Kalistani Major History

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Kalistan discusses joining Equifund
Members of Plenary Committee arrive in Kaliburg
Bozo River CAGCC, Ananto
August 8, 5364


Eric Weiss from Equifund introduces Equifund to the Regular Force's SNCO Ops Chief Course last week on Bozo River

Equifund, the international military industrial consortium met with members of the Kalistani Military and KALMILINCO to discuss the possibility of Kalistan joining the consortium. "We have invited Equifund to Kalistan to begin discussing how we can work together both to continue to deepen our military cooperation with the world's major powers, as well as continue to modernize the Kalistani Regular Force," said KALMILINCO chief Annie Musgrave. "Kalistan produces some of the finest indirect fire conventional weaponry in the world, and leads both in construction and hybrid powerplants for our naval vessels. Obviously we have things to offer the world, and can learn from the world here as well."

Members of Equifund include Kalistan's close partner Lourenne, as well as Istalia, Beiteynu, Dankuk, and Kundrati. Kalistan, if it were to join, would be the sixth nation. "Obviously, if we joined Equifund, Kalistan would maintain a non-aligned posture in world affairs," said Musgrave. "Joining a research, development and production consortium doesn't put any sort of policy limitations on Kalistan. The Government will of course review the treaty and if it complies with Kalistani law, then working together can yield a lot of benefits to Kalistan. For example, it would give us access to important radar technology, which the Republic could benefit from. At the same time, it will allow us to more easily proliferate our own weapons systems across the world, because it would provide us with access to a library that we can upload blueprints and share our techniques to other nations in the world."

Kalistan has long supported wide sharing of its designs, and has long sought blueprints to build systems of its own, hoping to sidestep the proprietary attitude of many of the world's superpowers. "Why should the most modern weaponry in the world be held jealously by the world's most powerful nations?" asked Musgrave. "They use those copyrights for one reason and one reason only: to dominate other nations of this world and bend the policy of the world to their will. Kalistan would like to help smaller and middle powers balance those major powers, to prevent the rise of an all powerful hegemon." Musgraves also admits to a secondary goal: "If we force the superpowers to have to spend enough to keep up with any of their potential enemies or all of them at once, perhaps they will someday decide that having a military that can project their force everywhere in the world is far too costly. And then, if they spend themselves into the ground, smaller and medium powers won't have to worry so much about being pushed around by major powers in the world."

The visit by Mr. Weiss and the other members of the Plenary Committee of Equifund is seen to accompany a new push by Equifund to bring more members on board. Musgraves indicated a general interest in Kalistan joining the Equifund, though, she said it is up to the Government. "There is a strong internationalist orientation in the Kalistani Government at this moment," said Musgraves. "Equifund was invited to Kalistan to discuss the possibility of the Republic becoming a partner. But again, we want to make sure that Kalistan isn't going to enter into any arrangements that will compel anything, internationally, from The Republic. We aren't joining any military alliance here: In fact, sharing military tech especially among smaller powers and states who simply wish to defend themselves, furthers Kalistan's official policy toward non-alignment."

A decision on joining can happen as soon as six months, said Defense Ministry spokespeople close to the Defense Minister. :However it comes down, Kalistan is interested in the Consortium, and exploring the terms of the agreement is an important first step.