Kalistan

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Breaking News:  Empress Signals Willingness to end Sanctions
Regime began under Pavlina has "outlived Usefulness" said Empress
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
May 17, 5634


Empress shocks some international observers and Deputies from the Floor of the National Assembly

Her Imperial Majesty Empress Mary I Ananto dropped a bombshell on the international media this afternoon.  "We have sent a message to members of the Kundrati Legion indicating terms under which we would be willing to begin negotiating a settlement between the Anantonese Empire and Mainland Kundrati."  Apparently this news came as not a shock to Deputies on the floor for the speech, including Lady Anya Waltrip, who politely applauded the announcement.

"These trade sanctions have been in place since the reign of my Great Grandmother, and it is time they end," said Her Imperial Majesty.  "We are for peace and we will have it one way or another.  And the opinions of others notwithstanding, Ananto and Kalistan must do what is in our own best interest first."

Her Imperial Majesty publicly announced the conditions for opening up negotiating for ending the sanctions regime against the Kundrati Legion.  "We have told their representative, who we met with last month in Athosia, on neutral ground, that our conditions for negotiating were good faith efforts to fully disclose the secret activities of the Legion to public scruitiny, to end their Weapons of Mass Destruction programs for good, and to make a good faith effort to begin settlement talks with the Government of the Kundrati Union in Etxea.  We made it clear to the reps from the Legion that these were our minimum points, that we would need to see from them to demonstrate their desire and willingness to continue talking.  When we presented the terms for discussion, we were expecting a straight up rejection of the terms, but to our surprise, the representatives agree to take our terms back to their High Command to consider."

Whether the Kundrati Legion will carry through on their part of the offer remains to be seen.  "We will know that they are interested by their actions," said the Empress.  "We are justifiably skeptical, but our terms were phrased in such a manner that both Kalistan and the Kundrati Legion can keep their dignity in the process as we work toward a truce.  Their efforts to disclose these practices that we would consider to be horrific, including what we believe to be death camps, human scientific experimentation, and chemical and biological weapons manufacture, and their good faith effort to at least try to offer peace terms to their neighbors so that people can stop getting blasted with chemical weapons would allow us to justify an end to the embargo which Kalistan has put massive resources toward maintaining and which have not produced results in decades."

"These are our terms.  If they can do that, we will tentatively raise Kalistan's embargo against the Kundrati Legion, and stop our own interference in their trade with their neighbors," said Her Imperial Majesty.  "And if we are ever able to negotiate a permanent settlement to the Anantonese-Legionary conflict, Ananto will be out of Artanian affairs for good, and hopefully for ever--  This was a dream of my Grandmother, my Father, and now me, and we stand ready to take steps to negotiate the end to the conflict for good."

Most Deputies applauded Her Imperial Majesty's speech, but after she departed the floor, the Chancellor of the Empire Michael Koenig was peppered with questions by Deputies.  He was asked why this meeting was carried out in secret, what the Legionaries demanded for the talks, and what advice Her Imperial Majesty took to arrive at this decision that now was the time to attempt this detente.  "My god, Mike," said William Robert Martin, Deputy from Vrassa City.  "Were you not in the room with the girl when she chose to do this?  How could you let her?"

The Chancellor shot back, "Mr. Martin, 'the girl' as you term her, is your Empress, and her word is the law.  So she doesn't need me to 'let' her do a thing.  And as for me, I am Chancellor Koenig, or Sir Koenig, or His Excellency Chancellor Koenig, if you like.  I am not Mike on the floor of the National Assembly.  I would advise you, Her Imperial Majesty is covered by the Protocol and so am I.  And so are you.  I'd advise you to watch your tone."

The Chancellor's haughty answers upset some, but they were quickly shouted down by Orthodox loyalists who not only represent the Majority in the National Assembly, but support the Empress' Nationalist tack.  "I for one think its about time," said Deputy Marian Gomez, representing Springfield.  "Kalistan has been carrying the burden as the world has been defecting.  If they want the regime, let them pick it up, but it is time that Her Imperial Majesty took our nation out of that conversation, and brought the focus back to where it belongs, which is the Anantonese Ocean."

Others demanded National Assembly oversight over the negotiations, but the Chancellor did not back down.  "Lady Anya Waltrip, Her Imperial Majesty's Foreign Minister, has been tasked with this overture.  She has Her Imperial Majesty's complete confidence, and will serve our Empress as she is expected to.  At no point does the National Assembly need to be a part of this.  When Lady Anya has completed talks you will be asked to move the policy into law.  And that is the extent of your concern for the matter.  This is not the Assembly of State.

Response among the Peerage was predictably muted.  Grand Duchess Emily Suldanor issued a statement:  "The Peerage Council endorses Her Imperial Majesty, and we have full faith that her actions will produce the best outcome from our Empire.  We encourage all those who oppose the talks to let them play out, and we trust that Her Imperial Majesty's will shall be carried out by the National Assembly in all matters pertaining to matters of governance."  The Peerage, which is perhaps the most conservative institution in Kalistan, only rarely dissents with the Crown, and then only in private.

Details of the talks, including where they will be held, when and what topics will be covered are still forthcoming.  "We have a long time before they start," said Chancellor Koenig.  "The Legion still has to make several credible gestures before we go into negotiations.  But at least they didn't flat out tell our side no, which can be said to be progress in and of itself."

@TheRepublic