Kalistan

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Kalistan to give Internationalism Conference in Egelion a Miss
"Kalistan is a little too honest for all that" says foreign policy analyst
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
February 6, 5683


To restate its orientation toward Regionalism, Kalistan avoids Concordia Conference in Egelion

At any time during the previous 10 years, if Egelion had called an internationalist Conference, Kalistan would have been the first nation to sign up. But following last year's dramatic reorientation in Kalistan's foreign policy and all around abandonment of internationalist principles, Kalistan has given the one called this year in Egelion "a miss.".

"The Empire of Ananto and Kalistan will not be attending the Internationalist conference in Egelion this year," said Their Imperial Majesties' Foreign Minister, The Honorable Mr. Henry Greene. "This is not a comment on Egelion's desire to be seen as a nation that welcomes the world, or anything particular in content of any of the draft accords or proposals that are floating around. It has more to do with the fact that Kalistan already maintains most, if not all of these relationships bilaterally with Egelion and doesn't feel a new Treaty is necessary to secure any of them. We wish the Conference well, and we wish more of its anticipated attendees well, but we will use this time to do something that is more in the interest of Kalistan here at home during that conference."

The statements of the Foreign Minister aside, the foreign policy community was divided over whether Kalistan is missing an opportunity to finally accomplish what it initially set out to do, though it has publicly abandoned the goal. "We held internationalism as a policy for 10 years, and very few nations took us up on our more open policy," said Dr. Henry Amelia, of Kaliburg Polytechnic and a member of the Council on International Affairs, a think tank that advises the Foreign Ministry. "Now, when Egelion calls an international conference, nations flock to their call. We could be part of that. This would be the opportunity to actually accomplish the thing we wanted to do for 10 years which is make contact and be friendly toward the other nations of the world. Why wouldn't the Emperor and Empress want to go and do that? I think this is a real missed opportunity."

But others in Kalistan attributed Kalistan's absence to a number of things. "Well, I think Kalistan is a little too honest for all that," said Gina Ferrerra, a policy analyst in Sulari. "There will likely be a number of nations at that conference that Kalistan can honestly not say it will promise to view as its equal. I think Trigunia is probably one of them. I'm not sure whether Trigunia is going to attend, but it is clear that whether Kalistan is oriented internationally or regionally, our Government just finds Trigunia to be a complete basket case, and it still is very upset with how Trigunia treated the Tsarina by incarcerating her on ultimately unfounded charges--The Crown remains deeply concerned with how Trigunia views its royals whether Trigunia wants to claim that submission to the law is voluntary or not, as it sets a very dangerous example that encourages republicans elsewhere. So I don't think that, even if Kalistan still wanted to promote an internationalist foreign policy, it would not ever find sitting at the same table with a country like that to be anything but risible." Ferrerra also noted several outstanding disagreements with others who would attend.

"Its certain that some nations who have old conflicts with Kalistan will be there," said Ferrerra. "I would think Kalistan would want to resolve those conflicts before going to a conference where everyone is celebrated as being on equal footing. I know there have been very halting steps toward coming to some resolution with Kundrati as it restores its civilian regime, but that conflict remains unresolved. And it is certain that, though there are some steps for at least Tel Bira to begin improving relations with Kalistan through their recent accession to NAM, there are still a lot of outstanding issues which the two nations still have to settle before Kalistan will say the attendees there are its equal, and that there should be free and unhindered movement and trade between them."

What analysts do agree on is that Kalistan would prefer to build bilateral relations with other nations. "I think bilateralism allows Kalistan maximum freedom to set terms which it prefers in regard to each nation, rather than having to accept just any old country that chooses to attach itself to a global treaty regime, without any regard whatsoever, or enforcement mechanism whatsoever to ensure that that other state doesn't take advantage of the normative commitment to the generic concept of 'internationalism' or 'globalism'," said Amelia. "I think there is still some support for reaching out to the world in the National Foreign Policy apparatus, but it will definitely come in the form of a bi-lateral or regional agreement, which looks different when it is with Valruzia than it does when it is with, say, Luthori. This way, Kalistan retains the ability to pick and choose who it works with, and doesn't have to work with both good and bad actors without the ability to select in its own interest. Whether we endorse that or not at my group, this is the default preference of the Kalistani crown: They want to be free to not like some nations."

Everyone, from the think tank members all the way up through the Foreign Minister made it clear that any nation is welcome to Kaliburg to attempt to work out a bilateral agreement with Kalistan if they wish to work with Kalistan. "The FM said this, and it does seem to be the genuine policy," said Amelia. "Kalistan stands ready to entertain all offers from nations around the world. It will be a bit more insistent on the answer to the question, 'What do you get out of this and what do we get out of it?' and if there is no tangible upside for Kalistan, Kalistan would be more likely to reject the offer at that point that it would have in the past. But it is clear that our Government does want to be approached-- it will not do the approaching anymore."

Ferrerra agreed: "The hat in hand image of Kalistan asking for friends of the last 10 years did not work and it in many ways demoralized our foreign policy apparatus. Kalistan would rather have no friends than have 'friends' who only want to associate when they get something from Kalistan while not returning anything to Kalistan but a promise. Kalistan is by and large regionally sufficient. So that's a much smaller group of people that Kalistan really needs to pay attention to. Whether Kalistan wants to pay attention to other nations in other parts of the world, this is now Kalistan's option, because for better or worse, Kalistan has untethered itself from the notion that it must pay attention to the rest of the world, as the liberals would have us all believe. So it will focus on making its own region secure and prosperous, and let the rest of the world figure out how to do that for themselves, and consider all other relationships outside of the Anantonese basin to be optional."

@TheRepublic