Kalistan

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Kalistani Foreign Minister calls for new Seleyan Confederation

"Empress seeks to unite Interests against Artanian Imperialism"

Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto

April 21, 5559

Acting Chancellor of the Empire, Dame Jacqueline DuMont calls for new political union of purpose in Seleya

Acting Chancellor of the Empire, Dame Jacqueline Dumont, addressed the National Assembly today to call for a new political union in Northern Seleya.  The union, tentatively to be known as the Northern Seleyan Confederation, is merely an idea at the moment, but it is one that Daem DuMont says Her Imperial Mejesty, the Empress Pavlina I Ananto wishes to see brought into being.

"Kalistan has long held a central place in Seleyan Affairs," said Dame DuMont.  "As powers around the world rise and fall, Seleya has remained remarkably stable, relatively speaking.  We have weathered several storms recently, and on the other side, we see a very different world, with a very different power structure, and Seleya should stand together to address that new power arrangement as one, rather than all going off into our corners and picking sides."

The Chancellor said the Empress' idea "seeks to unite Seleyan Interests to resist imperialist impulses of Artania," first and foremost, but also to create a common framework for cooperation across the entire continent.  "We have shown we can accomplish things in common," said Dame DuMont.  "We have extended the Trans-Seleyan Railroad, each through our own individual efforts, with a common goal in mind, from an overlook of the Artanian Sea all the way into Mordusia now.  It took many years and many billions of Rubles to accomplish, but we did it, collectively, because it was in the interest of Seleyan nations to do this.  And there are several other things we can accomplish if we work together."  Among those interests are fighting fascism, Pan-Seleyanism, free movement of people, and a desire for independence from the conflicts and manipulations of the Great Powers of Terra.

Dame DuMont listed a number of initiatives that Her Imperial Majesty would like to work on, including but not limited to: 

• A Common Seleyan Market, to reduce and or eliminate trade barriers between Seleyan Nations, making Seleya one of the largest and most important free trade zones in the world.
  
• Common Seleyan Defense initiatives, where nations share technology and equiptment for the improvement of Continental defense
  
• Common Investment Pools to help rising states develop more quickly with a guaranteed source of investment to give them local, and favorable alternatives to seeking aid from Artanian, Majatran, or Dovani States
  
• Standardized currency exchange rates that not only promote a strong local currency to allow governments maximum control over monetary policy, but also ensure that transaction costs between nations are reduced to almost nothing, and that currency speculation and crashes are kept to a minimum for the health and well being of each individual Nation
  
• Common Infrastructure projects to address needs for energy and transportation across the entire Continent
  
• Common peace initiatives that ensure that Seleyan States neither fight with one another, nor feel insecurity when one state acts.
  

"Kalistan doesn't have all the answers," said Dame DuMont.  "Which is why we would like other nations to join in with us to help craft a Charter Document, to give us all a buy in, to provide means to amend the Document when it needs changing, and to give us all something we can live with, which will serve all of us well, without hurting any one of us."

Dame DuMont has called for the Conference of Seleyan States to begin in Kaliburg in October of this year, and will be sending invitations for delegations to the Plenary Session to begin drafting the document.  "The Conference will be open to all nations of Northern Seleya.  Other nations may observe, but will not be granted credentials to speak or vote within the Conference.  We will invite representatives from Kalistan, Lodamun, Baltusia, Gaduridos, Tukarali, Aldegar, Valruzia, and Likatonia to the conference.  Kalistan will offer to chair the opening sessions, but the aim is to have a rotating chair as we work out details.  All seated nations will posses a single vote on all matters, and any one Party may exercise a veto at any time.  Once we have a single unified document, we will all vote one final time, and if there is a majority, all those who agree to the final document will join the union in whatever configuration we eventually settle on."

The Acting Chancellor finished with an interesting Comment.  "Her Imperial Majesty has stated that all who eventually join any Confederation with Kalistan as a member, should find in Kalistan a friend.  But she hopes that any who opt to stay outside that confederation will be able to find friends elsewhere.  She also noted that she hopes this effort leads to greater peace and prosperity for our continent, for our people, and for the world."

While this effort seems directed at countering Luthorian influence in the Continent, it can also be said to be aimed at fortifying the Continent against the influence of other Great powers, and those who desire to become great powers too.  As such, It could also be seen as an indirect answer to a resurgent Canrille.  "Seleya for Seleyans," finished Dame DuMont, and received the applause of the 55 Deputies still in office, as well as the two hundred or so observers in the gallery.