The L6

[Maleatu]

Taking a drink from his glass, Sanmatar Shakor smiled broadly.

"[i]The Minmatar Republic is always looking to find friends, and we would welcome an opportunity to expand our markets and sell our goods and services abroad. Indeed, we are currently amidst negotiations with the Kingdom of Cochin to expand our land and territory as well as gain access to Cochin markets.[/i]"

"[i]We would be honored to join you in a hand of friendship, so long as there are no military or political obligations attached.[/i]"

[KaiserMelech Mikhail]

"This will be a purely economic partnership," Mikhail said to Sanmatar, "apart from the possible lowering of trade barriers between our nations, which we will discuss later, we require nothing of you politically. This is our way of tying our nations together economically to make us major players in the world. We need to prove that access to the sea does not make a great power. Apart from trading goods and services, we will also trade knowledge. We will teach each other the best ways to utilize road, rail, air, and river transport. We will teach each other effective planning techniques that will increase industrial output while protecting our people and our environments. We will teach each other how to succeed in this world."

[Maleatu]

"Perfectly logical. Alright, then the Republic shall sign your treaty."

OOC: Plus ten internets if anyone can tell me what movie that line came from.

[KaiserMelech Mikhail]

"Is there anything special any nation wants added into this treaty?"

[KaiserMelech Mikhail]

The next day, the group reconvened in the conference area. "Overnight, I've had my scribes write up the official document," Mikhail said, laying a large piece of parchment on the table, "if this is acceptable to everyone, simply sign your name on the document, and if not, please tell me what I can do to improve this document so it is more to your liking."

[quote][size="5"][center]L5 Economic Bloc[/center][/size]

[b]Preamble[/b]
We, the landlocked nations of the world, gather here in a concerted effort to improve our economic conditions, and raise our standings in the world. We unite to accelerate growth, strengthen cooperation, promote active collaboration and mutual assistance in the economic, social, cultural, technical and scientific fields, and to provide all our nations the opportunity to exist in dignity and reach their full potentials.

[b]Article 1: Trade Easements[/b]
In order to increase commerce and economic growth, the member of this bloc will lower tariffs on good from other members of this agreement. The reductions are dependent on what the host nation views acceptable. Minimum reductions will be 25%, with nations increasing the number should they so choose.

[b]Article 2: Technical Cooperation[/b]
With no access to the sea, alternative methods of mass transport of goods must be researched and developed. The nations of this bloc agree to share technical knowledge of their trade mediums, and the infrastructure needed to sustain them.

[b]Article 3: Personnel Exchanges[/b]
The landlocked positions of our nations presents unique advantages. The nations of this bloc agree to exchanges of university students and field professionals in order to increase cultural understanding and knowledge in vital fields such as economics and engineering.

[b]Article 4: Leaving the Bloc[/b]
A position in the L5 bloc is completely voluntary, and serves only to benefit each nation involved. If a nation wishes to withdraw from this agreement, they are free to do so at any time. Leaving the bloc will, however, result in the termination of any benefits given to a nation in this agreement.

[b]Signatures:[/b]
[u]Signed for Marscurian Siberia:[/u]
[i]Mikhail Stein, Khagan of Marscurian Siberia[/i]

[u]Signed by the Republic of Amarna:[/u]
[i]John Adharran, President of the Republic of Amarna[/i]
[i]1st National Congress of the Republic of Amarna[/i]

[u]Signed for the Minmatar Republic[/u]
[i]Sanmatar Shakor, Republic Prime Minister[/i]

[u]Signed for Republic of Soldania[/u]
[i]Kaiser Hadrian Bergsmann, Republic's Fuhrer[/i]

[u]Signed for Avorez[/u]
[i]Samuel Mitschke, Supreme Chancellor of the Republic of Avorez[/i]

[u]Signed for Regnum[/u]
[i]Coriolanus Insignius, President of Regnum [/i][/quote]

Edited July 4, 2012 by KaiserMelech Mikhail

[Baskan]

[u][b]Signed by the Republic of Amarna:[/b][/u]
[size="4"][i]John Adharran[/i][/size], [i]President of the Republic of Amarna[/i]
[i][u]1st National Congress of the Republic of Amarna[/u][/i]

[Maleatu]

[b]Signed for the Minmatar Republic[/b]
Sanmatar Shakor
[i]Republic Prime Minister[/i]

[Sgt Shidner]

Signed for Republic of Soldania
[i]Kaiser Hadrian Bergsmann[/i]
Republic's Fuhrer

[sandman9913]

A message from the President of Avorez,
Hello fellow land locked nations of the world, I've come here to apply for admission into the L5 economic bloc

[KaiserMelech Mikhail]

You meet all the qualifications. As long as you pledge to follow the wording of the treaty, it would be an honor to include you in our organization. You just need to add your signature.

[sandman9913]

Signed for Avorez
Samuel Mitschke
[i]Supreme Chancellor of the Republic of Avorez[/i]

[KaiserMelech Mikhail]

Nearly a year and a half after the signing of the original L5 treaty, and things had utterly collapsed. Every landlocked nation had disappeared, save Marscurian Siberia. The group's headquarters was, for the most part, shuttered and abandoned, and the majority of the staff had moved on to different projects. However, things were about to change. Hope had arisen for a new group to rise. A new nation in North America, West Virginia, had arisen, and was landlocked itself. With great excitement, Prince Vladimir sent a message to the West Virginian government.

[quote]To the West Virginian government:
Long ago, the landlocked nations of the world shared a great amount of economic bonds. The L5 bloc served to establish greater trade and technical cooperation between the landlocked nations to help their economies thrive along with the economies of the rest of the world. With West Virginia's establishment, and its current landlocked situation, Marscurian Siberia would like to revive this group. We would like to invite prominent West Virginian politicians and business leaders to Marscury to discuss a possible economic treaty between our nations.

Prince Vladimir Stein
Prime Minister of Marscurian Siberia[/quote]

[Aiden Ford]

[i]Consider an Emmissary already sent[/i]

[Padraig Rua]

Regnum would like to apply for admission into the L5 Economic Block. We believe it would be most beneficial.
[size="3"][font="Garamond"][b][i]Presdient Insignius[/i][/b][/font][/size]

[KaiserMelech Mikhail]

[quote name='Chancellor Patrick' timestamp='1341427516' post='3003493']
Regnum would like to apply for admission into the L5 Economic Block. We believe it would be most beneficial.
[size="3"][font="Garamond"][b][i]Presdient Insignius[/i][/b][/font][/size]
[/quote]
As a fellow landlocked nation, we find no reason to not accept you into our economic organization.

[Padraig Rua]

In that case, I shall add my signature to this document on the behalf of Regnum.

[b]Signed for Regnum[/b]
[size="4"][font="Garamond"][i]Coriolanus Insignius
President of Regnum[/i][/font][/size]

[Evangeline Anovilis]

[quote]
[b]To: The Foreign Ministry of Marscurian Siberia[/b]
[b]From: Ephraim Halliwell, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Faraway[/b]

To whomever it concerns,

Given that we heard that Marscurian Siberia, last remaining member of a bloc of landlocked countries has not yet dissolved this bloc, we would like to inquire if this information is true. Faraway itself sees itself as landlocked, having only access to limited shipping through the foreign-controlled Saint Lawrence Seaway, but otherwise, the port the nearest to the Sea is Kingston in Lake Ontario. Thus, if this is landlocked enough for Marscurian Siberia and if the old economic bloc of landlocked countries still exists, we would request initiation of diplomatic talks, so maybe one day, our fair country can be part of such a noble institution, that aims at strengthening those that have no direct connection to the sea, if they even have an indirect connection.

With regards,

[i]Ephraim Halliwell[/i]
[/quote]

A bottle of maple syrup was sent with the letter.

[KaiserMelech Mikhail]

A reply was sent back immediately.

[i]My Dear Sir,[/i]
[i]You are most welcome here.[/i]

[Evangeline Anovilis]

[quote][b]To: The Foreign Ministry of Marscurian Siberia[/b]
[b]From: Ephraim Halliwell, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Faraway[/b]

Given the positive reply, should we arrange a meeting to officially sign this treaty, or how would the Marscurians want to handle this?

With regards,

[i]Ephraim Halliwell[/i][/quote]

[KaiserMelech Mikhail]

In order to continue discussions, we invite you to the L-bloc headquarters in the city of Marscury. You may be arrive at Marscury International Airport, and we will send representatives to meet you.

[Evangeline Anovilis]

Minister Ephraim Halliwell had already served for Ontario, now he served Faraway as Minister of Foreign Affairs. He was a middle-aged man, wearing a suit and a Homburg hat, not really all too remarkable, but he did his job, that was what was required of him. Now he was sent to Marscury, to negotiate the entrance of Faraway to the single economic bloc that was exclusive to landlocked countries, given that Faraway had little relations with anyone in the world, apart from Quebec. Thus, Ephraim would take a flight from Toronto to Beijing, from there to Marscury, waiting at the airport for someone to greet him.

[KaiserMelech Mikhail]

As the plane set down in Marscury, it would be directed down the tarmac to the international terminal where an open jetway had been reserved for them between a Tianxian jumbo jet and a plane departing for South America. An L-bloc representative would be waiting for the group as they arrived, and they would be moved through the terminal and would avoid customs due to the nature of their visit. Taking a short escalator ride from the ground floor to the transport level. There was originally a plan for a towncar to arrive, but it was determined to be dangerous due to the blowing snow and the temperatures that were hovering around 20 degrees below zero. The Marscury Metro would take them deep into the governmental sector of the city, protected from the weather. Regardless, each member of the delegation was offered a thick greatcoat and an ushanka, as a business suit simply would not be thick enough to keep them warm. Arriving at a station closest to the building, the group was ushered into the warmth of the L-bloc headquarters, and were directed to a large meeting room where representatives would be waiting for them to begin the discussion.

[Evangeline Anovilis]

Halliwell gladly accepted coat and Ushanka, when he realised how cold it really got in Marscuria. Marscuria was a bit of a new experience for Ephraim. As he followed the Marscurians, he may not have seen much, due to the means of transportation, but what he saw, he watched with interest. Not that he had never seen a metro or an airport ever, but it was not everyday that one saw a country like Marscuria, for which he could not even find words to describe it. Hopefully, at some point he'd see a mink like in the travel brochures.

When arriving in the headquarters, Ephraim greeted the Marscurians, before taking a seat, as soon as the Marscurians themselves were seated. One would not want to be inpolite. And who knew how Marscurian culture was in this regard.