Kalistan

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Kalistani News in Brief: Kalistan to welcome Mordusia;
Newlywed Royal Couple purchases home in Luthori; New Democrats hope to participate in 5630 elections
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
May 15, 5728


FM Sir Ontiveros discusses moves toward Luthorian Empire in Kaliburg

Kalistan to welcome Mordusia
Kalistan responded enthusiastically to the offer to host a State visit by the Mordusian Governor General. Her Imperial Majesty's Foreign Minister, Sir Miguel Ontiveros said the Empress received the offer to visit very well and is looking forward to hosting His Highness Governor-General Prince Henry Orange-Villayn in Ananto next year. "Her Imperial Majesty has long sought closer relations to Seleyan Nations, especially Mordusia, and now, as she prepares to hand over the throne, her efforts are finally yielding fruit," said Sir Ontiveros. "This is particularly encouraging because she feels that getting new cooperation set up before she abdicates will give her son an opportunity to start on a good foot and in a positive orientation toward more nations than she has had the opportunity to work with.

The Foreign Minister confirmed that preliminary topics include dramatically increasing trade and potentially opening up to investment back and forth between northern and Southern Seleya. "Kalistan is awash with investment potential and is looking for stable, friendly nations in the world to invest in," said Ontiveros. "This has been the situation since hundreds of billions in investment capital was pulled out of Gaduridos at the end of their relationship with the Empire. Mordusia has long been an opportunity that has just been out of reach for Kalistani investors, but it is definitely on the top of our investors' priority list, along with relationships that are a little further along in development like Utaristan and Baltusia. As states open their eyes to Kalistan and its desire to cooperate, they may find that the relationship is indeed mutually beneficial."

The FM also said that security talks are on the table around security cooperation in the Schismatic Sea. "The 3rd Fleet based in Bentasur still patrols the Schismatic Sea and the Southern Approaches to Gaduridos. This is a vital theater of operations for our Imperial Navy, and cooperation with Mordusia within theater is key to mutual defense of the Continent. Cooperation makes complete sense, not only for Kalistan, but for every nation between Yoshimi and the Canrillaise states in the far south. This sort of cooperation on continental defense was one of the goals that spurred the formation of the Anantonese Empire in the first place. Cooperation between fully sovereign states avoids the fundamental flaw that accompanied the creation of the Empire--That nations who voluntarily joined the Anantonese Empire nonetheless sought to maintain their sovereignty despite their pledges to put foreign policy into the hands of Kaliburg. That foundational weakness is avoided when each nation retains its sovereignty and see their own benefit in cooperation with others."

The FM said details of the visit are still being discussed, but said that the Crown Prince has expressed a wish to return the visit soon after he is crowned. A formal visit will be a first for a Kalistani Monarch since the reign of Carolina I Ananto, and signals a major improvement in relations between Kalistan and Mordusia, and in Kaliburg, it is seen as a step toward improvement in relations between Kalistan and Luthori as well.

Newlywed Royal Couple purchases home in Luthori
On a brief stop over on the flight between Nowagard, Valruzia and Bekenial Hutori for the second part of their honeymoon, Their Highnesses, the Crown Prince William Ananto-Rosenfeld and Princess Consort Casey Leigh-Campbell stopped over for a couple days in the Luthorian Capital of Fort William. They were immediately greeted at the airport by a liaison from the Luthorian Foreign Ministry who introduced them to an in-country security detail, and then after a brief television interview, they were escorted to lodging for the visit. "Usually Anantos sneak into the country unnoticed," said the Crown Prince, "but given that the nation is still on edge from last year's terrorism, the Luthorian Ambassador in Kaliburg told us that it was better to err on the side of caution and security, and announced our visit to Luthorian security teams. So, our arrival in Luthori this time around was both anticipated and well covered."

The Crown Prince and Princess Consort both said that the Luthorians were very courteous to them during their trip. "I think it is a well known fact that I have a personal affinity for Luthori--the people here have always fascinated me and have always been very kind. I think word got out that I enjoy meeting Luthorians and talking with them, and Casey and I had the opportunity to speak with several Luthorians who recognized us from the papers when we were eating at a restaurant in Fort William. The Security sprung into action but we asked to just talk with them. They really liked Casey, and had a lot of questions for her. I think that kind of personal diplomacy is just what we need to improve relations between our two nations which I know my mother would like and I definitely will pursue when I am Emperor."

The Crown Prince and Princess Consort were in country to begin the process of purchasing a townhome for them to use while they are in country in the future. "We met with a Luthorian realtor who gave us a number of options. At the end of the day, we selected one near the home of the Kalistani Ambassador, Sir Nathaniel Quasney, which is really quite charming. Its a three story town home with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, a good sized kitchen and a nice south facing front. We are really quite happy with the purchase: Casey and I hope to use the home often in the future." The Crown Prince said House Ananto will hire a crew to decorate and furnish the home and will retain a small staff to maintain the home while the Emperor is not in country. "We have also, through the Luthorian Ambassador, extended an invitation to the Orange Villayns to purchase property in Kaliburg if they wish for similar purposes," said the Crown Prince. "Its our hope that this sort of inperson, informal foreign visit becomes the norm between our two nations, as it is with Valruzia and Hutori."

New Democrats Hope to Participate in 5730 elections
Dr. Kristen Brandt, of the Sulari New Democrat Club, says she believes the New Democrat Club will have enough members in Suldanor to nominate candidates for the 5730 elections. "In Suldanor alone, the New Democrats have more than 850 memeber as of April 30 of this year," said Brandt. "If we can get another 150 members and retain our old ones by the Party Convention in 5729, we will be entitled to put a slate forward from Suldanor New Democrats and have our people appear on the ballot for Suldanor voters to consider." Brandt said other duchies are not as close to 1000 members so the Suldanor at large and the Sulari Free City elections are where the Club has the best chance of qualifying.

"The 1000 member base limit is a threshold imposed by the Institutional Party to prevent small niche civil society organizations from forming just to name a slate for the elections," said Brandt. "Its a hurdle most civil society orgs will never get over, and promotes conservatism in their naming of candidates. And then there is also the candidate approval process within the Convention itself, to ensure that candidates will carry out the Institutional Platform before the candidacies are even approved of. The machinery is certainly controlled by the Chancellor and his allies, and the Orthodox majority in the convention will most surely hold even in 5729. But we have also seen numerous examples of where the Convention turns on the in group and tosses them out. And we will have our share of delegates at the Convention from the Kalistani Duchies, and get to be a part of the process."

Brandt was encouraged because historically candidates are not approved on an ideological basis, and nominations are surprisingly transparent. "There's no wheeling and dealing at the conventions: Conventions usually approve various slates from organizations who meet the criteria, whether they be from explicitly political clubs, like ours, or from non political orgs like unions or the Brethrenists. So we are going to put a lot of work into finding candidates who can make it over these hurdles and onto the ballot. At least then we will be able to say that we had a fair shot like everyone else."

Brandt said ballot access is not the only function of the Group. "It is until the Convention is over, but in the meanwhile, we also meet with one another, hang out, hear speeches about democracy and current events, same as the other political clubs, elect officers and etc... Plus, we have the opportunity to run candidates in Free Cities without having to go through the Institutional Party, so organizing in our cities is definitely something we have to focus on between now and early 5730." Brandt says she is optimistic. "I believe that there is a real hunger in Kalistan for an explicitly democratic voice, and the New Democratic Clubs are in a good position to provide people to make that case."

@TheRepublic