Lodamun

[imperialpearl]

On the third leg of his international tour, wherein he had been joined by Secretary of State William Tillman and Secretary of Defence Roy Baker, Merchant-General Hank Wexler announced that Lodamun and Hutori had signed numerous agreements which are set to solidify the two nations’ relations going into the foreseeable future. At a joint press conference held at the Lodamese Embassy in Bekenial, Secretary Tillman reiterated the importance of Lodamun’s relationship with Hutori, underscoring the two nations’ historic ties in the White Ocean. The Lodamese Armed Forces has made numerous pivots into the White Ocean via the deployment of long-range maritime patrol drones in Dolgava, and two (2) icebreakers in the region to escort Harrington Company shipping through the otherwise perilous waters. Much of this came as a result of the instability within Trigunia, which has provided Lodamun with a clear opportunity to replace the once active northern state in White Ocean/Arctic affairs. 

He noted that in his discussions with Prime Minister Rosalyn Woodburg, issues related to developing a joint policy between the two states on the White Ocean had been discussed. “What I can say is that we had an extremely fruitful discussion on the development of a joint policy for the White Ocean, which will govern how our respective forces will work in tandem towards ensuring greater security in the region. We also spoke on the potential for joint expeditions into the Arctic, similar to what we’ve done with Baeguk,” Secretary Tillman explained. He also noted that the issue of the Luthorian Commonwealth had been discussed. Rumours within the diplomatic corps point to a potential thaw in relations between Fort William and Kensington, with MG Wexler set to break the ice between the two states during a planned visit to the Luthorian capital as part of his world tour. The discussion likely surrounded a canvassing of opinions from a nation with deeper roots to the commonwealth than Luthori, which has led to some speculating that the trio met with Prime Minister Woodbury for ‘pointers.’

Wexler noted that in discussions with Hutorian International Trade and Commerce Minister Calvin Wu, it had been agreed that Lodamun with lift restrictions on Hutorian energy exports into the country in exchange for Lodamese firms being able to operate within Hutorian offshore and potentially onshore energy fields. The Harrington Company initially imposed a 12% tariff on Hutorian crude oil imports in response to volatility surrounding the nation’s previous malaise. With a stable government at the helm in Bekenial, Wu has rightfully argued that the tariff has no legal basis and ought to be rescinded. Additionally, Lodamese energy giant North Seleyan Petroleum (NSP) has been trying for centuries to enter the Hutorian energy shelf. Between risk-averse caretaker administrations and a lack of approval from the relevant authorities, the company has systematically failed to enter the market. 

However, Wexler noted that in his discussions with Minister Wu, a reaffirmation of NSP’s license was discussed. NSP CEO Edgar Howard stated that the company can bring significant investment and infrastructure online to make its activities in the nation worthwhile. “We have placed significant investment into two floating LNG platforms which would allow for us to extra crude oil and natural gas without the need for expansion pipeline infrastructure, although the laying of pipelines is certainly not off the table. We can have a refinery, separation plants, etc, up since we have the capital to do it,” Howard explained. Beyond energy, Wexler noted that there were significant discussions related to the expansion of Lodamese car firms into the Hutorian market, with Pryor, one of Lodamun’s leading car companies, expressing interest in establishing a plant in Hutori to service the Macon market.

On matters related to defence, Secretary of Defence Roy Baker stated that his meeting with the Hutorian National Defence Minister had been extremely fruitful as the two had signed a mutual defence agreement, thus solidifying the two nations’ security/defence relationship. Some features of the agreement include better intelligence sharing between Hutori and Lodamun, primarily between the HSIS and the SSA. Additionally, it opens the Royal Hutorian Navy for greater access to the Lodamese Navy’s Bureau of Naval Intelligence’s Acoustic Library. The Acoustic Library is a digital library which contains the recorded acoustic signatures of various ships which have passed through the Karzon Strait, including civilian and military (from cargo ships to submarines). Under the previous regime, the RHN had limited access to the library, as the BNI had not conducted a complete assessment of the RHN’s internal security protocols; however, since an assessment had been performed and the entity passed with flying colours, the nation has been granted complete access and now sits alongside Kalistan, Dolgava and Gaduridos in having access to such crucial intelligence. According to Baker, numerous projects and opportunities for further cooperation were discussed, primarily Lodamun’s future involvement in Exercise Leviathan Tide and Hutori’s involvement in Exercise Pedigree. It was rumoured that SDA Director Admiral Sean Howell met with officials from the Hutorian Armed Forces for potential cooperation in areas beyond military exercises and intelligence sharing.