Kalistan

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Kalistan completes the dismantling of the OTH Radar Site on Etxea



Kalistan to pull OTH Radar out of Kundrati
"Wave of Anti-Seleyanism" given as reason
Island of Etxea, Kundrati
May 9. 5563

IBSI confirmed the completion of the removal of Kalistan's seven year old OTH radar facilities in Kundrati this week, representing a significant shift in Kalistani foreign policy away from the last fingernail hold it had in the region.  The removal of the site was scheduled for more than a year in advance, however, it was on hold while Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Pavlina I Ananto was visiting Ikradon for the Artanian Conference.  Following the decommissioning, which was not made public, on April 29th, the power to the site was switched off and then a rapid gutting of the site, including demolition of much of the listening post's infrastructure, was conducted over a 2 day period.

"Closing the site down quickly is a response to what Her Imperial Majesty sees as a rising wave of anti-Seleyanism in Kundrati and Artania in general," said IBSI spokesperson Kathy Wentworth.  "Kundrati is known as a mercurial state, and their orientation can change on a dime.  The Empress, who herself is Kundrati, noted this shift in the words and specifically the word choices of the Kundrati representative at the Artanian Conference, and gave the green light for demolition upon her return to the Empire."

Shifts in Kundrati's orientation weren't the only reason that the site was closed.  "We had intended that the OTH Site would be used in conjunction with other surveillance assets in Kundrati:  For a while, there was an open possibilities that AWACS and other intelligence gathering assets would be placed in Artania to keep tabs on menaces like Luthori," said Wentworth.  "Initially, there was some interest among some in the Kundrati government, but that interest cooled off very quickly when it became apparent that Kalistani assets would be directed against Luthori and not Dorvik, with whom Kalistan has no quarrel, and it quickly became very apparent that there would be no deal for AWACS basing, or naval basing or any additional surveillance assets of any kind in Kundrati.  The OTH radar quickly became superfluous, and of very little use to Kalistan."

In addition to the closure of the OTH radar site, the offer to permit Kundrati basing at Bozo River has been fully rescinded.  "From what we can tell, there has been no movement from Kundrati to take up the offer to base ships in Ananto, or anywhere in the Anantonese Ocean," said Wentworth.  "We had been holding those berths open for the Kundrati Navy for years, but the ships never came.  And due to changes in orientation between Kalistan and apparently all Artanian nations since the initial agreements were made, Kalistan no longer will make those spots available for the Kundratis or any other Artanian State.  We are happy to continue to host Wrnuke at Port Swedes and will reoccupy those berths at Bozo River with Kalistani ships.  The Artanians can base their ships in Artania."

The Empress herself was not on hand to comment about the change of policy, but many suspect that Her Imperial Majesty felt highly insulted by Artanian attitudes toward Seleyan nations and Kalistan specifically at the Artanian Conference, and ended up leaving early rather than staying to observe the entire proceeding as she had originally intended.  This pique is a severe blow to Kalistani relations with Artania, and the damage may be irreparable.  But as of press time, all Kalistan assets are now out of Artania, and the 4th Fleet maintains its patrols in the Eastern Mad Dog Ocean north of Lodamun and Likatonia.  Currently Kalistan is opting to maintain its OTH Radar in Likatonia to scan the passage between the Mad Dog and the South Ocean in the seas adjacent to Keymon, and in the Artanian Sea.