Kalistan

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FM Bjorksdattir Announces Another Shift in Kundrati Policy
"The time for Whiplash is over," says Bjorksdattir
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
May 2, 5592


FM Meets with Reporters as Empire attempts to get ahead of Kundrati Crisis

Her Imperial Majesty's Foreign Minister met with Her Imperial Majesty and the Chancellor of the Empire this afternoon in the last of several major closed door meetings on policy.  For months, Sir Christopher Bjorksdattir has teased yet another new policy regarding the Anantonese Empire's response to pernicious situation in Kundrati.  And it appears that a final word on the matter has at last been arrived at.

“Her Imperial Majesty has weighed several variables concerning our international Embargo against Kundrati," said the Foreign Minister in a Press Conference outside of the Imperial Seat in downtown Kaliburg.  "And working with the Chancellor, the Trade Minister and the Finance Minister, I think collectively we have come up with a policy that will both serve the Empire and allow us to put the whiplash that comes with attempting to contain Kundrati in the rearview mirror.  The time for that whiplash is over."

The Foreign Minister laid out a three point plan that will very quickly become Kalistani and Anantonese Policy. 

"Her Imperial Majesty has seen the reports about the effect that our 15 month long embargo on Kundrati and nations who trade with it have produced in Kalistan.  We now have evidence that backs up what several in her Imperial Majesty’s government had believed anecdotally:  Firstly, the Sanctions are not working.  At all.  For them to work, the government of Kundrati would have to care about the well being and the lives of the people of their nation, and it is clear that they do not.  So the sanctions amount to unnecessary punishment of the people themselves of that devastated nation without touching the real criminals who are responsible for keeping that country in its miserable state. 

"Secondly, the sanctions alienate Kalistan and the Anantonese Empire from the rest of the world.  Not only in terms of trade, but also diplomatically.  They don't dissuade any nations from continuing to trade with Kundrati, because there is no real enforcement mechanism that Kalistan has access to:  Most of the Nations of the world clearly have no qualms about continuing to support the fascists in Kundrati, either directly, in the case of Likatonia, for example, or indirectly, as is the case with the majority of the nations on this planet.  It does not good for Kalistan to point out fascism:  Most nations simply do not care about the character, or the quality of the regime that rules Kundrati, and as a result, Kalistan bears the cost almost exclusively.

"And thirdly, the sanctions expose this Empire to other sorts of dangers and costs which quite frankly, it is not worth it to bear.  Her Imperial Majesty had considered stepping up the privateer raids against Kundrati ships.  But that would have been treated as an act of warfare, and while the 4th Fleet alone was a match for the entire Kundrati Navy as we see it, any action that threatened to escalate the conflict in the Mad Dog Ocean risked internationalizing the crisis even further, and it is clear that the only ships that would come to Kalistan's aid would be Anantonese ships alone.  We cannot trust that other nations would help us out in that conflict if the response to our embargo is any indication, so we would be by ourselves.  And in the long run, with a collapsing economy, that would be a war we wouldn't win.  It would only cost us."

"With that, Her Imperial Majesty has decided to take a step back.  She has ordered me to lift the embargo provisions against all nations other than Kundrati.  We will still not trade with fascists, we will not recognize fascists, and we will not interact in any way with fascists.  We will also, however, not seek to stop other nations from doing what they will.  We will pursue what is in the best interest of the Anantonese Empire first, last and always.  If that means millions of people in Kundrati suffer, we must assume that this is the government they themselves prefer, or else they would do something about it.  The character of the regime in Kundrati is no more our concern, except where it comes to our recognition of them.  If Kundrati ever seeks to restore relations with Ananto, let them throw off their totalitarian fascist regime first.  Until that time, Her Imperial Majesty has declared that this country no longer exists as far as we are concerned.  Other nations, including those who are constituent Nations of the Anantonese Empire, may pursue whatever policy they like with regard to Kundrati, but it is no longer a concern of Her Imperial Majesty.

"In addition, Her Imperial Majesty is cancelling all letters of Marque for Kalistani Privateers operating on the Mad Dog Ocean and the Anantonese Ocean.  While their brave efforts to enforce the Embargo are noted, the risk to the lives of private citizens can no longer be endured in Kaliburg.  The Letters of Marque are suspended as of today and all privateers found to be operating under a letter of marque after today may be treated internationally as a pirate.  All Kalistani Citizens operating under a Letter of Marque are ordered to return to the port that issued the Letter and surrender it to competent authority, along with all seized contraband.

"Finally, Her Imperial Majesty has ordered the renormalization of relations with all nations on the Globe except Kundrti.  If they are determined to be a pariah, they shall be.  Meanwhile, Kalistan needs to get on with life and do a lot of repair work in our Foreign Relations.  We hope other nations whose relationship this horrible policy has damaged with us will take us up on this offer of amnesty and work with The Anantonese Empire to build a better world.

"That is all.  There will be no questions at this time."

With that, Sir Christopher Bjorksdattir returned to the Imperial Seat to begin working out the paperwork necessary to bring Kalistan and the Anantonese Empire back to the status quo ex ante.

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Kalistani Privateers return to Empire
Empress thanks Partisans for their Service
Port Swedes, Duchy of Vrassa
May 30, 5592


"Mad Dog Marauder," a Privateer posted north of Lodamun during Embargo docks in Port Swedes

The first ships from the Privateer fleet that have been keeping the Embargo Line in the Karzon Straight for several years are beginning to return to port, following Her Imperial Majesty's suspension of all Letters of Marque issued to help Kalistan enforce the blockade.  The initial returns will mostly consist of those who were already enroute to Kalistani ports before the Letters of Marque were revoked nearly a month ago, but the bulk of the ships expected to return to Kalistani quays and wharves will begin arriving in about two weeks and will continue to arrive throughout June and July.

"We were part of a privateer pod of four ships," said Montel Parker, who skippered the Mad Dog Marauder, a converted fishing yacht which claims to have scored four captures.  "Our group were already steaming back to port for some liberty when we got the word that the Letters of Marque had been pulled.  We also heard that those who didn't come in would be considered pirates, so, we went straight for Port Swedes, instead of stopping in Lodamun as we had planned, and turned in our Letters."

People like Captain Parker, whose crew consisted of six privateers, had used the trade war as a business venture.  "You sort of had to have some capital to start with," said Mr. Parker.  "The boat is mine, but we all pretty much split living costs and costs of fuel and all that.  We probably spent a total of 850 days at sea over the four years were were at it, but the four ships we took more than covered our expenses in the long run and I still have my boat which is more than I can say for a lot of those guys..."  Parker claims to have earned a total of ₭2.3 million during his time on the embargo line from seizures and reselling both in Kalistan and in other ports.  "But ₭1.95 million of that went for maintenance, fuel, supplies and wages," said Parker.  "Still, ₭350,000 isn't bad money to put in your pocket at the end of the day."  Parker said he split the proceeds 6 ways with an extra share for him as captain.

Overall the damage to trade in the Mad Dog and through the Karzon Strait over the course of the entire Embargo is estimated to be between ₭350 Million and ₭500 Million, either in terms of seizures or in terms of diverted trade.  Most privateers were not as successful as Parker.  "Most guys went out there, thought it was going to be a party, got drunk and ran out of money real quick," said Parker.  "We learned to not make friends out there, because you never knew if you were going to see guys in a different pod or not ever again.  Our pod was pretty solid.  I think of the four ships we sailed with, three of the four stayed out the entire time and we really learned how to work as a team.  But a lot of these guys should have never been out there to begin with."

Kalistan lost several privateers during the course of the conflict:  The Foreign Ministry puts the total at 68 privateers dead or captured in the Karzon Strait alone.  But as a reward for their service, the privateers who were successful got to keep the proceeds of their seizures, "...after taxes, of course," said Parker. 

The Empress has issued a pronouncement honoring the service of the Privateers in this conflict, and issuing a general amnesty for all acts that would be considered "depredation" in other countries, as long as they happened under a valid Letter of Marque.  During the entire conflict, only 7 Letters were found to have been forced, and at least one of them was held by a known sadist who was later charged and convicted of Piracy and sentenced to 15 years on King's Rock.  The forgery was discovered after his crew turned him in, and said he was committing "unspeakable acts" against civilians of other nations.  The court found him guilty and sent him to live at the Prison Colony in Odufaray.

So far there are no reports of any additional privateering activities in either the Karzon Strait or in the Mad Dog, as either all or nearly all Privateers are heeding the call to return to the Empire and surrender their Letters to Imperial Authorities.

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What is the Empire?
Political Theorists analyze Ananto's Regime type
Sulari, Duchy of Suldanor
July 8, 5592


Portrait of the Royal Family in Eveari, taken last November

The Biennial Conference of the Great Southern Political Science Association was held in Sulari last week, and the topic of the Conference was "The Theory of Empire: Kalistan in the 56th Century."  It was attended by more than 140 of the nation's top scholars who presented more than 60 papers over 12 panels all on the topic of Kalistan as an Empire.  Of the papers presented, the 12 best received papers were entered into the peer review process to whittle down the work to an 8 paper digest of the proceedings of the Convention.  Scholars from Gaduridos and Lodamun were also in attendance for the four day conference.  Of the papers selected to go into peer review, 4 each from Kalistan, Gaduridos, and Lodamun will be reviewed by the Association's panels and considered for publication.

The goal of the convention was to discuss, based on the most robust classification schemes, just what kind of Empire the Anantonese Empire is.  Given the variety of regime types within the Empire, though, it was very difficult, even for this conclave of eminent scholars, to pinpoint precisely what sort of regime type the Anantonese Empire posesses.

1.  Kalistan is Personalist, but the Empire is more cooperative
Scholars all pretty much agreed that Kalistan, as a constituent nation is a personalist regime.  It exists pretty much as an expression of the will of the Monarch, who is a monarch in the truest sense of the word.  The entire national government, and the governments of the Duchies are limited to what they can do outside of the commands of the Empress.  The National Assembly is at best an advisory body, its political features have been utterly abolished, finally eliminated in any sense of the word during the reign of Pavlina I.  During the entirety of Carolina's reign, the National Assembly exists almost entirely to rubber stamp the dictates of the Empress.

However, the political scientists were mixed with regard to the Empire as a whole.  Her Imperial Majesty may hold the power of the fiat within Kalistan, but her influence outside of Kalistan is far more limited.  She has an imperial viceroy in Gaduridos, and a Lord Protector in Lodamun who are Her Imperial Majesty's representatives to Her Governments in their respective countries.  But those Legislatures actually hold political authority within their respective countries, far more in fact that any legislator has held in Kalistan for more than 100 years.  Those political institutions represent the interests of their respective populations and the Gaduri National Congress is actually a robust political institution with multiple ideologies.  Furthermore, these institutions were guaranteed by the Articles of Empire upon accession.  They do not do the will of the Empress, they rarely even hear the word of the Empress.

So it is hard to say that the Empire is personalist, in the way that Kalistan is.  Gaduridos and Lodamun acknowledge the Empire, but in many ways they are still quite free of the Empress' dictates.  And the Empress herself shows no inclination to alter that relationship in anyway.  She may if the constituent nations asked her to, but it is very unlikely that she has any interest in governing Lodamun or Gaduridos the way she governs by fiat in Kalistan.  The variations across the Empire are a result of the nations' differing political cultures, and the freedom of movement within the Empire allows people to move where they please and live under the type of regime that they please.  Contrary to some expectations expressed in the Conference, that seems to create a harmony among the constituent nations, rather than friction.

2.  Kalistan is Absolutist, but the Empire certainly is not
Like the personalism, where all authority comes from the person of the Sovereign, Kalistan is absolutist.  All law comes from the word of Her Imperial Majesty.  She herself stands above the law and may ignore it at her pleasure, because it is impossible to hold her accountable for violating a law when the maxim, "If the Empress does it, it is legal" dominates all conception of law in Kalistan.  The Empire itself is fortunate that its sovereigns have been mostly competent, very conscientious, and far less capricious than other monarchs may be if they had the sort of absolute power that Kalistan's monarchs have.

But very similar to the Personalist/Pluralist dichotomy, as closely as Her Imperial Majesty holds her power within Kalistan, she is that willing to maintain the Empire as more of a decentralized confederation of Northern Seleyan States, where her word really holds sway in matters of security.  In the Anantonese Empire, at least 4 different currencies are legal:  Each of the Constituent Nations have their national currency, and in Gaduridos, the Lourenne Franc is also legal.  Each Nation is entitled to manage its domestic affairs entirely free of Imperial Mandate, and each country maintains great latitude in its own foreign affairs, with Gaduridos working on trade deals with other nations independently of Imperial Oversight, and Lodamun maintaining a continental defense ambition which Kaliburg actually looks to support rather than reduce.  

The Empress maintains this latitude in the Constituent Nations because she no doubt feels that a win for Lodamun or Gaduridos is also a win for Kalistan, and therefore the entire Empire.  If Gaduridos scores a major trade deal, the Empire is more prosperous over all.  If Lodamun increases its reach into southern Seleya, the Empire as a whole is more secure.  So she may govern Kalistan with an iron fist, but she takes a very light touch when it comes to Governing the Empire as a whole, knowing that the variation in policy pursuits of one of the Constituent Nations, so long as they don't drag the Empire down, can only serve to improve and benefit the entire Empire.

3.  The Royal Family are staunch and explicitly religious fundamentalists, but the Empire is a land of civil liberties
The Anantos are staunch and devout members of the Brethrenist faith.  By any measure, Brethrenism is a strongly fundamentalist faith and practice.  Brethrenist testimonies are said to guide Her Imperial Majesty in all things.  Both Her Imperial Majesty and His Highness the Prince Consort are active members in both the Eveari Monthly Meeting and the Kaliburg Yearly Meeting, and both of her children are birthright Friends.  Though Kalistan is explicitly secular as a nation, its rulers are devoutly, almost obsessively devout followers of Brethrenism as a faith and practice.

One would think that a ruler with the absolute power and authority of an Empress would impose her own religious ideas onto a population, but nothing could be farther from the truth in Kalistan, and across the Empire as a whole.  Most people in Kalistan count themselves as Brethrenists, but very few are as serious about the faith as the Anantos are, traditionally.  Nor are they expected to be.  It is said that if every Brethrenist went to Meeting every first day, there wouldn't be enough seating or standing room in all the meeting houses in the Empire.  Instead, Kalistanis are expected to follow their consciences as a matter of daily practice.

As such, Kalistan has an absolute monarch, but surprisingly few laws or rules regarding individual behavior.  The Prison System in Kalistan has been abolished for thousands of years, with most people who violate the law suffering fines and restitution rather than incarceration, and the almost non-existent prison population living at relative liberty on King's Rock, where they own their own homes, grow their own food, and enforce their own laws, but otherwise, do not live in cages the way other nations house their convicts.  Corrections for almost all criminal behavior is aimed at restitution for harm done, and is very light compared to even liberal nations.

Free speech is paramount, and though the national press observes the laws around protocol, the Press in Kalistan is free to print critical stories about the Government or the Empress, as long as it does not slide into a personal insult.  They are free to print news about shortcomings of the Government and economic problems that are often absent from more "liberal" press.  Sex is fully liberated in Kalistan, and drug use is both legal and common in the Empire, as is abortion, co-habitation, and euthanasia.  So long as a person performs his or her duty to society, they can expect to live free of an oppressive state apparatus, in abundance guaranteed by tax supported social services, a national job's guarantee and a universal basic income that allows work to be be a choice rather than a necessity.

The robust civil liberties enjoyed by Kalsitanis even exceeds those enjoyed by citizens of Gaduridos or Lodamun.  The trade off comes in the arena of civil rights, specifically political and economic rights that citizens of the other Constituent Nations enjoy.  There is only a small private sector in Kalistan, and private investment is mostly limited to existing enterprises.  Economically, Kalistan is the least "free" of the three Constituent Nations, and its currency is one of the most tightly controlled currencies in the world.  Kalistan is also probably one of the most austere nations in the world:  People have all they need in Kalistan, but certainly would prefer to have more choice in the market, such as exists in Kalistan.  

Additionally, political choice is non-existent in Kalistan, a nation which is almost completely depoliticized.  Citizens are free to vote all they like, but all parties except the Party of the Monarchy, the Institutional Party, are completely outlawed in Kalistan.  There are some civil society formations, but they too much by law be associated with the Institutional Party.  The one exception are unions and Syndicates, which operate in cooperation of the National Government, but are technically independent and can act as strong lobbyists on behalf of their membership.  Some also say Her Imperial Majesty's Marriage to the Director of the Ananto Growers' Syndicate was an effort by the Syndicates to keep one of their own in the Empress' ear at all times of the day.

4.  While Kalistan remains utterly depoliticized, the Empire remains pluralist and robustly democratic
Kalistan's depoliticization remains legendary:  Few nations have so thoroughly transformed themselves from multi party democracies to single party regimes that have outlawed other parties, and have held onto this formation for so long as Kalistan.  The level of depoliticization of Kalistan is something totalitarian regimes can only dream about, and it has led to a radical transformation of Kalistani society from one where socialists and fascists fought constantly over basic tenets of the social contract in Kalistan to one where all matters of debate have been settled, and the people of the nation are left to enjoy the peace and solitude of not having to stay up on who is saying what or who is passing what laws that hurt their families all the time, and can instead focus on actually enjoying the life they live.

This situation within Kalistan stands in stark contrast with the other constituent Nations in the Empire, and with the Empire itself.  There is not much political wrangling between constituent nations, but its more because there is not much to win.  The question of each nation's place in the Empire is settled by the Articles of Empire.  The Empress is actually attempting to build an Imperial Assembly to build a political, albeit non-binding, super legislature for the Empire, but otherwise, there is not a lot of clamoring for more representation.  That said, all three nations represent a radical variation of regime type.  If you were to put the three Constituent Nations on a spectrum from least to most politicized, Kalistan and Gaduridos would set the limits, and Lodamun would be somewhere between the two.

The variation does not negatively affect relationships between the three constituent nations.  Each Nation does things their own way.  The promise of Her Imperial Majesty for all three states in the Empire was "Full Regional Autonomy."  That promise has been kept to this date, and would extend as well to Baltusia if that nation ever entered the Empire.  The differing levels of popular involvement in the affairs of the Constituent Nations of the Empire, like the differing types of regime and role of the Government is seen as a strength for the Empire.  The seeming contradiction between having an absolute monarch sitting over a multi-national system like the Anantonese Empire actually works because she has the power she needs to ensure that the Constituent Nations coordinate action, but does not exert authority over areas that are more correctly controlled by National Legislatures, or by the people themselves, in places that the people have the right to do so.

5.  Kalistan remains one of the more mercantilist states in Terra, yet, free trade abounds in the Empire
While Kalistan itself maintains a massive public sector, and a large public role even in the private sector, which itself is a hold over from centuries of Socialist Party Government in Kalistan, one of the more economically liberal states, trade oriented states in Terra is also a member of the Empire.  Gaduridos happily looks for opportunities to expand its trade networks across the globe, to many partners that Kalistan has not even reached out to.  As a result of its open trade orientation, it is able to make friends with nations who may feel less friendly toward Kalistan.  This openness have helped stabilize Gaduridos in the last century and make it a base for foreign investment and economic growth in central Seleya.  

On the other side, one of the most successful trading nations in Terra which, though more nationally oriented than Gaduridos, also is a member of the Empire.  The LOD is still used as the standard denomination in much of Terra, an artifact from when Lodamun was the center of international finance some 2500 years ago.  Lodamese trade networks cover vast swaths of Terra, and at any given time you can see Lodamese ships in any given port.  The Lodamese trade position itself accounts for a plurality of all the trade volume in Northern Seleya, and they aggressively market their goods abroad while constantly being on the lookout for new ways to enhance their economy with imports.  The Lodamese trade volume alone dwarfs Kalistan and Gaduridos put together, and Lodamun is widely recognized as economic heavyweights, even after centuries of challenges from places like the Dual Monarchy or Beiteynu.

Kalistan may have a strongly protectionist streak, but it is also a member of one of the customs unions in Terra:  The Anantonese Economic Standardization Accord creates what is essentially a single domestic market in four Nations that allows goods and services to move freely across borders, and this accord predates the Empire by several hundred years.  This variation in trade orientation serves, like all the other variation, to strengthen the Empire by both allowing it to access international trade opportunities via Lodamun and Gaduridos, but also ensuring that in all cases there will be a safe core economy in Kalistan to help the others weather global commodities fluctuations and economic downturns.  It provides the best of both worlds which a nation on its own wouldn't have access to:  A single nation must choose its trade orientation, either trade openness or protectionism.  An empire like the Anantonese Empire can have both and, for the benefit of all three Constituent Nations.

6.  Conclusion-  Kalistan is easy to Classify, the Anantonese Empire is impossible to Classify
Kalistan is obviously a personalist absolute monarchy.  Liberals and fascists alike will call it a Tyranny.  But in terms of regime type, Kalistan is an Autocracy; there can be no doubt about this.  Economically, Kalistan is a highly illiberal, statist and protectionist.  It has far more civil liberties than civil rights, and has almost no democratic institutions or civil society institutions outside the unions and syndicates:  The last thing that resembled a civil society formation turned out to be a front organization for a fascist coup in Kalistan that assassinated the Emperor and almost killed the Chancellor, so it will be a long time before the Empress permits something like this to take shape again.

And yet, the Empire as a whole is anything but personalist or absolutist.  The only things Constituent Nations are required to do is fly Anantonese Flags over foreign bases and government buildings, accept Imperial Rubles, have a Head of State that confers with the Empress on important matters of Imperial Security, and contribute a portion of their budget for the maintenance of the Empire and a naval fleet during time of war.  There are surprisingly few other requirements, mostly around expansion of the Customs union and the security community.  The Empress otherwise fully endorses the concept of Full Regional Economy that allows for variation and innovation within Constituent Nations that enhances the security and prosperity of the Empire as a whole.  Economically, the Empire is a mixed economy, where there is enough trade to take advantage of trends world wide, but enough protectionism to allow at least the three Constituent Nations to weather any storm caused by international capitalists who make their individual fortunes by ruining the lives of countless millions.

It is difficult to classify the Empire, but that didn't stop the political scientists at the conference from trying.  One came up with a Conservative Multi-National Confederation with a Mixed Economy, and that seemed to summarize the Empire fairly well.  The regime type seems to mirror the Ananto's opinion on political ideology:  The Anantos are famously opposed to extremist ideology like Communism and Fascism, which Her Imperial Majesty has said multiple times are the same thing, but also liberalism, which the Anantos believe to the source of so much political strife.  The Anantos take a decidedly centrist approach to government, which is extremely conservative in its orientation:  The position of the Institutional Party is found in its name.  Conservation of the Institutions is the governing ideology of the Ananto Regime, conservation against change of any kind, whether it be the revolutionary changes that comes with extremism, or the gradual erosion and ultimate destruction of Kalistani tradition by a hundred inane votes in the National Assembly.

Attending the Conference, one gets the idea that the Empire itself defies simple classification.  Many other nations in the world are far easier to classify:  Kalistan, Gaduridos and Lodamun individually are much easier to classify.  In this, the Empire may ultimately be violating its own core principle.  The Institution of the Empire is very pragmatic, in that it aims to solve the problem of previous empires by preventing centrifugal forces by preventing movement and change all together, but it is also quite new, and in practice adopts a modern view on Empire as confederation practiced by  groupings like Canrille rather than an older approach to empire one might see, for example, in the Jelbic Empire, or even in the Empire of Ananto and Kalistan.

@LaModa

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A Brief Interview with His Highness the Minor Crown Prince Fredrick Ananto-Sandoval
"School is alright, but I think I'd rather play Football" says future Emperor
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
November 17, 5592


His Highness, the Crown Prince Fredrick William Ananto-Sandoval, Age 12 at home in Kaliburg

We were given the opportunity to speak with His Highness, the Minor Crown Prince Fredrick-David William Ananto-Sandoval.  The mischievous 12-year old boy seems at the outset to be the same as any other boy his age, even though he speaks through a sign language interpreter.  He enjoys playing football, exploring the city and hiking in the mountains south of his family's estate in Eveari, and reading and drawing.  However, he is also an avid go player, and takes an interest in social studies, and every once in a while, we can hear an inquisitive mind that asks questions and wants to know more about the world around him.  These qualities are fine, given the Minor Prince's destiny.  La Moda was given permission to speak with him and his interpreter at Wilson House, so we could get a snapshot of the young prince before he begins preparing to become the person who will eventually succeed his mother as Sovereign of the Anantonese Empire.

(La Moda's) T(heresa) M(artinez):  Good afternoon, Your Highness.  It is nice to finally meet you.

(Through his sign language interpreter, Miss Helen Miller, who aids his speech that is slowly becoming difficult in itself to understand without signs, His Highness, the Minor Crown Prince) F(redrick William) A(nanto-Sandoval):  Thank you Ms. Martinez.  It is a pleasure to speak with you today.  I am a little nervous, because I do not speak to the press very often, so you will have to excuse my accent.

TM:  You Highness, I don't detect an accent at all...

FA:  You mean all Vrassan speakers talk like me?  I guess I can't hear them well enough to know...  Hahahaha (The Crown Prince laughs at his own joke.)

(The Royal Sign Interpreter, Miss) H(elen) M(iller):  He thinks he's a comedian, making fun of people who were born deaf.  Please go on and ignore his jokes, it only encourages him.

FA:  Please tell my friend Helen that I wasn't born deaf, and that I also outrank her...  (laughs again)

TM:  I believe she heard you, your Highness.

HM:  Please continue, Miss Martinez.

TM:  While we are talking about being hard of hearing, Your Highness, can you tell us a little about your experience with hearing loss?

FA:  Well, it doesn't really affect my life too much, unless I forget to put my hearing aids in.  Without them, maybe it sounds like people are talking to me under water.  You know...  they sound like (makes blurbling sounds, like he's speaking with his face in a swimming pool)  he...lbbbaaa...ppaaaaa  blurbbba.  I'm, drowbbbbma... ningbbbaaa....  (laughs again...)

(Miss Miller very visibly rolls her eyes...)  HM:  That's a terrible joke, Your Highness...

FA:  What?  That's what they sound like.  I'm sorry...  (Laughs again)

HM:  Your Highness, this is why reporters don't often interview children...  If you'd like, your mother said I could dismiss Miss Martinez until you're less nervous.  (The smile slowly faded from the Minor Crown Prince's face.)

FA:  Ok, I don't want that.  Look.  I'm not nervous.  I'm taking this seriously.

HM:  Please Ms. Martinez, continue if you would.

TM:  How are your studies going, Your Highness?

FA:  School is alright.  I'm having difficulty in math, something about the numbers and variables.  How one letter can equal a number, and then later, they say it is another number...  I don't think I get that part.  It's difficult for me to concentrate on that, because things become kinda mixed up for me there.  

TM:  Is there a subject you do like?

FA:  Yes, I have always loved to learn about Kalistan's history, and this year we are getting an introduction to government.  I think social studies is something I am very good at because history for me is almost like a movie:  it's a story with characters and then something happens, and we get to try to think ok why did this happen, and what happened after that...  It's very fun.  And, I also like gym too, because I get to play football.

TM:  You play football, Your Highness?

FA:  Oh I love playing football.  If I could that's all I would do at school.  I'd rather play football than go to school.

TM:  Is there a particular position you like?

FA:  Well, someday I'd like to play quarterback, but I think because of my hearing, that isn't going to happen, but I do have lots of fun playing as a running back:  its easy to see the ball snapped when you are right next to the QB and running backs get a lot of glory.  I also play on the line, but I think when I can't hear anything anymore, it will become harder to do this because I won't know when the ball is snapped.  I might switch to defense then, so I can go after receivers and pancake them, hahaha.

TM:  Pancake them, Your Highness?

FA:  Yes, lay them flat on their backs, like a pancake.  

TM:  I see.  And your parents are fine with you playing football?

FA:  Sure.  Why wouldn't they be?

TM:  Well, you could get seriously injured.  How do you think that would be to have an Emperor with a limp?

FA:  Well, this country is already going to have a deaf Emperor, so maybe it will be alright:  I won't have to hear them make fun of my limp...  hahaha

HM:  Your Highness!

FA:  Ok, Sorry sorry sorry...  sheesh...  people must hate comedy here...

TM:  So what other hobbies do you have, your Highness, besides Football?

FA:  I love playing Go.  I am actually pretty good.  I go to the Go Club up in Lolla like twice a week.  I think when I'm 14, they'll let me enter the club juniors tournament.  I'm ready but they said they don't accept 12-year olds, so I have to wait.  I also like reading things:  I am learning about the history of the socialists in Kalistan.  They actually had some pretty good ideas.

TM:  Does Her Imperial Majesty talk with you about that?

FA:  Oh, she says things like "their ideas were fine for their time," but I can tell she doesn't like them.  My father tends to be a bit more interested in socialism than my mother, so he tells me about it sometimes.

TM:  And what do you think about them and their ideas?

FA:  (thinks for a moment), Well, I would say the book I read said that a lot of the things they supported are still in the Empire, and that the Institutional Party itself was started by Socialists who were committed to protecting the institutions but couldn't as long as the Republic was still around because fascists kept trying to turn Kalistan into a horrible place.  So, I guess I can agree with the things they kept around and I think I can understand what they wanted you know?

TM:  Does your mother or father discuss world events with you?

FA:  We discuss those a lot, yes.  We talk a lot about Kundrati.  My mom is from there, you know.

TM:  Yes, Your Highness.  How does she feel about that situation?

FA:  Well, it makes her very sad.  Sometimes I see her crying, and when I ask her what is wrong, she tells me that she is thinking about how lucky she is to have escaped there when she did.  She always says that there are so many people there who are just trapped, and some of them might be people she knew when she was a little girl.  She says she knows that if she wouldn't have escaped, she might have been one of those people.  Someone on TV said the Kundratis work people to death and then just burn them.  Do you think that's true?

HM:  Your Highness, this is a very distressing subject.  Ms. Martinez probably feels uncomfortable talking about this.

TM:  It's ok, Madame.  Your Highness, I am a reporter, and so I am sort of required to keep my opinions separate from my job, you know?  But this is also something your mother and father would know way more about than I would, because my job is to do what's called human interest stories, like interviews with members of the royal family.  So I wouldn't even be the best reporter to ask about that.

FA:  Well, my mother is lucky to not live there, and we are also lucky to not be anywhere near any of that.  It just seems very evil what they are doing.  And you know, Kalistan tried to do something about it, but the rest of the world just turned a blind eye away from them.

HM:  Ms. Martinez, that is his mother speaking.  Please don't let it bother you.

FA:  No, Miss Miller, it is me speaking.  I am old enough and smart enough to have my own opinion, and I may be deaf but I am not illiterate.  I happen to agree with my mother on this.  Those are her people, and so they are mine too.  And I wish every day that we could do more to help them.  It's like something out of a horror movie what is happening to the Kundrati people.  And nobody is helping them.  I'll say this, Miss Martinez:  Watching this whole catastrophe happen in Kundrati is something I will never forget.  If I was Emperor, I would do all I could to help.  I don't know why others didn't come out to help the people of Kundrati.  They just let it happen.

TM:  You may be right, Your Highness.  And I am sure your mother also did all she could.

FA:  Yes, she did.  It wasn't enough.  She needed help and most of the world turned their backs on our Empire.  When we needed them the most.  Some even are helping the fascists...  I can't even believe that.

FA:  You have a few more years before you begin to learn about being Emperor.  Are you looking forward to that?

HM:  Ms. Martinez, Her Imperial Majesty has asked me to encourage you to avoid asking the Crown Prince about that.

FA:  Why?  I want to answer the question.

HM:  Your Highness, it is the Empress' will.

FA:  Well, she is not here.

HM:  Your Highness, she does not want Ms. Martinez to ask you questions about becoming Emperor.

TM:  It's ok.  I won't ask the question.

FA:  No.  That's not right.  I want to answer it.  I ha...

HM:  Your Highness.  We need to move on.

TM:  It's alright, Your Highness.

FA:  That's not fair.  She can't just do that.

TM:  Your Highness, She can.  It's alright.  Just tell me what your answer is, and then we will move on.  (His Highness' answer was not recorded, out of respect for Her Imperial Majesty's wishes.  Miss Miller offered an explanation later that explained that The Empress is not ready yet to let the Minor Prince's future role take over his life, as it will when he formally begins the long transition process which begins when the Empress formally begins his training and becomes his entire life after that moment.  To summarize, the Minor Crown Prince said he is eager to learn about the job, and looks forward to starting.)

TM:  Finally Your Highness, are there any final words you would like me to print to the People of Kalistan and the Anantonese Empire.

FA:  (after thinking a moment)  Yes...  My first royal command:  Please SPEAK LOUDER...

HM:  Your Highness!  OH MY GOD!

FA: Some of us have a hard time hearing you!   Speak up, you know what I'm saying?  HAHAHA

And with that, the interview ended, the Minor Crown Prince having spent so much of the interview joking around that it was now time for him to get ready to eat supper with his family.  We thank the Empress for letting La Moda interview the Minor Crown Prince, and look forward to additional interviews in the future, as he moves closer to his future as the Emperor of Ananto and Kalistan.

@LaModa

[Doc]

Former Deputy Martin Drewery placed under Arrest in Kaliburg
Orthodox Leader charged with Corruption, but act is unclear
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
January 19, 5593


In a very public arrest, Eshar Deputy Martin Drewery is taken into Custody in Kaliburg

Now Former Deputy Martin Drewery, who represented Eshar Free City in the National Assembly was arrested yesterday and charged with corruption.  The official arrest writ said that Drewery had misappropriated not more than 1000 Imperial Rubles from a charity organization that his wife runs in Eshar.  Drewery loudly protested his innocence, and said he was the target of a coordinated campaign to smear his good name and vowed that he would fight the charges to his last breath.  The arrest warrant was sworn out by the office of the Ministry of Justice, and Drewery was held in custody over night in Kaliburg before being released back to Eshar where he will await his trial.  He was also summarily expelled from his seat in the National Assembly, and the Chancellor issued the Lord Mayor of Eshar a dictate to produce a new Deputy for the Eshar constituency within a week.

The arrest warrant was not specific as to the time and date of the alleged embezzlement, but the very public arrest which created a spectacle in downtown Kaliburg, as Mr. Drewery was pulled out of his seat on the floor of the National Assembly by armed police officers and roughly escorted from the Capitol building, the amount of press on hand to cover the event, and the forced perpetrator walk suggests that there is more to the arrest than simple embezzlement or public corruption.

"There's something strange going on here," said Deputy Colleen White, who represents the Senvias Constituency just across the bay from Eshar.  "Deputy Drewery and I have worked together for a long time, and I don't think he is the kind of guy who would misappropriate a single Ruble, let alone from a public charity.  It almost feels like they wanted to make an example of him."

If he was being made an example of, it was likely because Drewery was the leader of about 12 Orthodox Deputies who signed a petition publicly opposing Her Imperial Majesty's policy regarding Kundrati last fall.  The Petition was circulated around the National Assembly among members who would might be likely to sign it, but at the end only a dozen Deputies signed the form.  Drewery, instead of following a very public admonishment by the Chancellor to burn the petition, instead called for a vote of No Confidence against Her Imperial Majesty's Government, publicly denounced Her Imperial Majesty for "capitulating" to the Fascists in Kundrati, and calling for immediate restoration of the Blockade with the aim of re-attempting to turn the World against Fascism.

"What I don't get is why, if this was a political hit," said Deputy White, "why wait until now to do it?  After he lost the no-confidence vote, Her Imperial Majesty scheduled a formal audience to hear his grievances, and everyone thought that was the end of it.  So the timing on that doesn't make a lot of sense.  Perhaps he really is a crook."

The Chancellor was apparently informed of the arrest several days ago, and made sure it would be carried out when the Deputy actually needed to be present in the Assembly for votes.  Dame Diane Bolton also had a floor speech in hand to rail against corruption and theft when in the public trust.  Dame Bolton named Drewery specifically, and said that the Justice Ministry was investigating whether there were any other "thieves" among the Deputies in the National Assembly.

"The public arrest of Deputy Drewery, and his loss of his constituency has a very chilling effect," said Deputy White, "whether he is guilty or not.  The Assembly has been pushing several lines both in terms of its own discipline as well as their willingness to try to eke out any sort of political Power.  And the Institutional Party's leadership hasn't been as diligent as they need to be to reign in that kind of, ironically, heterodoxy coming from several Orthodox members."

Deputy White herself did not sign Deputy Drewery's petition, but when asked if she was ever asked to do so, she said, "No comm...  strike that, yes, I was asked.  I happen to identify with the Orthodox, open, classic position of the Institutional Party.  I would never sign it, because the Orthodoxos are the ones who required absolute obedience to the will of Her Imperial Majesty, and if I disagree with her, I certainly don't go on to the floor of the National Assembly and demand that her whole Government be thrown out.  That to me doesn't seem like an orthodox position to take.  But no, you can see the petition in the Public Record:  my name is not on that and I also advised Deputy Drewery against passing it around."

So far there is no official connection between the petition of last fall and the arrest this week in Kaliburg.  Drewery, for his part, will stand trial in May.

@TheRepublic

[Doc]

Empress to Reform Peerage
Nobility to no longer be guaranteed membership in the Order of the Grey Smoke
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
May 12, 5593


Her Imperial Majesty in Regalia of Order of the Grey Smoke at Order at Order Day ceremonies 

Her Imperial Majesty announced this month that she intends to reform the Peerage.  The reforms will come primarily in the form of the Creation of a new Chivalric Order known as the Most Excellent Order of the Anantonese Empire, which will be awarded to all current non-Royal members of the Nobility, Grand Mayors, and members of the Executive in Lodamun and Gaduridos.  The Order of the Anantonese Empire will consist of three classes of Knights:  Knight of the Order, Commander of the Order, and Member of the Order.  Knight of the Order will be awarded to those who hold Noble Title of any rank according to the Peerage Tables, both in Kalistan and their rough equivalents in Lodamun and Gaduridos.  Officer of the Order shall be open to those Commoners who have performed exceptional civic or social duty for the Empire as a whole, and Member of the Order shall be opened to all commoners who have been awarded in recognition of specific achievement.  Knights/Dame of the Order and Commander of the Order shall be entitled to use the honorific Sir or Dame before their name (if they do not already use a senior prefix), and all members who are citizens of one of the Constituent Nations of the Empire shall be entitled to hold an advisory seat in a new Upper House of Legislature that the Empress has long planned.

The Ancient Order of the Gray Smoke, remaining precedent, will, in turn have its membership limited to Members of the Royal Family who have reached their Majority, including the current living descendants of Mark Ananto-Orleans who shall be known as "Royal Knights and Ladies Companion", as well as a total number of 20 "Knights and Ladies Companion" who shall be invested by the Sovereign for Lifetime membership.  There shall also be an indefinite number of "Stranger Knights and Ladies of the Realm" such as the Empress shall designate.  According to the reform plan, this category will be opened to spouses of current members, as well as Foreign Heads of State, including the Lady Viceroy of Gaduridos and the Lord Protector of Lodamun.  All members of the Order of the Gray Smoke will gain the title Lord or Lady which they may use as a prefix to their name.  All membership of the Ancient Order of the Gray Smoke is to be considered Lifetime, and especially Stranger Companions will be entitled to keep their positions if they abdicate or, in the case of Lodamun, are voted out of their office.

The only specific regalia associated with the Order of the Anantonese Empire shall be a medal and a ribbon which all members may display on their left breast.  A small insignia clasp will be affixed denoting the class of the ribbon.  If displayed publicly, the ribbon must be clean, serviceable, and no more or less than one inch above the breast pocket, or centered squarely upon the left breast panel, four fingers below the left clavicle in the case where there is no pocket.  The Empress shall be made Sovereign and Grand Master/Mistress of the Order of the Anantonese Empire, and such title will be added to her Stile.

Regalia associated with the Order of the Grey Smoke will remain as it is:  A royal purple velvet robe in cloak fashion, trimmed with fur, dyed black for all Royal Knights and Ladies Companion, and white for all Knights and Ladies Companion and all Stranger Knights and Ladies.  Both Royal Knights and Ladies Companion and (non-royal) Companions will wear a red and white plaid sash, while Stranger Knights and Ladies Companion will wear a sash of their home National Colors.  All Knights Companion may don an orange billed flat cap with their regalia, but only when out of doors and it must never be worn indoors.    The Sovereign of the Order alone will wear a gold Embroidered bunch of grapes over her left breast.  This regalia must be maintained in clean serviceable condition, and must be worn to all specific Order Functions, but may not be worn at any other time.   Invited Guests must also observe a specific dress code for all events.  Men must wear a red or black blazer over a white button up shirt and tie, with black slacks, while women will wear a purple, red or pink dress as it suits them. Attendance at all Order events is by Invitation only, and all Official Order Procedures remain strictly off limits to non-Members, nor may they be reported on or about in the press or on the internet.

All members of the Order of the Gray Smoke may attach one of the following Suffixes to their name in ordinary and extraordinary correspondence:  RKC, RLC, SKC, SLC, KC, or LC, depending on their rank of the Order.  All members of the Order of the Anantonese Empire may attach the following suffixes to their name: KAE or DAE, CAE or MAE, depending on their rank.

The formalization of the Order of the Gray Smoke is something Her Imperial Majesty has intended to do for a long time.  Maintaining the roles was growing difficult for the Order's Scribe, and the prestige of the Order itself was almost non-existent due to its inclusivity.  The idea being to regain the mission of the Ancient Order of the Gray Smoke as being those who have the Empress' ear in matters of state, and those who personally swear friendship and comity to the person of the Sovereign, it is hoped that appointment will be something that people will actually seek and work to achieve.  It is also hoped that the Order of Vintalli and the Order of Andalay follow suit with the Order of the Anantonese Empire and establish more formal designations of membership and insignia.

The new rules for the Peerage and the Chivalric Orders will take effect immediately.

@LaModa

[Doc]

Lord Samuel Trelawny III Discusses Imperial-Commonwealth Relations
"Her Imperial Majesty Greets Empress Katherine," said Lord Trelawny
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
October 8, 5593


Lord Samuel Trelawny III, Her Imperial Majesty's Ambassador to Luthori answers Questions in at Kaliburg International

Lord Samuel Trelawny III, Her Imperial Majesty's Ambassador to Luthori, is back in Kaliburg this week on a vacation from his duties in Ft. William.  He was greeted at the airport by several reporters who asked him several questions.  He commented on the accession of Empress Katherine I of Luthori, as well as commonwealth matters.  Below is the brief interview.

R(eporter):  Lord Trelawny, it has been a while since you've returned to Kalistan.  How are things going in Ft. William.

(Lord) S(amuel) T(relawny III):  Things in Luthori are as normal as can be expected, which pleases Her Imperial Majesty greatly.  We have really settled into our work and have even re-opened regular trade between our two countries.  Considering where we were a few short years ago, The Empress couldn't be more pleased.

R:  There have been rumors about an upcoming visit between the two Empresses.  Is there any substance to these?

ST:  I expressed Her Imperial Majesty's invitation to the previous Luthorian Empress, Audrey, that Her Imperial Majesty wished to invite her to visit Kaliburg.  And there was the start of the machinery to get something like that together.  Lots of moving parts, you know when you have one Empress going to visit another one, especially ones with as long a history as these two have had, not all of which has been positive, regrettably.  Unfortunately, those negotiations have been shelved for the time being, though I imagine that once the new Empress gets settled in, and the mood is correct, Her Imperial Majesty will likely want to restart those talks.  It might be a great time for a fresh start.

R:  Did you attend the Coronation?

ST:  Of course I did.  Her Imperial Majesty greets Empress Katherine and congratulates her on the event of her Coronation.  But yes, I attended the coronation as a representative of Her Imperial Majesty.  Think of how rude that would have been for me to be in the country, and not be on hand to welcome the new Empress.  I think not attending would send the wrong message, and so of course I, and the Consular General also attended, and we were accompanied by two delightful Luthorian ladies who I hope also had a good time.

R:  Lord Trelawny, how is your social calendar?

ST:  In Ft. William?  Non existent, I am afraid.  Though I will say this for the Luthorians.  I love the accent, and it is always a delight to speak with them, about anything.  So I do try to get out and about in Ft. William when I get the chance.  You'd be surprised:  they have a fairly decent music scene, and I wish they had a publication dedicated to music like we do in Kalistan.  It would help me learn about new bands in the country.

R:  Are you seeing anyone socially in Ft. William.

ST:  No one in particular, no.  I don't really have the time to put into a relationship.

R:  Returning to Kalistani-Commonwealth relations for a moment, Lord Trelawny...

ST:  Yes, please...

R:  It was recently reported in the Mordusian Papers that Lodamun has opted to not renew its basing options in Mordusia.  Would you care to make a comment?

ST:  Well, the subject was discussed in Ft. William.  They told me that they don't speak for Mordusia, or Likatonia for that matter, and that if there is some issue between the Empire and those two nations, we ought to dispatch an Ambassador to those nations and talk to them.

R:  Is there a problem between the Empire and Mordusia?

ST:  Nothing that I have been made aware of.  When Her Imperial Majesty went to Mordusia to try to help Lodamun out, on a personal level, the visit went a long way of improving Mordusia's image for Her Imperial Majesty.  They were polite, they were accommodating for the Royal Family, and etc.  Politically, however, the negotiations backfired from Kalistan's perspective, as it really just felt that Mordusia was punishing Lodamun for choosing Kaliburg over Ft. William.  Mordusia thought that Lodamun should be part of the Luthorian Empire, so, they punished them.  It's not really a surprise from Kalistan's perspective why Lodamun didn't opt to renew basing.  The seeds for the recent decision were planted when Mordusia made the choices they made, so Lodamun went elsewhere to get what they needed, and Kaliburg fully supported that decision.  That's not an issue between Kalistan and Mordusia:  that's more between Mordusia and itself.

R:  So will Her Imperial Majesty send an ambassador to Mordusia?

ST:  Not a separate one, no.

R:  How do you mean 'separate'?

ST:  I mean, I am it.  I am the Ambassador from the Anantonese Empire to the Luthorian Empire, not simply to the Luthorian State in Artania.  However they want to see their relationship to one another, what matters to me is that Kaliburg views the relationship between Ft. William and Randworth the same way it sees Kaliburg's relationship with Sulari, as a constituent part of the same country.  Just because one part of that country is on the other side of the planet from the Capitol doesn't make it any less intrinsic.  Mordusia has spent years representing itself as almost more Luthorian than Luthori.  This is the image it promoted for itself internationally, so why would Her Imperial Majesty send an separate ambassador to Randworth to speak to the Queen there when it can send one to Ft. William speak to the Sovereign of the Empire, who incidentally happens to be the same person?

R:  So could Mordusia call you then to discuss specifically Mordusian-Kalistani affairs?

ST:  Well, they can call the Consular General there, who could call me.  Or, the Government in Randworth could simply communicate their concerns to their Queen who could, magically, communicate those concerns telepathically to the Empress in Ft. William, who could communicate them directly to me at the Embassy.  There are a millions ways to get in touch.

R:  Would Kaliburg accept an Ambassador from Mordusia?

ST:  That's a bit more murky, I suspect.  If I was a betting man, I would bet no, because it would necessitate that that would involve the Anantonese Empire changing its view on the complete independence of Mordusia from Luthori.

R:  But doesn't Lodamun and Gaduridos have their own Ambassadors that go to other nations?

ST:  Sure they do.  Are you looking for a civics lesson, Sir?

R:  Doesn't that suggest that nations can be Constituent Nations with their own diplomatic representatives and still be integral parts of the Empire?

ST:  The relationship between Kaliburg and, say, Kensington, is determined by the Articles of the Empire.  So far Her Imperial Majesty has not seen evidence that, at least in regard to Mordusia and Luthori, they are different countries with any variations in their foreign policy, and in fact, it seems that Mordusia takes its direction from Luthori on all matters.  Likatonia, as of late, has been doing something different, though...

R:  In what way?

ST:  Well, I just find it hard to believe that they freely remain in the Commonwealth, and claim to be fiercely loyal to Ft. William, and then openly embrace the fascists in other parts of the world.  They have actually passed their own laws that force their prisoners to work, just like fascists elsewhere, where it is known that prisonoers are worked to death and widely believed that the bodies of dead workers are being disposed of industrially.  This policy position of endorsement of fascism seems to be in opposition to Luthori's stated position on fascism, is a dark stain on Likatonia that ends any chance for even normal relations with Clovisport, and its toleration in Ft. William also, I think negatively affects the relationship between Kaliburg and Ft. William.  Yet the Luthorian Commonwealth just continues to tolerate this policy orientation from Clovisport, without any negative words or consequences at all for the choices.  How does that NOT have Luthori's implicit blessing?  We have raised this issue multiple times with the Luthorian Government, and each time they say "Well, what can we do?"  I explained to them Her Imperial Majesty's position on the matter multiple times, and each time, they prefer to do nothing about a member of their commonwealth openly embracing, and running propaganda for the fascists.  What can they do indeed.  Could you imagine Lodamun coming out in support of fascists?  Or Gaduridos?  That is an inconceivable position within the Anantonese Empire.

R:  So no Ambassador to Mordusia?

ST:  Her Imperial Majesty has made it clear that at this moment, a separate Ambassador from Ananto to Mordusia is not warranted at this point--The Consular General will serve to manage the administrative aspects of Kalistani-Mordusian relations for the present.  The question is not off the table completely:  If for example, the Luthorian Government insisted and made Mordusia's case as a completely and totally 100% sovereign and independent nation in a way that convinced Her Imperial Majesty, that might change matters, but for now, with Luthorian arch-Nationalists in charge in Randworth and the Head of State being the actual same physical person in fact with two different titles, it is more difficult to justify.

R:  How long will you be in Kaliburg, Lord Trelawny?

ST:  I plan to spend about a week here and another at home in Sulari.  I have some personal business to attend to regarding my late father's estate, and need to make reports at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but then I am planning to return to Ft. William.  This is just a personal visit, really.

R:  Thank you Lord Trelawny,

ST:  Thank you.  Have a great rest of your October.

@TheRepublic

[Doc]

Albert Betchel vs. Likatonia
The Saga takes a new turn as Retired Diplomat Claps Back
Yoshimi, Duchy of Suldanor
June 8, 5594


Dr. Albert Betchel, now retired, wonders what Likatonia "is even talking about"

The name Albert Betchel is not a household name in Kalistan:  Dr. Betchel was a career foreign service agent who retired from the Foreign Ministry three years ago.  Before retiring, he had earned the job of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Northern Seleyan Affairs, which is the number 2 position there at the Foreign Ministry, and was part of the team that helped bring both Gaduridos and Lodamun into the Empire.  And yet, most people in Kalistan had never heard of him until eight years ago when he was dispatched to Likatonia to attempt to end an embargo and was denied entrance.

Now it seems, Dr. Betchel, who is retired and living in Yoshimi, Suldanor has taken it upon himself to respond to the two recent open letters from Likatonia that slander Her Imperial Majesty's Government, Kalistan and the Anantonese Empire, among others.  We have decided to print Mr. Betchel's letter publicly, as no comment about the affair was received from the Foreign Ministry.  Below is the full text of the Betchel Letter.

Dear Likatonia,

I write to you as a private citizen.  I want to make it clear that my opinion is my own.  It has not been vetted or dictated by the Foreign Ministry, or any current actively serving member of Her Imperial Majesty's Government.  

I feel I need to say this because my opinion of Likatonia's handling of Seleyan relations is very low.  As in, my opinion of Likatonia is that I feel it is a nation run by absolute lunatics.  And quite honestly, I am having a difficult time understanding what they are even talking about.

Let's look at the charges in their recent letters for a moment, while we review the history of how Likatonia went from being the nation that introduced our Former Emperor and Empress to one another, and without whom, Kalistan would not have our current Empress, to one that is calling our nation every name it is legal to print in their nation.  At one point, not too long ago, I will add, perhaps just 40 or so years ago, Likatonia and Kalistan were great friends.  We shared interests in common.  We called Likatonia a friendly nation.  And we worked closely with them on a number of projects, economic and security related.   I know.  I was on the Northern Seleyan Desk at the time.

The trouble with Likatonia began when they decided to embrace the Commonwealth with Luthori.  Likatonia did this of their own volition, this is true.  And at the time, Kalistan opposed the efforts of Luthori to expand politically, economically, and most importantly militarily into Seleya.  So, Likatonia decided to help them, a foreign expansionistic empire, rather than their neighbors in Seleya.  Kalistan's problem was never with Imperialism.  Kalistan's problem was with Artanians.  And I suggest Her Imperial Majesty would feel that way if it were any other Artanian power pushing into Seleya where they do not belong.

So:  Kalistan responded first by trying to build a northern Seleyan Confederation to specifically opposed those moves by Luthori.  Again-  Not Imperialism.  We are not opposed to imperialism or to imperial expansion.  We are opposed to Artanians doing that in Seleya.  Just so we are clear.    Likatonia was reportedly not interested in a Northern Seleyan Confederation, because SOMEONE was telling it to not join because the Northern Seleyan Confederation was supposedly just some vehicle to force Kalistani Expansion.  That was not true.  It was a vehicle to prevent Luthorian Expansion.  But see Likatonia was listening to someone who was poisoning it against its neighbors.

I know:  I am the one who took that call from the Likatonians.  I am the one who had to assure my counterparts there that the Conference on Northern Seleyan Unity was in fact just an effort to prevent Luthori from setting up shop in Seleya, and that all states present would get a veto over ANY proposal made by any state, including Kalistan--if they were so worried about Kalistan setting terms, they had the free power to simply veto anything and everything, and they should still be present at the conference so they could ensure that they had a voice in whatever came out of it.  I was only partially successful.  The Conference failed because those who should have taken a role to ensure that Kalistan was not the only speaker there were relatively mute.  So, rather than proving the rumor mongers who were poisoning people against the conference true, Kalistan ended the conference.  And Luthori welcomed Likatonia fully into their Commonwealth as a result.

To prevent FURTHER expansion, because we know that Luthori was not satisfied with JUST Likatonia and Mordusia, but also they wanted Lodamun, Baltusia, and Gaduridos, and were in the process of taking steps to bring those nations into their arrangement, Kalistan embargoed LUTHORI.  Not Likatonia.  Likatonia got hit with the embargo because they owed fealty to the target of the policy.  They didn't HAVE to stick with Luthori.  They chose to.  So, since the terms of the embargo were against Luthori, Likatonia got painted with that brush too.  If Likatonia was fully independent of Luthori, they would not have been been touched by the embargo whatsoever.  Case in point.  The Embargo did not affect Baltusia at all, because Baltusia does not have a subject relationship with Luthori the way Likatonia does.  I mean:  Read the Writ.  The ONLY reason Likatonia got hit by the embargo was because they chose to cling to the Artanian imperialists instead of actually being independent, the way they claim they are.

Fast forward a few years:  We negotiated with Luthori to end the embargo, which was correct because the embargo was put into place against them.  In exchange for us lifting the sanctions and agreeing to normalize relations with Luthori, they promised to stop going after additional Seleyan Nations.  The agreement let them keep their positions in Likatonia and Mordusia.  This was what Luthori wanted.  They agreed that they had no historic position in Gaduridos, which we also agreed with, and they themselves added, "But if Lodamun should decide to go to the commonwealth, so be it."  And we, I should say I, because I was on that team, said "And if Lodamun decides to come to the Empire, so be it, right?"  Fair is fair.  Lodamun made its decision a few years later. 

But anyway, Luthori KEPT Likatonia, and to Kalistan, that suggests that Luthori HAD Likatonia to keep.  Meanwhile, Likatonia to this day maintains that they are independent,  So.  I would suggest that perhaps Likatonia is talking to the wrong Empress when they tear ours down.  But we dropped the embargo against Luthori, which means that the embargo ended on Likatonian goods as well.  Because the Embargo was ALWAYS against Luthori and their supports in the Commonwealth.  It was not against Mordusia or Likatonia specifically.

A few years later, when Fascists took over and utterly poisoned our Empress' homeland with their filthy ideology and reign of death, who lines up to oppose them?  Interestingly, it was Kalistan that did that.  Luthori did it too.  Dundorf did it too.  Canrille did it too, the Dual Republic did it too.  Many of the region's and the world's powers opposed the fascism.  Nearly all those who lined up against Kundrati almost never follow Kalistan's lead on anything, and regularly oppose Kalistan's position.  And who was it that lined up to offer full throated endorsement of the Fascist Government in Kundrati?  Yes, it was Likatonia.  They not only endorsed the Fascists but also accepted nationalized property from them in the form of a pharmaceutical corporation that was nationalized, but also slave labor, if I am not mistaken.

Yes, that was Likatonia that did that.  They alone, as a matter of fact, signed a military defense agreement with Kundrati to help the fascists.  While the rest of the world, including Likatonia's neighbors in Seleya actively opposed the fascists, Likatonia was not only helping them, but decided to ally with them.

So:  Kalistan did what Kalistan did.  We raised another Embargo, this time it DID target Likatonia, because if you ally with fascists, you are a fascist.  We also embargoed Kundrati.  Likatonia didn't like that.  It thinks it ought to be able to do as it pleases without any consequences in this world.  But eventually, the embargo worked its work, and Likatonia publicly, at least, turned its back on the fascist regime there, broke the military alliance, returned its stolen property, and sent its slaves BACK to their homeland to be probably murdered by the mass homicidal regime in Kundrati.  In doing so, it satisfied Kalistan's terms, and we attempted to discuss with them the ways to lower the embargo, by ensuring that Likatonia was 1) really telling the truth about turning against Fascism (which we now know they were not), and 2) would be willing to work with us on a path to normalize our relations (which they would make sufficiently clear soon that they were not).

In the process of attempting to make this overture, I was sent via Valruzia, a neutral nation, to Likatonia.  These events are covered elsewhere.  Long story short:  They deported me back to Valruzia without so much as even talking with me.  Why?  Because they listened to Luthori, who told them that they ought to push for stronger concessions from the Empire and a full capitulation on all their demands before even beginning a conversation about that very topic.  And they took the advice, rather than acting like the Independent nation that they claim they are.  So sovereign that instead of doing what is in your own national interest, you would rather sink ANY chance for a conversation than go against your masters in a foreign land.

This my friends was a mere 8 years ago.  Has Likatonia now suddenly grown a spine where one has never existed before?  No, what they did instead was wait until we unilaterally dropped the embargo, because it wasn't worth our time or effort to maintain it, and then go BACK to Kundrati and publish reports about how everything is peaches and roses there in Kundrati, when the world KNOWS that slave labor is being worked to death in that nation.  They ran Fascist propaganda that covered for the fascist regime, and called us liars for contradicting that narrative.  And then, when we refused to take further steps to normalize relations, because why would anyone in their right mind normalize relations with fascist enablers, they went and RE-signed economic agreements with the Fascists.  I am not making this stuff up, and it is not classified.  Its all in the public record.

Which, regrettably is where we are today.  Why in the world would ANYone do business with Likatonia?  They are actively enabling the fascist state.  When Kalistan sells something to Likatonia, it goes RIGHT to Kundrati.  If Kalistan allowed our people to do tourism in Likatonia, that money goes RIGHT to Kundrati.  Working with Likatonia is doing business with Kundrati.  It would be insane for Kalistan to ever do anything with Likatonia, seeing as they are far more attracted to Artanian states than they are to Seleyan ones, and it would be insane for anyone who cares the slightest wit about Seleya to support that.

To their specific Charges:  Kalistan is an expansionistic empire.  We have never said otherwise.  It is true.  And yet we never wanted to add Likatonia to the Empire.  Why?  Because Likatonia was never historically a part of the Anantan Empire.  It was always a nation apart from what we were doing in North East Seleya, and has more in common with Valruzia than it does with Lodamun or Baltusia.

With regard to Athosia:  I am not sure what their government thinks Kalistan has "done" in Athosia, but there is no evidence that Kalistanis have set foot in Athosia for decades.  The border is 100% closed against anyone in Kalistan.  We have not travelled there.  We have not sold anything there.  We do, regrettably, NOT administer that territory.  It is still absolutely being governed locally, by people who are not from Kalistan.  But rest assured, Kalistan would like its property back.  Property that was stolen from our Empire as Seleya was being carved up by Majatran and Artanian foreginers, the same Artanians by the way who colonized Likatonia and stole that land from its own native inhabitants.  And if we get the opportunity to reclaim Athosia, Likatonia had better believe that Kalistan will take it.  In a heartbeat. 

Because Luthori may hold that Likatonia is independent, but Kalistan does not feel the same way about Athosia.  We hold that it is Kalistani territory that was unlawfully separated from Suladnor and it is therefore a historic wrong that needs undoing.  I cannot speak for Her Imperial Majesty, but if it were me, I would have invaded decades ago.  Centuries ago.  And if it were me, I would sacrifice ten Likatonias for one Athosia.  It's a good thing it is not me.

And why does Likatonia drag Gaduridos over Athosia?  Athosia isn't Gaduri business.  Or, for that matter, Likatonian business.  Likatonia has far larger problems, like its open and unapologetic support for a murderous regime in Kasaema, and the ethnic cleansing that is currently going on as part of National Policy that seeks to eradicate the individual identity of the Lurians, the people who have now raised two Kalistani Empresses.  Likatonia may be able to turn a blind eye to the suffering of the Lurrian people--Maybe that's just the kind of people the Likatonians are.  

But Her Imperial Majesty cannot:  Those are her relatives and childhood friends who are being erased from existence.  She has tried to help some of them escape, only to find out that they have been disappeared.  So many in fact that she no longer tries, because she feels it just puts a target on anyone's back who she tries to help.  She is lucky to be in Kalistan:  If not for the positive intervention of a wonderful Likatonian President, Mr. Daniel Greenshaw, she would likely already be dead in a mine or in a state brothel somewhere.

The Likatonians mention the Baltusian Government, to which we answer, what Baltusian Government?

The Likatonians, at least the Speaker from Progressiva, said they want to have a dialogue.  And yet:  they have never once sent a representative to Kaliburg to engage in a dialogue.  We would send an envoy but the last one we sent was very undiplomatically rejected.  That's like sending someone under a white flag to negotiate a truce, and the people they are going to speak with shooting at him as he attempts to cross the field.  So.  If an envoy from Clovisport were to ever somehow make it to Kaliburg, bearing diplomatic credentials, we would welcome that individual, and hear what they have to say, and carry their message to our Empress.  We would show them that courtesy.  Because we are not lunatics in Kalistan.

Before laying charges of violation of international law and human rights and justice and all this at our feet and calling my Government, the government I served for 50 years, "hypocrites", perhaps Likatonia might do better for itself to examine its own preferred policies.  Because it currently actively supports a government which creates laws specifically to fill prison camps with slave labor that it then exterminates through working them to death.  Likatonia supports them.  Not Kalistan.  Not the Anantonese Empire.  Not Her Imperial Majesty.  But:  Somehow I feel that Likatonia is going to continue to insist that it is sovereign instead, and will continue to goose step in time with the fascist drum, just to prove how sovereign they truly are.

Which is why we would rather deal with their Empress than them.

Peace to you Likatonia.

Serenely,


Dr. Albert Betchel,
Her Imperial Majesty's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Northern Seleyan Affairs, Retired
Private Citizen

@TheRepublic

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Bjorksdattir Sacked
Foreign Minister takes the fall for decline in Kalistani Image
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
December 19, 5594


Former Foreign Minister Sir Christopher Bjorksdattir has reportedly "resigned"

The now-former Foreign Minister of the Anantonese Empire, Sir Christopher Bjorksdattir has been sacked and will now enter life as a private citizen.  The 46 year old Sulari Native was one of Her Imperial Majesty's closest advisors until the Chancellor accepted Bjorksdattir's resignation this afternoon. His departure from Her Imperial Majesty's Government was announced yesterday afternoon. 
 
"In losing Sir Bjorksdattir from the office of Foreign Minister," said Chancellor of the Empire Dame Diane Bolton, "We lose nearly 2 decades of experience and expertise and the trusted advice of a long time colleague."  The Chancellor reported that Sir Bjorksdattir said in his resignation that "Kalistan is entering a turbulent time and the Empire needs a foreign minister with a stomach for the fight.  I am not that man."  He cited a litany of foreign policy failures of the Anantonese Empire, as well as his own inability to get foreign leaders to sit down and speak with the Kalistani Government about outstanding issues.

But sources close to the Chancellor's office said that Her Imperial Majesty demanded Bjorksdattir's resignation, and Bjorksdattir merely complied.  "She was looking for someone to take the fall for the disastrous foreign relations situation that Kalistan finds itself in," said one source who wishes to remain anonymous.  "Most of Kalistan's problems are not Bjorksdattir's responsibility:  He didn't make Kundrati go fascist.  He didn't make Beiteynu abrogate several treaties.  He is not the reason that most of Kalistan's friends have long since turned their back on the Empire.  He just happened to be the one who was supposed to resolve the problems and deal with nations who no longer wished to have anything to do with our nation."

Bjorksdattir did have a few successes.  Under his tenure, Lodamun joined the Empire, and Kalistan has taken the first few halting steps in repairing relations with Luthori.  "But we have not made enough new friends to make up for the old ones who have either drifted away or have run at full speed away," said the inside source.  "Her Imperial Majesty is probably most angry about the absolute shambles of the relationship between Kalistan and Likatonia, but the final straw for Sir Bjorksdattir was Beiteynu, whose Government cancelled all the formal friendship agreements with Kalistan five years ago, without Bjorksdattir apparently noticing, and whose Yeudish Bureau of Investigation has publicly discredited Kalistani claims concerning human rights abuses in Kundrati in order to pave the way for restored economic and security relations with Kundrati. Bjorksdattir may have tried, but this time, trying is not enough."

Sir Bjorksdattir was unavailable for comment following the announcement of his resignation. It is unclear who Bjorksdattir's replacement will be, but they will likely remain in the Nationalist Faction in the National Assembly, as that faction retains the majority, and Her Imperial Majesty is herself a Nationalist. It is however, expected that Sir Christopher Bjorksdattir will retain his spot in the list of Knights Companion, as there appears to be no personal enmity between he and Her Imperial Majesty.

@TheRepublic