Kalistan

[Doc]

Kalistan joins Istalia in its calls for Negotiations in Rildanor
"The last thing anyone wants is an Illegitimate slide toward Authoritarianism," says Chancellor
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
February 15, 5661


Chancellor addresses Rildanor Situation, says Sanctions may be considered

Fresh off the heels of a successful trade visit at Playa de la Paz, the Empress' Winter Estate in Santiago, Baltusia, which featured a visit from the Istalian Grand Prince Tommaso and representatives of the Gaduri government which sees a new economic relationship between the nations of the Anantonese Empire and Istalia, Kalistan is again backing Istalian leadership on Rildanor. "Her Imperial Majesty has informed her Foreign Minister to reach out to the Istalian Government to talk about coordination around a response to the developments in Rildanor," said Chancellor of the Empire. "Sir Jeffrey Hewlett will be contacting the Foreign Ministry in Romula to discuss how we can cooperate further to address the growing crisis there."

Normally developments in the Southern Seleyan Nation, lately of the Canrillaise Empire, would not be of any concern for Kaliburg, but now that Kalistan, Gaduridos and Istalia have begun opening regular trade and commerce between the two regions, suddenly the oceanic routes of Southern Seleya take on new importance for the Empire. "We wouldn't want anything to happen in that nation which would threaten the new agreements we just signed with the Empire of Istalia," said Chancellor of the Empire, Lady Jennifer Alvarez-Miller. "We would like to give the Vasseur Government the opportunity to demonstrate that it is not authoritarian in scope or method, nor do we have evidence beyond the complaints of some folks who ended up on the wrong side of the elections. But if the left in the nation stages a mutiny to stand against the government, claims of hard rightist tendencies, especially in the guide of parochialism and "anti-cosmopolitanism' do tend to raise eyebrows, because they look suspiciously like some other nations we all know of. So how long are we willing to give them the benefit of the doubt?"

At any rate, the Chancellor was emphatic: "Kalistan will do all it can to stand against illegitimate rightist ideologies on this continent." As one reporter pointed out, fiat rule of an unelected monarch could be considered by some to be a rightist ideology. The Chancellor simply smiled and clarified: "I said illegitimate rightist ideologies. By which I mean radical, fundamentalist and totalitarian, things you will see in the communist or fascist nations of this planet. And with regard to Rildanor, the last thing anyone wants is the illegitimate slide toward authoritarianism. Not on our continent."

To this end, she said that Kalistan will follow Istalia's lead in Rildanor: "They are more affected by developments in Rildanor than we are," said the Chancellor. "They have far more to lose from a decline in Rildanor's situation, now that they have concluded this new Trade Arrangement with Kalistan and Gaduridos than we do. Should things further deteriorate in that nation, Her Imperial Majesty may put the Third Regular Navy, currently stationed in Bentasur and patrolling in the Gulf of Aldegar on alert. She has also instructed her Government to begin working up a number of contingencies with regard to trade and travel restrictions for Rildanor. But as of right now, nothing is in place, as we take a wait and see approach. Whatever happens, it will not be Kalistan that catalyzed it."

The Chancellor stopped short of publicly issuing support for the mutinying Naval units in Rildanor. "Well, we sort of just got done with so-called democrats demonstrating that not everything is as it seems," said Lady Alvarez. "It is still too early to evaluate the goals of the mutiny. So I don't want to say that we fully support them. Democrats are democrats, but we aren't even sure if these are democrats, or if they are just dead enders. I suppose the reaction of the current government toward them will tell us a lot." This half endorsement is sure to not go over well among ardent anti-fascists in Kalistan, though the Chancellor signaled that if the Government takes off its mask and underneath is the poisonous fumes of fascism, Kalistan will be quick to act. "Rildanor can and should handle its own affairs for now, until it demonstrates that it no longer can because it has been captured by illegitimate ideology. At that point, we will need to step in and do so quickly, not for the sake of democracy, but for the sake of stepping on and crushing fascism whenever and wherever it rears its ugly face."

The Chancellor called Kalistan "a boot stepping on a fascist face forever" and admonished the Southern Seleyan Nation: "Take care that you all don't lose your minds. Kalistan not have a good track record when dealing with those kinds of lousy states," said the Chancellor in an oblique reference to the Likatonian War." She added that Kalistan was ready to deploy sanctions at the first twitch toward fascism.

@TheRepublic