Luthori

[Ligbruderkrieg]

Prime Minister rules out negotiations for siege, says Luthori “will not negotiate with terrorists”. 
February 5700

It’s been two days since the reported seizure of the Luthorian Embassy in Chukyo by warlords, who, following a long and sluggish campaign, managed to enter Chukyo, New Verham’s capital city which has been suffering heavy combats since in a new brazen offensive attempting to seize the city by force, assembling over 4500 militiamen to try to take the capital. During the fighting, the Luthorian Embassy, one of the sole remaining working foreign embassies in the desolate New Verhamese capital was promptly attacked by a group of militiamen, who then seized it, taking its occupants as hostage and taking as prisoners, a small group of Imperial Marines tasked with defending the area. 

The Prime Minister confirmed today in a session in the Imperial Diet, the unfortunate demise of two marines, Paul Keith-Joseph (23) and Sam Proming (27). Both died from their injuries sustained during the fight, the Prime Minister mentioned that the two men “fought honorably until their last breath”, he also vowed to take their bodies back in Luthori for a proper funeral ceremony, stating that it was the “least” that the “nation could do for two fallen heroes”. 

The occupiers made their demands clear through New Verhamese underground media yesterday, demanding from the Luthorian government to negotiate on their behalf for a withdrawal of Egelian troops from the country and the release of former President Argat, who is currently under Bianjie custody. Failure to do so will result in the sommary execution of Luthorian diplomats and other foreign nationals present within the Embassy’s walls and hostages of the pro-government forces. 

Prime Minister Cameron Seddon stated to the Imperial Diet that “Luthori will not, under any circumstances, negotiate with or on behalf of these terrorists who have thrown away the very principle of international law which called for the respect of a foreign embassy.”, the Prime Minister refered to these groups as being “terrorists”, marking a sharp contrast from his statement prior to the Luthorian embassy’s seizure, the Seddon administration followed its predecessors’ footsteps of “non-interventionism” related to New Verham, a policy that the current government carried on effectively throughout the months following its entry in Crown Street. 

The recent shift in power, with the seizure of the embassy marked a turning point, as Luthori’s policy regarding the civil conflict currently ongoing in New Verham changed as well. Luthorian statemen no longer “wish” for the continuation of “non-interventionism” as it was, as this policy cannot be reasonably carried when Luthorians are currently being taken hostage by a group referred as “terrorists” by His Majesty’s Government. Warhawks within the Cabinet reportedly called for a “military intervention” in New Verham, aiming at rescuing the hostage and taking back the embassy, other more dovish voices have called on the Prime Minister to “negotiate” with these occupiers in order “to save the most people”. 

Defence Secretary John Myers, Foreign Secretary Stewart (Earl of) and others have called for a “show of strength” to be made. Comments which, has, for now, not been answered to by Number 10. 

The Prime Minister has met with the Chief of the Defence Staff, Gen. Thomas Porter yesterday during lunch time, he also, during this time, met with the Foreign Secretary and the Defence Secretary in order to “know all of his options related to the quick resolution of this crisis”. Prime Minister Seddon might want to score points with a quick, relatively bloodless affair, as there’s talk of a dissolution of the Imperial Diet before September to ride off the “popularity and patriotic wave” caused by such events. 

The Conservatives are, for now, on track to secure a minority or a short majority government, a successful handling of the hostage crisis might be more than enough to cause the Tories to be guaranteed to win an absolute majority in Parliament.