Kalistani Major History

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First Year of President Benito's Administration "Uneventful"
Society of the Bretheren in Kalistan to hold first International Summit
Kaliburg, Ananto District
November 8, 3929

It has been almost a year since President Olgar Benito-Gonzales was elected President.  During this time, the Socialist Party has had to cope with being a Minority in the Assembly, and yet still occupying several key roles in Government.  But, analysts say that this period of quiet following the turbulent half a decade preceeding the election of Benito is a welcomed change for Kalistan.  We sat down with the President to get his take on his first year.


President of the Republic Benito meets with the Beacon at National Capital

KB:  Has the first year met your expectations?

B-G:  Well, yes and no.  I ran on the platform of calming the waters.  When we decided to pull back from the Embargo, it was because we were making enemies of people who weren't enemies.  We were no longer offsetting the cost of the Embargo to Kalistani commerce with contraband shipping and cargo.  And the Privateers had more or less left the line anyway.  The policy became unsupportable.  We are still working to pass the Compensation act, which was unpopular with the majority of socialist voters, but is necessary to signal to the world that we are willing to admit our mistakes.  But now-  well, commerce is still lagging, so we have to work on that...  Overall, my first year has been rather uneventful.

KB:  Kalistan still has outstanding issues with Vanuku.  Has there been any progress on those issues?

B-G:  Well, to be completely honest, we don't have any diplomatic contact with Vanuku, and they have made no attempt to settle anything with us, not directly, and not through a third Party.  We have not returned to our old embassies abroad, and the only country we have visited since the end of the Embargo was Indrala, where our legation was invited, was dispatched, and when we landed in Indrala, we were not met by anyone, our presence was not acknowledged by anyone, official or non- and we spent several hours in the airport waiting on a return flight to Kalistan.  It was a complete waste of time and energy.  It seems that Vanuku and their allies have opted, once we ended the Embargo, to fall off Kalistan's radar.

KB:  And where does that leave Kalistan?

B-G:  Kalistan has had a long history of going it alone in the world.  International conflicts are not something that we do well in Kalistan.  We have plenty of conflict domestically, as it is.  So it more or less leaves Kalistan where it has been for the majority of its history.  But I can assure you, this conflict has allowed Kalistan to develop some new security assets.  We won't find ourselves being sucker punched again.

KB:  Different topic.  We understand that the Society of Bretheren is planning the first International convocation of Bretheren for the first time in over 1000 years here in Kaliburg.  Bretheren representatives from all over the world will meet and will lay out the state of the Faith as it stands right now.  What is the position of the Government of Kalistan on the re-establishment of a new Faith in traditionally secular Kalistan?

B-G:  Well, as you are probably already aware, Kalistani Bretheren are almost exclusively members of the Socialist Party of Kalistan, so this question hits even closer to home than it would if it was just about Kalistan.  This movement has taken a life of its own, though.  There are more than 200,000 Bretheren in Kalistan now, half of them have joined since the Embargo began, and many of them have joined in opposition to the Embargo.  They are people of peace, of course, and I assume that their influence plays out in the Party.  But of course- they don't take direction from the Party.  I suppose I can say, I wish them luck.  What is somewhat more concerning, however is a recent indication that foreign Governments are beginning to notice the sect in other countries, especially in some places where it wouldn't necessarily be welcomed.  This might cause friction in those countries, and as for Kalistan, we may end up becoming the destination for many of them if there should be some religious repression.  Kalistan always welcomes the oppressed of other nations, and any addition of foreign Bretheren in Kalistani society will provide a nice infusion of talent and diversity.