen. "My apologies for having to make this meeting secret, I do hope it wasn't too much of a burden on your security detail," comment Chancellor Croix.

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[quote name='Yawoo' timestamp='1309664875' post='2747365']
[i]"Hello, it is good to see you once again. How are you doing?" Norton greeted Croix and Valcoste with a handshake and friendly smile, the Grand Vizier doing the same[/i]

Michael and Gabriel would shake hands and exchange pleasantries with the gentlemen. "My apologies for having to make this meeting secret, I do hope it wasn't too much of a burden on your security detail," comment Chancellor Croix.
[/quote]

Norton grinned. "No apology is needed. Our security details live for this stuff, keeps them busy." His expression then turned a bit solemn. "As you are aware, the recent situation regarding Austria's colonization in North America has caused us to cast doubts on our allies, especially these in the ATO, on the ability to keep North America free from further foreign expansion. As we seem to share common interests in that North America should be for Americans, I feel that we should show a sort of an unified front in not only showing our determination to prevent future foreign colonization, but also to provide support to each other in times of need, should that need arose."

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"As much as I would love to be able to join with you in a unified front against expansion - without greater cooperation from American nations, of which there just isn't, I just don't think it would be wise to further paint targets on our backs. We are both large, technologically advanced nations, but when faced against a continent or two even our strength would be overwhelmed."

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Norton nodded as he digested Croix's words. "You bring up a good point. Perhaps that may be viable in the future, though. We do need to gather allies and pick the right ones. With that aside, what do you think of furthering relations with the Holy Ursalian Empire? Perhaps not a mutual defense treaty, but something of an economic/trading agreement, and then upgrading it to something higher in the future? If you have any ideas or suggestions, go ahead." Norton smiled.

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[quote name='JEDCJT' timestamp='1309666981' post='2747407']
Norton nodded as he digested Croix's words. "You bring up a good point. Perhaps that may be viable in the future, though. We do need to gather allies and pick the right ones. With that aside, what do you think of furthering relations with the Holy Ursalian Empire? Perhaps not a mutual defense treaty, but something of an economic/trading agreement, and then upgrading it to something higher in the future? If you have any ideas or suggestions, go ahead." Norton smiled.
[/quote]

"I'm not going to lie - you folded like a stack of cards when the Empire backed Austria, that doesn't exactly inspire confidence in my constituents back home. Your continued association with the A.T.O. will no doubt split your allegiance should something ever occur similar to Austria's colonization. Texas would be open to starting relations on an economic front, but the aforementioned issues would need to be addressed before we could ever seriously talk about military ties."

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[quote name='Yawoo' timestamp='1309667359' post='2747419']
"I'm not going to lie - you folded like a stack of cards when the Empire backed Austria, that doesn't exactly inspire confidence in my constituents back home. Your continued association with the A.T.O. will no doubt split your allegiance should something ever occur similar to Austria's colonization. Texas would be open to starting relations on an economic front, but the aforementioned issues would need to be addressed before we could ever seriously talk about military ties."
[/quote]

"See, I told you we should've gone to war." The Grand Vizier mumbled before Norton gave him a look. "That's something that I'm not proud of doing, but I'm not going to lie: I had little choice in this." Norton spoke up. "But I suppose we can do something to address these issues, like you mentioned. So, are we in agreement with the economic aspects?" He said the last part with a small smile.

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Norton nodded as he gestured at an aide, who had been preparing an extremely rough draft of the treaty, and took it from him. As he did so, he was struck by a thought. Turning to the Texan leaders, he opened his mouth to speak:

"Here are the basic outlines of the economic agreement. However, I have a thought: do you want to throw in a non-aggression clause and a sovereignty clause? Something like a PIAT? Just a thought. Feel free to make any suggestions or changes, of course." The Imperator said as he turned the draft to Croix.

It read as following:

[quote][center][b]Ursalian-Texan Economic Treaty[/b][/center]
[b]Preamble:[/b]
We, the Holy Empire of Ursalia and the Republic of Texas, strive to aspire for improved economic and trade opportunities. Through such, we seek to further economic growth, ensure cooperation, and promote mutual assistance in the economic and trading fields, and to provide our nations the opportunity to achieve the highest economic potential as possible.

[b]Article I:[/b]
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.

[b]Article II:[/b]
Each signatory shall share information pertaining to trade mediums, as well the relative infrastructure needed to sustain and faciliate trade between both nations.

[b]Article III:[/b]
Should, for any reason, either signatory deem it necessary to cancel this treaty, the signatory shall give a ninety-six (96) hour notice to the other signatory. This agreement shall remain in effect during that time period.[/quote]

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"Yes, we would feel comfortable adding a non-agression and sovereignty clause. We do think the following needs re-wording however.

[i]promote mutual assistance in the economic and trading fields,[/i]

As it is written it reads too much like an articles which seeks to eliminate other foreign economic and trading benefits."

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Norton made several changes to the draft before handing it to the Texan leaders. "How does this look?"

[quote][center][b]Ursalian-Texan Treaty[/b][/center]
[b]Preamble:[/b]
We, the Holy Empire of Ursalia and the Republic of Texas, strive to aspire for improved economic and trade opportunities. Through such, we seek to further economic growth, ensure cooperation, and provide mutual trading and economic assistance, and to provide our nations the opportunity to achieve the highest economic potential as possible.

[b]Article I:[/b]
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.

[b]Article II:[/b]
Each signatory shall share information pertaining to trade mediums, as well the relative infrastructure needed to sustain and faciliate trade between both nations.

[b]Article III:[/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 IV:[/b]
Should, for any reason, either signatory deem it necessary to cancel this treaty, the signatory shall give a ninety-six (96) hour notice to the other signatory. This agreement shall remain in effect during that time period.[/quote]

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Norton smiled as he ordered an aide to make a more formal copy of the draft. Once the formal copy was given out, Norton received it and scribbled his signatures on it before passing it on to J Thomas Christopher, who did the same. The Grand Vizier then passed it on to Croix:

[quote][center][b]Ursalian-Texan Treaty[/b][/center]
[b]Preamble:[/b]
We, the Holy Empire of Ursalia and the Republic of Texas, strive to aspire for improved economic and trade opportunities. Through such, we seek to further economic growth, ensure cooperation, and provide mutual trading and economic assistance, and to provide our nations the opportunity to achieve the highest economic potential as possible.

[b]Article I:[/b]
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.

[b]Article II:[/b]
Each signatory shall share information pertaining to trade mediums, as well the relative infrastructure needed to sustain and faciliate trade between both nations.

[b]Article III:[/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 IV:[/b]
Should, for any reason, either signatory deem it necessary to cancel this treaty, the signatory shall give a ninety-six (96) hour notice to the other signatory. This agreement shall remain in effect during that time period.

Signed for the [b]Holy Empire of Ursalia[/b],
[i]James Norton, Imperator and Protector of the Holy Empire of Ursalia
J Thomas Christopher, Grand Vizier[/i]

Signed for the [b]Republic of Texas[/b],
[i]Michael Croix
Chancellor

Gabriel Valcoste
Vice-Chancellor [/i]
[/quote]

"You may submit your signatures here," Norton continued as an aide entered the room, and after excusing himself, crossed over to the Imperator and whispered to him. After a moment, Norton turned to Croix. "Well, it turns that the Pravus Ingruoian representative had just called for a motion to dissolve the American Treaty Organization. With that said, I am fairly confident that the Holy Ursalian Empire's involvement in the A.T.O. will soon cease."

Edited by JEDCJT
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"Aye, the A.T.O. was too splintered from the beginning to really have much of a chance at succeeding." Michael grabbed his pen and with a flourish wrote,

Michael Croix
Chancellor

Gabriel Valcoste
Vice-Chancellor

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Norton smiled as an aide picked the draft up and carefully placed it in a briefcase. He stood up, along with the Grand Vizier, and held out a hand to shake hands with Croix and Valcoste.

"True, that is. I guess we are done with the meeting, it was great meeting with you. When should we announce this to the world?"

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Norton nodded, smiling. "I will announce it to the world soon. I will have our security detail transport you to the runaway, so you may travel to Texas. I wish the both of you the best of luck."

OOC: I guess we're done here. :P

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