Kalistan

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Princess Margaret Travels to Baltusia
Proposes normalized diplomacy, open trade and free movement in Northern Seleya
Lucid City, Duchy of Suldanor
February 12, 5642


Her Highness Princess Margaret Ananto-DeLaurentis returning by train from San Luis, Baltusia

Her Highness, Princess Margaret Ananto-DeLaurentis, in her capacity of Special Envoy of Her Imperial Majesty Empress Mary I Ananto, returned this week from Baltusia after visiting the nation and speaking with the Government at Johnston. The Princess becomes the first member of the Kalistani royal family to ever visit Baltusia, and said she made the most of the opportunity.

"When I left, I first stopped in San Luis, to see the Duchy for myself," said Princess Margaret, "and I am pleased to report, despite the long neglect of the land by the Syndicalists, San Luis is more beautiful than we have always known it was. I am so privileged to have gotten the opportunity to stay there for two nights and meet with many of the people of what they call the State of San Luis, and talk to some local leaders. Everyone was so welcoming and they all kept asking when they would have the opportunity to visit Gaduridos and Suldanor. My response to them was invariably 'soon'. Everyone was very friendly and turned out to see me off to the Capital."

Upon arriving in the capital, Princess Margaret met with the newly elected First Minister Gabriel Barrett of the Constitutional Reform Party. "During our meeting, I expressed to the First Minister Kalistan's desires vis a vis Baltusia: We would like regular rail service on the Trans Seleyan rail line into Gaduridos restored, we look forward to the opportunity to buy and sell goods and services from and to Baltusia, and we would like fully normalized diplomatic relations. I was able to express to First Minister Barrett that Her Imperial Majesty was interested in letting past animosities go completely, and sought friendly, productive and mutually beneficial relations between our two countries. I raised the topic of increasing trade with Valruzia through Baltusia. Finally I noted that Her Imperial Majesty would like for Baltusia to be prosperous, stable and most importantly independent (emphasis hers) in their domestic and foreign policies, and offered any assistance it was in Kalistan's ability to provide to promote those goals."

The Baltusians listened politely to the Princess, but one thing that was deliberately not mentioned by her was the word "Athosia." The First Minister raised that issue with the Princess instead during the meeting. "It was a touchy subject, and a tense moment" said Princess Margaret, "and when the First Minister said the word Athosia, even though it was only being referred to as something that Kalistan says, you could really feel much of the air leave the room. It was a tense few minutes. I answered that I knew how sensitive the issue is on both sides of our border, and it will take longer to resolve that we have in this meeting, but just that Her Imperial Majesty can neither give up the claim or take it, so if it was all the same, the status quo appears to be working for now and we could feel free to leave discussions about that for a later date. I did not get the sense that the First Minister was prepared to seriously discuss it, and so I am grateful that we opted not to."

Princess Margaret said she did not come home with any specific action from Baltusia. "I was kind of there to let them know we are following their process very closely: History may not really show this, but Baltusia has been the number one issue for Anantos for basically ever, and we follow developments in Baltusia as closely as we follow developments in our own nation. So of course we will watch how they respond. Her Imperial Majesty has an Ambassador to the nation already selected. We just need them to give the ok, and investment, tourists, and Imperial Rubles to help development and stabilization will flow into that country like nobody's business."

Upon returning yesterday, Princess Margaret drove to Lhasa on personal business. Tomorrow she will fly from Sulari to Kaliburg to meet with the Empress. As for us, we look forward to very positive relations with Baltusia.

@TheRepublic