Quote:Not so you would notice it.  We want to trade with most everyone but have economic relations beyond that with three nations, Kafuristan, Istalia and Lodamun.. We also see predictable income from oil exports as quite desirable and may well need to confer more with the other major oil producers.  We are producing well under capacity and are sensitive to fluctuations.
 
The old security relations prior to our most recent drift into isolation and decay from which we are emerging are largely moribund so as a small nation, not blundering into an unnecessary conflict is a major objective at the moment.
 
Another thing we definitely want to avoid is another invasion from religious wingnuts. Accordingly we certainly want to work with other nations with Ahmadi populations to insure this will not recur.
 
It is also clear many of the more successful  nations are monarchies and partial to monarchies. We are very unlikely to head that way in the foreseeable future and may well find ourselves pretty much excluded from many initiatives.  We are by no means anti monarchy in any sense we just are not going to have one.

Quote:I do not even know how the selection process works or for that matter where its funding appears in the budget.

Quote:Not entirely. Majatra is our emphasis but opportunities do arise elsewhere.  The Dorvish Ministry of Finance announced the issuance of a series of long term bonds primarily for foreign investment which seem like a very sound investment with a stable government in a responsible nation that does not abuse its citizens,
 
In fact, Mu’Tassim Enterprises, our largest investment bank which is owned in large part by the al-Qassem family, has purchased a considerable quantity of them and is recommending it to long term investors  wanting safe places for steady income.
 
Further, a portion of our Sovereign Wealth Fund created by budget surpluses over the years will be invested in the Dorvish long term bonds.  This was decided after I met with Finance Minister Nazir al-Sayed and Central Bank Managing Director Faisal Abu Saq.  We all felt it was a good safe place to invest with a reliable friend.

Quote:Well, first of all, think we should recognize public acceptance of its formation in both of the founding nations is quite an achievement.   Canraillaise culture and Dundorfian culture have a tendency to draw nations together.  We have a different situation with Ahmadism. Although we share a common culture and language the factions within Ahmadism have a history of bitter division. Bridging that divide is very difficult.
 
The Majalite Kingdom has a majority Abadi population while Jumhuriat al-Badara  is majority Israi. Fair to say the visceral expected relation is hostility.  Pan Ahmadism is a rational idealistic approach not the natural state of affairs. Not at all. Think it is clear cooperation will be top down rather than bottom up.  But it can be done.
 
We have taken steps to keep peace between Abadi and Israi in Jumhurist al-Badara.  And they are working for now. But they need constant attention. 
 
Working with the Ahmadi Cooperation Council is the right thing to do.  There are active enemies of peace within Ahmadism as well as active enemies of peace between the Ahmadi and everybody else.
 
We are a small nation trying to return to better times. And working with the Majalite Kingdom can help us recover quicker.  We are very happy to shatre a vision with the Majalite Kingdom of leading all Ahmadis to a better life.

Quote:The Chief of Defense Command indicated a likely outcome is joint patrols of vulnerable areas.  Submarine activity is where Defense Command feels some emphasis should be given.
 
He also indicated we are currently trying to rejuvenate our military supply industries but that if we could get access to some products of Majatran Organization for Industrialization which is under Kafuri control that might prove very helpful.

Quote:Well, not many. There are more delegates not affiliated with any faction.  This will mean that there will not be personal conduct legislation that is more restrictive.  Do feel like religious parties will be able to keep them as is by making that a condition for support on forming government.
 
My brother, the Minister for Religious Affairs, tells me our Free Radical Supper Club (FRSC) faction has support for Abdul Jabbar continuing as Chancellor.  The Majlis really wants the oligarchy’s involvement but regards the FRSC as a check on return to corruption and abuse of power.
 
But there will be some Ministry and senior official changes. The Working Institutional Group’s (WIG) Faisal Abu Saq who is Managing Director of the Cental Bank really wants to retire, and I seem to be the con census candidate to replace him. I may insist on holding either Health or Education Ministry in addition since I have unfinished safety net business with the Bedwi and am not quite ready to retire.
 
The Governing Board of the General Intelligence Service (GIS)  seems to have named a new Director since Ivrahim Duqaq is now being introduced as a member of GIS Governing Board not GIS Director.
 
And WIG’s Defense Minister Hakim al-Sabah will likely become Interior Minister while Interior Miister Salman al-Makhtoum of the Israi Values (IV) faction will go to Defense. Why? Well, al-Sabah believes the Army Chief of Staff is capably leading the reform so he is superfluous.
 
Do think we will see some initiatives toward involvement with some other nations.

Quote:That is what people are telling our Internal Security Unit (ISU).  Our understanding is the GIS Board of Governors has elected former Interior Minister Bandar al-Qasabi as GIS Director.  We believe outgoing Director Ivrahim Duqaq is now on its Board of Governors.
 

Quote:Not as far as I know.  And for that matter I do not know who provides funding.  Most in the Majlis believe it is funded by various parts of the overall budget under some misleading titles, but that is a theory.  Let me add that that theory is much more plausible than that a foreign entity or a domestic business consortium  funds it. Former GIS Director Duqaq has specifically denied in my presence there is any foreign funding source.
 
But as to control, the Majlis wanted members of the Majlis elected by the people to take over the Ministries of Defense and Interior rather than military and police personnel furnish the top official therefor.  And that has happened.  More or less.
 
But there never has been any effort in the Majlis to control or limit the GIS.  Why? First off, GIS is extremely popular for arranging for Al-Salmania to end its separation from the rest of the nation and bloodlessly return.  It could have been otherwise.
 
Further, the GIS cooperates with the ISU of my Interior Ministry on counterintelligence and internal security and with the Foreign Ministry, the Chancellor’s Office and Defense Command military intelligence division.  GIS is efficient and does not create friction so factions in the governing coalition tend to be happy with the status quo.
 
There are of course some who worry about its potential unregulated power. But so far not many.

Quote:Understand why you would ask; much of rebuilding our economy and supporting the safety net comes from oil profits.  So simply walking away from exploitation of our massive oil reserves might well cripple our efforts in that regard.
 
We do recognize that greenhouse gases and industrial waste have and will harm the environment of all Terra and if left unchecked on the same trajectory the effect will ultimately be fatal.
 
So what are we actually going to do.  Well, a number of things.  Oil extraction and refining will be handled in as environmentally sound a fashion as possible including producing liquefied natural gas with a closed loop rather than open loop system.  Vehicles will need to be engineered for less emissions.
 
Closed arc production of steel will continue as will the ban on open pit mining except perhaps for gravel.
 
Most of our electricity is produced hydroelectrically.  This will be augmented by solar panels and some wind farms.  Absent a dependable source of certain rare earths necessary for large wind mills, wind farms will not be a major source of energy.  If we get an opportunity to develop nuclear power plants we will. 
 
In the past we have begun development of electric and bio fuel powered vehicles.  These will be revived initially in the agricultural sector and in public transportation. We feel in the long run many of our small trucks could be powered by one or the other.
 
We do not see petroleum based energy departing the scene any time soon, but are pledging to mitigate the effects and develop other sources since transition to less petroleum use is occurring and will continue.

Quote:Most important is that it is the judgment of the Ministerial Council that SOMECO is very much the type of Majatran economic organization we want to join to enable building a mutually prosperous future with environmental safeguards and respect for national sovereignty as well as concern for the rights of citizens both as vulnerable human beings and as a labor force.
 
Second, would mention if we join we believe it will strengthen our ties with our traditional allies as we try to rejoin the Majatran community

Quote:As you may know, I have been selected to represent Jumhuriat al-Badara in the South Majatran Economic Cooperation Organization (SOMECO) to which we have been admitted.  A major SOMECO conference will be underway shortly hence my presence.
 
This will be an opportunity to establish a working relationship with the other delegates for the purpose of developing a role for SOMECO in the pan Majatran economy.  We certainly believe SOMECO can be a vehicle for mutual prosperity.
 
Further, Jumhuriat al-Badara has been isolated and this conference will help us reestablish productive relations with our traditional allies.

Quote:An excellent question actually. I think, and I could be wrong, I technically at this point report to the Ministerial Council but whether as a practical matter I finally report to the Chancellor, the Finance Minister or the Foreign Minister, it is too early to say.
 
We are committed to working with SOMECO and will see how the duties evolve as opportunities present themselves.