Kalistan

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Incoming Trade and Culture Ministers dispatched to Xsampa
"Things are different now," said Cultural Minister
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
October 2, 5613


Ministers O'Connell and Brandeis fly to Xsampa to formalize agreements

In the summer of 5612, as the country was busy working away on volunteer service projects across the Empire, delegates from Xsampa quietly visited Kaliburg.  His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Fredrick III Ananto held a formal audience with the envoys and Chancellor of the Empire, Dame Diane Bolton, where they discussed improving relations.  Following their brief stay in the Empire, the Xsampans travelled on to Artania.  But a more permanent mission from the nominally communist Xsampan Democratic Republic arrived in Kaliburg in October of 5612, and began working with their Kalistani counterparts on a comprehensive set of bilateral agreements meant to bring the new nations closer.

This week, His Imperial Majesty's Minister for Trade Catherine O'Connell and Minister for Culture Duane Brandeis both flew to the Xsampan capital in Metz-Leonid with the finalized work between the two teams.  The bilateral agreements commit both nations to increasing trade cultural exchange.  There is still a sizeable Xsampan diaspora in Kalistan, as several hundred families who arrived in Kalistan after the nuclear explosion in Metz Leonid and the subsequent attacks by Kundrati against the nation have yet to return, and the more than one hundred and fifty more families have announced their intention to remain permanently in Kalistan.  "Increasing cultural exchange between our two countries makes more sense with each passing day," said Incoming Culture Minister Brandeis.  "Xsampan culture is being added to the mosaic of Kalistani Culture, and there are many thousands in our nation who would like to know more about our new neighbors, and share with thier relatives in their old homes the kinds of things we do in Kalistan.  It is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about a part of the world that we know very little about."

The Trade Agreements will increase trade between Xsampa and Kalistan through Lourenne, which is one of Xsampa's major trading partners.  "There are a number of raw materials and finished consumer goods which we can begin purchasing through Xsampa that can work to replace a lot of the goods we had been purchasing from Artania and Majatra, which are now gone because of the ongoing war," said Incoming Trade Minister O'Connell.  "Kalistani consumers are always open to new goods imported from other places.  We don't suffer from brand loyalty the way they do in capitalist countries.  Kalistanis look for quality in the market:  they tend to like things that aren't cheaply built.  If Xsampa can provide those sorts of things, there is no doubt that Imperial Rubles would start flowing that way, rather than to nations that hate us and want to kill us in Artania."  The Trade Minister also noted that Xsampa still retains more than ₭100 billion Imperial Rubles in credit with the Empire which, as part of the agreement, they can freely convert into consumer goods credits if they don't need it for additional reconstruction aid.

The Cultural exchanges will be a bit different.  "We certainly want to make sure our new Xsampan Neighbors feel welcomed here and integrate into Kalistani society," said Minister Brandeis.  "We want to make it easy for families and friends of the members of the Diaspora to visit Kalistan, and for the diaspora to travel back and forth.  As a result, KaliAir has said that they will be opening two round trip flights a week to Metz-Leonid.  Additionally, we have worked out exchange student and sister city programs between our two nations that will facilitate mutual exposure to one another's culture.  And this is just the foundation of a deeper relationship between our two nations.  The Xsampans said they wish to begin exploring a green economy, and we said, in no uncertain terms that Kalistan stands willing to help to make our world a better place to live."

The agreements will go into effect as soon as they are countersigned by the Xsampan Government.  "The Emperor has said that a state visit to Xsampa is possible in the near future," said Minister O'Connell.  "This would be a significant step toward much warmer relations between Xsampa and Kalistan, despite the ideological differences between the two nations.  In proposing a visit, His Imperial Majesty continues his mother's policy of expanding Kalistan's relationships in new and unexpected places to make up for lost allies of the past.  The move is welcomed in Kalistani governing circles and the proposal is popular among His Imperial Majesty's Government."

In other, unrelated news, on September 26, Her Highness, Empress-Consort Monica Ananto-DeLaurentis gave birth to her second Child.  The growing Royal Family welcomed Her Highness, the Minor Princess Margaret-Carolina Nicolette Ananto-DeLaurentis.  She joins her older sister, Her Highness the Minor Princess Mary-Elizabeth Natalia Ananto-DeLaurentis, now 3 year old at Wilson House.  The Empress-Consort said she worked through much of her pregnancy on volunteer service projects, and that labor was much easier the second time around.

@TheRepublic