Shift Happens

[Imperator Azenquor]

[u][b]BCNA News: Zhukov Doctrine to be revoked, early elections in EIAR[/b][/u]


[i]“Some are calling it the most fundamental shift in Vauleyo-Buryatia’s foreign policy in decades, others are mourning it as the end of an era of stability in the near abroad. Today, President Andropov announced that he has ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take ‘concrete steps’ towards revoking the Zhukov Doctrine. In a statement the President’s spokesperson confirmed that it is the intention of the government to revoke the doctrine and to withdraw all peacekeepers from the near abroad.

The Zhukov Doctrine, named after the late General Zhukov, was a simple doctrine governing the status of the near abroad regions. The doctrine, while creating an avenue for the creation of new states along the Vauleyo-Buryatian borders also sought to ensure stability by pledging to intervene if the states were to collapse or otherwise become unable to govern the territories. While several nations have risen and fallen in the near abroad regions, few new nations have remained for longer than two years. With such frequent changes in government, Vauleyo-Buryatian Peacekeeping forces have had to be introduced several times to prevent anarchy, costing the Vauleyo-Buryatian taxpayer significantly.

According to the President’s spokesman, the doctrine will be withdrawn over a period of six months to allow for an ‘orderly transition’ and for the timely withdrawal of all peacekeeping forces in the regions. The government has also suggested that a path will be available for citizens in the near abroad who do not wish to remain there after the doctrine is ended, to attain Vauleyo-Buryatian citizenship. When asked what would happen to the territories once the Peacekeepers are withdrawn, the government suggested that the territories would be ‘left on their own’ with minimal support from the government. It was also suggested that locally based law enforcement units would be given sole control of security in the regions.

When asked about the Zhukov Regional Sphere Doctrine, the President’s spokesman stated that the doctrine was ‘under review’ by the government but would likely be only amended rather than revoked. The Regional Sphere Doctrine sought to declare the maximum extent of Vauleyo-Buryatia’s territorial boundaries and to declare the government’s vehement opposition to the annexation or occupation of territory outside of that regional sphere of influence. Despite several queries, the spokesperson refused to give any hints about what the amendments to the doctrine would be.

In other news, the government has announced that it will be withdrawing all equipment and personnel based at the Buryatian Antarctic Territory. The territory houses an Antarctic Research Facility, a Training Base for Vauleyo-Buryatian Military Personnel and a small scientific outpost (OOC: Prison). The government’s timetable suggests that a total withdrawal should be completed in two to three months. After withdrawal all buildings and facilities will be demolished and the land will be handed over to an undisclosed nation for future administration.

President Andropov is expected to outline these new policy moves in his two hour address ahead of the opening of the next budget debate in the Great People’s Khural tomorrow afternoon.

In local news, Deputy President Grigori Ourumov, who is also the Governor of the East Ingushetia Autonomous Region (EIAR) has dissolved the Regional Parliament of East Ingushetia and called an early regional election. The dissolution of the regional parliament was approved by Imperator Pyotr and the Vauleyo-Buryatian Electoral Commission earlier today. Voters in the region will be called upon to select 60 regional representatives to serve a four year term in the regional parliament. The current Parliament which is almost entirely dominated by anti-separatist politicians is unlikely to be changed significantly by the election since several pro-separatist movements including the controversial [b]Movement for the Salvation of East Siberia (MSES)[/b]have called on voters to again boycott the polls. [/i]-Reporter

[Justinian the Mighty]

Wouldn’t it be easier and more beneficial to the people living within the sphere of the Zhukov Doctrine If Vauleo-Buryatia just incorporated them into the country? The people would pay taxes to support the governments peacekeeping missions there. It seems like these unstable regions could become a problem for all the countries that border them.

[Triyun]

The United States of China supports this move.

[Imperator Azenquor]

[b][u]BCNA News: Parliament revokes Zhukov Doctrine, Antarctica withdrawal begins[/b][/u]


[i]“The Great People’s Khural today approved a bill that would entirely dismantle the Zhukov Doctrine. The bill, backed by the governing Social Democratic Party (SDP) is expected to be enacted in the next few days after President Andropov and the Imperator endorse the legislation. As soon as the Khural approved the end of the Zhukov Doctrine, MPs passed a second bill that would outline the multistep process for the withdrawal of peacekeepers from all regions under Zhukov Doctrine control.

According to President Andropov, the bill would hold a referendum in the western protectorate region to determine its future status, and that of the individuals residing there. If the vote indicates that a significant number of individuals residing in the western protectorate region wish to join Vauleyo-Buryatia, then they shall be given the opportunity to apply for Vauleyo-Buryatian citizenship. However, the government has ruled out annexing the entire protectorate region regardless of the outcome of the vote. It has been suggested that the government is exploring the possibility of annexing a small area that would be less than 1/6th of the entire western protectorate in the event that a large number of people wish to join Vauleyo-Buryatia.

Once the referendum in the western protectorate region is completed, the government will order the first withdrawal of peacekeepers from the region. This withdrawal will coincide with the creation and deployment of a Regional Police Force (RPF) to be placed under the command of a Transitional government in the protectorate region. This Transitional Government will maintain order in the region with the indirect support of the Vauleyo-Buryatian government. The current timeline for the withdrawal of peacekeepers and the creation of a Transitional Government is 3 months.

In the less populated Kamchatka and Magadan protectorate regions, the government has already created a Transitional Government and is in the process of creating a single Magadan-Kamchatka Police Force. The first units of the new Police Force are expected to take over security in the region beginning in approximately two months. The government significantly reduced the cost of equipping the Magadan-Kamchatka Police Force by using old weapons salvaged from the former nation of Chernorussia. The Head of the MKPFOR (Magadan-Kamchatka Peacekeeping FORce) has expressed optimism that he will be able to adequately equip and train the new police force in the allotted time, but has urged the government in Vauleyo-Buryatia to provide additional financial support and personnel to expedite the training process.

Further afield, at the Buryatian Antarctic Territory scientists have begun to dismantle the Scientific outpost in the territory in preparation for a full withdrawal. The Scientific facility, one of a handful of buildings built several years ago is home to the Institute for Antarctican Research (IAR). Progress with dismantling other facilities has gone painstakingly slow and is likely to fall behind the initial schedule. To help expedite the process, the East Asia Corporation has dispatched three private ships to the Antarctic Territory to assist with the withdrawal process and to deliver additional supplies to the territory. There are also unconfirmed reports that the government intends to appoint a military governor for the Antarctic Territory to oversee the withdrawal process as well as the management of all resources deployed to the Territory. A BCNA reporter has been given exclusive access to the Antarctic Territory and is en route to the region on a cargo ship owned by the East Asia Corporation.

We will bring you the latest on these and other news stories as soon as we can. So from BCNA News, this is Ray Porter. Good night”[/i]-Reporter

[b]===[/b]

[quote name='Justinian the Mighty' date='21 June 2010 - 01:40 AM' timestamp='1277098827' post='2344842']
Wouldn’t it be easier and more beneficial to the people living within the sphere of the Zhukov Doctrine If Vauleo-Buryatia just incorporated them into the country? The people would pay taxes to support the governments peacekeeping missions there. It seems like these unstable regions could become a problem for all the countries that border them.
[/quote]

[i]"Due to the current population density of Vauleyo-Buryatia it would be problematic if all of the territories who's citizens wished to remain with Vauleyo-Buryatia were simply annexed. While we acknowledge that it will be the desire of at least some of the citizens in these territories to join Vauleyo-Buryatia, we acknowledge that not all of them would wish to do so. In our view a more practical alternative would be to examine the proportion of individuals wishing to join Vauleyo-Buryatia through a referendum or other process and decide how to proceed based on that. For example, if in a protectorate region only a handful of individuals wish to join Vauleyo-Buryatia then we will simply make arrangements to relocate these individuals to Vauleyo-Buryatian territory. If a large enough number of people wish to join Vauleyo-Buryatia and if it would be a more complicated process to relocate all of these individuals, then the government shall consider a partial annexation of an area from the protectorate into which these individuals could easily move to."[/i]-Grigori Ourumov, 2nd Deputy President

[Imperator Azenquor]

[b][u]BCNA News: Election results from EIAR[/b][/u]


[i]“A few minutes ago, the Vauleyo-Buryatian Electoral Commission (VEC) announced the results of the early regional elections in the East Ingushetia Autonomous Region (EIAR). The results of the regional elections indicated that the majority of people living in the EIAR stayed away from the polls, either in support of the boycott by separatists or simply for personal reasons. According to the statement from the Electoral Commission, turnout was estimated at 37% of eligible voters. As expected by the initial polls, 58 of the 60 seats in the regional parliament were won by hardliner anti-secessionist MPs while the remaining 2 seats were won by 2 moderate pro-government MPs. These results indicate, once again, that the separatist parties, and even their moderate equivalents who merely advocate greater autonomy, will have no political representation in the regional parliament of East Ingushetia.

Some political analysts in East Ingushetia have suggested that the total boycott of the electoral process advocated by the separatist and moderate politicians has undermined their ability to advocate for policy changes and has thus hurt the people of East Ingushetia. These analysts have suggested that the best route to gaining independence for East Ingushetia would be through the election of pro-independence MPs to the regional and national level parliaments. These analysts are countered by those who suggest that the very fact that less than 50% of eligible voters in the province elected to vote in the regional elections should be the clearest signal yet that the election was not valid. They argue that an election in which the majority of individuals openly refuse to take part in, is therefore illegitimate and any officials elected through this process are also illegitimate. As an example of the low turnout, the MP for the North West Region of the East Ingushetia Autonomous Region, was elected with 100% or 210 votes in a region that has 5261 eligible voters. Some argue that the Electoral Commission should void the elections, but others suggest that such a move could only occur if it can be proven that there were circumstances that prevented individuals wishing to vote from doing so.

In other news, the Electoral Commission has announced that the referendum in the western protectorate region will be held next month, after the registration of eligible voters in the protectorate region is completed. The registration process, according to the Commission, was taking longer than expected due to some unforeseen challenges. The Commission has nonetheless guaranteed that the referendum will take place shortly, and that every individual living in the protectorate region will be eligible to cast his or her ballot.

A spokesperson for the Vauleyo-Buryatian Peacekeepers stationed in the western protectorate region has announced that it has completed the training of at least 78% of the police units who will take over security operations from the Peacekeepers when they withdraw after the referendum process.

That is all for now. I am Ray Porter, reporting for BCNA news.”[/i]-Reporter

[Imperator Azenquor]

[b][u]BCNA News: Regional Police Forces ready for deployment[/b][/u]


[i]”Today a spokesperson for the Vauleyo-Buryatian Peacekeeping forces in the Western Protectorate Region declared that the new Regional Police Force (RPF) is ready to take over most security operations in the Western Protectorate Region. The RPF units are being deployed throughout the region as they prepare to take full control of the region’s security from the Peacekeepers. Several security analysts have praised the announcement as an [b]‘extremely positive sign ahead of the referendum’[/b] which is due to take place in the next three days. The referendum will create a new Transitional Authority to govern the regions of the Western Protectorate Region that express the desire to no longer remain under Vauleyo-Buryatian protection.

In the east, the Transitional Government held its first meeting since the announcement of the impending end of the Zhukov Doctrine. The Transitional Government began the process of drafting a step by step plan to deal with security and political issues that arise from the end of the Zhukov Doctrine. The MKFOR today revealed that the new Magadan-Kamchatka Police Force is now 60% trained and 47% equipped and would begin to take over security from MKFOR once the Vauleyo-Buryatian government withdraws its peacekeepers. As a precursor to that withdrawal, a group of 50 peacekeepers from MKFOR were withdrawn to the BSN this morning.

Meanwhile President Andropov and the Office of the Commander of Peacekeeping Forces have set a tentative timetable for a three week withdrawal. The President confirmed that the final steps to revoke the Zhukov Doctrine would not be taken until security in the regions is assured and until Vauleyo-Buryatian Peacekeepers have withdrawn. Until that time, the President reiterated that the Zhukov Doctrine was still in effect.

BCNA will be carrying exclusive coverage of the upcoming referendum in the Western Protectorate Region and the impact the referendum will have on the future relationship between Vauleyo-Buryatia and the near abroad.”[/i]-Reporter