Kalistani Major History

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Emperor holds audiences with members of Beiteynese Neset
Chancellor Affirms ongoing "Friendship" for Yeudi people
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
October 7, 5553


Chancellor of the Empire, Dame Lindsay Ontiveros-Maxwell meets with Neset Members at Wilson House

His Imperial Majesty, The Emperor Fredrick II Ananto met this week with members of the Beiteynese Neset at Wilson House in Kaliburg. The formal Audience between the Emperor, The Chancellor of the Empire and Neset financiers Jeremiah Aristocrat and Talia Keshef was aimed at ensuring key members of the Beiteynese diaspora of the Empire's continued open attitude and friendship toward Beiteynu. The formal meeting was behind closed doors, as all formal audiences are, but following the Audience, the Chancellor accompanied Mr. Aristocrat and Ms. Keshef at a reception held in their honor in Wilson House's Grand Hall. The trio was greeted by Her Highness the Princess Consort Pavlina Ananto-Hulanevek, who introduced her daughter, Her Highness the Minor Princess Carolina to the visiting guests of honor.

Jeremiah Aristocrat is the West Majatran Director of Aristocrat Insurance Group, which is a significant funder of various Neset activities around Terra. He is a member of the Aristocrat House in the House of Elior, and is therefore by strange coincidence, also nobility, as his name implies. Madam Keshef, also a member of the Keshef house in the Elior Dynasty, spends time doing major financial and finance services business in Narikaton and Darnussia. The two guests were personally invited by His Imperial Majesty to Wilson House, the Emperor's personal Palace in the parklands of south Kaliburg, and were introduced to several major financial actors in Kalistan, including His Grace, the Grand Duke of Kalistan, Mark Ananto-Orleans, who continues in his role as Director of House Ananto, as well as all independent Anantonese Nobility and many from the mainland, and heads of several major Private Sector corporation including SSC, KNP and KMD.

During the Reception, as the guests were settling in for after dinner sweets, the Chancellor of the Empire, Dame Lindsey Ontiveros-Maxwell rose to provide the speech for the evening. Her comments were brief and focused on a reaffirmation of the friendship and welcoming bonds between His Imperial Majesty and the Yeudi People.

"My Lord, our Sovereign, His Imperial Majesty Emperor Fredrick II Ananto has instructed me to reaffirm for the Empire, in his name, the eternal friendship and respect Kalistan has for the Yeudi People all around the world and in Kalistan itself," said Dame Ontiveros. "It is a well known fact that many members of the Yeudi diaspora both live and work freely here in Kalistan. We are sensitive to many of the struggles the Yeudi people face worldwide, in terms of persecution and prejudice for matters of conscience.

"But except for Beiteynu, the Yeudi people have never been more free to practice their own cultural traditions free of all harassment or bigotry more than right here in Kalistan. We have always welcomed our Yeudi friends and neighbors as one and the same with those of us who do not trace our ancestry back to the Homeland. In Kalistan all Yeudis, secular, liberal, conservative and orthodox have a full and public life: in fact the only difference is in how we pray. In all other things, Yeudis are as much a part of our society as the Brethren, and both from myself, and as the acting voice of the Emperor on this matter, we say that Kalistan reaffirms her perpetual friendship and welcome to those in the diaspora who want to come to Kalistan, to visit, or to make a life for themselves and their family, to work in local shops, or to open doors to their own. Religious and cultural persecution is not a thing in Kalistan and if it ever threatened, the Yeudi people have our full assurance that it will be prosecuted out of existence.

"On that note, it is our opportunity and pleasure to extend the hand of peace and brotherhood to our Yeudi guests and the people they stand in for today, both in the Diaspora and in the Homeland. We should look and take every opportunity to strengthen our ties with one another, for our mutual and equal benefit. The Yeudi People always have a home in Kalistan, and most important, it is a secure home. We want you to dwell with us, we want you to interact with us as equals, we want you to feel and be as safe here as you are at home. It is important to His Imperial Majesty, and it is important to all of us that the Disapora knows that Kalistan welcomes you."

The Chancellor's speech was received enthusiastically by the guests of the reception and the two Neset representatives thanked the Chancellor for her kind words.

While it may seem strange that Kalistan is permitting a meeting between non-state actors and the Emperor, and some wonder if inviting members of the Beiteynese Neset to Kaistan might be seen as pandering, the Chancellor, after the reception had ended, was at least candid. "Kalistan wants to increase a presence in eastern Seleya and in Majatra. And what better way than to offer olive branches to countries like Wrnuke and Beiteynu? They made the time to come to His Imperial Majesty's Wedding celebration. What better way to repay a compliment with solid policy that will serve us all down the line? It does not cost much for Kalistan to affirm its friendship to people in the Diaspora: Kalistan actually is a friend to the Yeudi people, so this is a mere restatement of what we are already doing. But we of all people, understand how important it is to make the unsaid things said and to return compliments with compliments and credible opportunities for cooperation. This was a message more to the Beiteynese Government than anything.

"Our Neset friends understand that fully," said Dame Ontiveros. "They speak that language of influence and diplomacy well. They know what their showing up here means, and so do we, and we shall now let the cards fall where they may."

When asked if she thinks that this will endanger other new starts that Kalsitan has in other Majatran nations, like the Microchip processor deal recently inked with Wrnuke, the Chancellor waved away the concerns. "That, like this is business. And we hope even Beiteynu's rivals understand it in those terms. And if not, the Emperor is committed to ensuring that all benefit in all these arrangements. Because it is more important for us to make new friends than it is to take sides in any conflict, real or imagined." She then stopped and smiled, "... with anyone but Baltusia I suppose." That said, however, the Chancellor also announced that His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor also greeted the news that the new King of Wrnuke, the now King Bunjamin, has ascended to his nation's Kingship, and opted to say "No Comment" on the proclamation of a Khaganate and claims to various titles in western Majatra. "His Imperial Majesty believes it might be too early to issue any statements about the developments in Majatra, and we tend to stay out of purely internal Majatran affairs regardless."

The Neset representatives were in Kaliburg for three days, and each received tokens of friendship from His imperial Majesty. Neither was permitted to address the National Assembly, due to the law forbidding foreigners from speaking in the Legislative Chambers. But the Beiteyuese didn't seem to mind. "We will look for an opportunity to send representative to Beiteynu if we are ever invited," said Dame Ontiveros.