Kalistan

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The Republic Opts to Seek Asylum in Kalistan
"I Refuse to be a victim in a Cold War", said Kathy White
Sulari Free City, Kalistan
July 8th, 5571


Kathy White and Connor Overstreet of The Republic, explaining decision to stay in Kalistan

Luthori-born, Kalistani Famous Popsoul duo The Republic have been among the first to request political asylum in Kalistan.  They made the request publicly at a press conference at ARC Studios in Sulari, Suldanor.  Both are the core members of the band and both have chosen to remain in Kalistan, under the pending Sanctions Regime announced by the Chancellor last month.  The Request was simply a short statement made by both singer Kathy White and Keyboardist Connor Overstreet, who each stated that they sought political asylum in Kalistan.  The request was granted immediately, and both were escorted to the Ministry of the Interior satellite building in Sulari, where they began the process for naturalization.  Both White and Overstreet have lived and worked in Kalistan for the last four years, and late last year, White began to apply for dual citizenship.  This asylum claim shortcuts the process, but means both will have to completely renounce their Luthorian citizenship.

Later, White and Overstreet sat down with M7 to discuss the decision.  "Tensions are increasing between Kalistan and Luthori, and it makes me very sad," said White.  "I grew up in Luthori listening to Kalistani music, I loved it.  That's pretty much all we had really, and it created such a warm feeling in my heart toward this country, but it is incredibly sad now that it will be a long time before I can return to Luthori and see my family again.  But I feel that if I did, if I tried now, I would never be able to come back into Kalistan, and Connor and I have a life here now.  We can't leave this behind, and as much as I will miss Luthori, it is worlds away from how much I will miss Sulari.  So we asked for asylum so we wouldn't get deported--that's really what it is."

"I feel we made the right choice," said Overstreet.  "Its really not about politics for us.  We aren't a political band.  I think Kath and I have political opinions, sure, just like everyone else does.  But this whole thing is so far above our heads.  I really just think that if we went back to Luthori, we couldn't make the same kind of music we do now.  I hear rumors from my mum that they are destroying Kalistani records in Luthori.  I wonder what they must think of us, but it is a very scary and uncertain time for all of us, and it is safer for us if we just stay in a country that wants us, that will take care of us well, rather than take our chances returning home to something that is uncertain and possibly hostile toward us."

White continued describing the reasons they sought political asylum in Kalistan.  "The reaction of the Government and People of Luthori feels like it might be unpredictable, especially if Kalistan actually does ramp up the sanctions, and starts applying them to nations outside of Seleya.  It will certainly bring conflict, and now that we've chosen our side, I don't think we can go back."  But she was adamant about her and Overstreet's action not being used as a form of propaganda by either side.  "I think I can speak for Connor when I say I refuse to be a victim in a Cold War.  We are here to make music and to play for people who want to hear us.  We are artists, and in Kalistan, the artistic climate is healthy.  Not so much in Luthori.  So we want to stay where we can fully realize our vision, and be happy and healthy and safe."

White and Overstreet both finished the interview by suggesting that family and friends leave Luthori and join them in Sulari.  "We have some property on the North Side," said Overstreet.  "It's land, and we want our friends and family to come join us there.  I think this is the only way we will see one another again, so If you guys can get to Lodamun, maybe and take a train in, we could give you a place to stay in the main house while we make arrangements."

"I doubt the government allows M7 in Luthori anymore," said White.  "But I wish to echo the words of my partner here:  Mum, Dad, if you can hear me, I sure would love to see both of you.  You will like Sulari when you get here.  I hope you will come and visit us and maybe stay a while, because while life is great and we've made a lot of wonderful friends, I miss you guys most of all."  The interview concluded with talk about other topics, such as the band's visit to Hutori last fall, and plans for a new record.

"Now that we are working toward settling this asylum thing, of course we will get back to work on the new album," said Overstreet.

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Crown Princess Carolina Champions new Metro Subway
Her Highness lends a Civil Engineer's Eye to Kundrati Proposal
Kaliburg Free City, Ananto
July 25, 5571


Crown Princess Carolina looks over Kundrati Proposals for Subway system in Kaliburg

Her Highness, the Crown Princess Carolina Ananto-Hulanavek has adopted the cause of creating a metro subway for Kaliburg.  If built, this will be the first subway system in Kalistan's history.  But the prospect of such a civil engineering marvel is reportedly "very interesting" to the Crown Princess.

"I have spoken to Her Imperial Majesty with regard to the plans that our Kundrati collegues have developed," said Her Highness, the Crown Princess.  "At first she was understandably skeptical.  Kaliburg has a history of very destructive seismic activity, and the safety of passengers and users was of course first and foremost of her concerns.  However, at an informal audience with the Engineers from Kundrati University and Kasaema, We were able to show her how underground tunnels can be reinforced and fitted for earthquakes, along with additional safety measures that could allow people to get to safety in the event of an earthquake.  I think she is coming around."

The Crown Princess assisted the visiting Kundrati students and civil engineers as part of her course work at Kaliburg Polytechnic.  "We had an independent study in Urban Planning, and I was in luck when I learned of the visiting Kundratis, who had come to Kalistan on their own initiative to offer their services.  It was fun to get to know the Artanians and to get a little news from back home."  The Crown Princess got to get her hands dirty as a survey crew chief on the proposed "Crosstown" line, where she oversaw a survey crew of 5 men and women.  She was also able to enlist six of her classmates from Polytechnic to work with the Kundratis on the project over the spring and summer.

"It would be very exciting to oversee such a project as building an entire metro system from nothing," said the Crown Princess.  "And knowing that it is possible to outfit these subways and elevated lines to prepare for any possibility makes it all that much more plausible.  My only hope is that we can get started soon:  this is a project that Kaliburg will certainly benefit from."

Most of the lines in Imperial City, Chancellory, Ellysia and Zappa City will be buried deep underground.  "This is where the soil is stablest and the bedrock is closest to the surface," said the Crown Princess.  "This is a good foundation to build tunnels into, and there are no faultlines in this area, so the engineers believe it is the safest area to drill the massive tunnels necessary to allow for the passage of high speed subway trains."  The Crown Princess described various safety measures in the tunnels.  "The entire system will be electrified, so in the event of a quake, the power to the train will shut off, and it will coast to a halt.  At this point, the trains can power themselves with onboard battery units that will bring them to the nearest station, and in the event of a tunnel collapse, the engineers think of surface access about every three hundred feet, so it is very likely that all passengers can be safely evacuated."

Lolla, Gallo and Capitol Hill will be primarily elevated.  "This is the densest part of Kaliburg, and elevating the lines will not only ensure that as many people as possible can get access to the system, but will also allow for Traffic to continue to flow unimpeded," said the Crown Princess.  "In the Mall area, we still have street cars, and those can be a pain sometimes if you have to get across the street and the roads are crowded.  Elevated lines do not stop traffic, because they just flow right underneath them."  The Crown Princess noted that all lines will employ magnetic levitation technology, though the local trains will travel at a much slower rate of speed than the National Rail does.

"The Kundrati plans even have a line going out to Wilson Hill," said Crown Princess Carolina.  "At first the suggestion that there would be a train stop less than a mile away from my house caused my mother a bit of apoplexy.  However, I reminded her that it would most likely serve West Igloo more than Wilson Hill, as few people even live on the Hill anymore, and you are more likely to meet deer and coyote there than you are to meet a person."  Over all the Kundrati plan puts the entire city into a "less than one mile radius" to a Metro stop, and also links with the National Rail at Kaliburg Station, as well as crossing most bus routes.

"The Kundrati students were very thorough in their planning," said Crown Princess Carolina.  "I had the chance to see the plans up close and provide data for traffic flows and potential usage projections.  I think its a fantastic project whose time has come, and I will continue to lobby pretty hard for it with my mother's Government."

The Crown Princess said she hopes to work directly on the project when she finishes school in a year.  "My mother may have other plans for me by then," said the Crown Princess.  "But I think I will be able to find time in the schedule.  Especially if I can help bring this dream to life!"  It seems that the Crown Princess has become the greatest champion of metro transit.  "When we finish Kaliburg, I propose bringing a subway to Sulari next!"

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Her Imperial Majesty welcomes Luthorian economic downturn
Insists that Embargo is "Price we are Willing to pay" as KalSiE responds
Eveari, Grand Duchy of Ananto
October 15, 5571


Empress Pavlina I Ananto acknowledges that Embargo will affect Kalistani Stocks

Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Pavlina I Ananto stood by her decision to impose an embargo on Seleyan Nations who host Luthorian economic and political institutions, and suggested that the embargo will also hurt the Kalistani economy due to reduced trade.  "But cost is not so severe in Kalistan as to Luthori," she said, attempting to reassure jittery commodities traders in Kaliburg.  "Sanctions will hurt Luthori more than Kalistan, and this is something we welcome.  Our hope is Luthori sees this as opportunity to seek settlement with us, but somehow we doubt they will, so we continue sanction."

"Is cost too high for Kalistan?" Her Imperial Majesty asked when responding to questions about how the economic downturn in Luthori will affect other markets.  "Is price Kalistan is willing to pay to stand in way of Luthori expansion in Continent."  The Empress stated that her economic advisors said that the KalSiE can be expected to take a fairly significant hit in the opening months of the Embargo. 

"The Minister of Finance says as much as 3 percent per annum," said Her Imperial Majesty.  "Pain will be shared, but we have authorized national intervention for domestic businesses that struggle with downturn, and price protection for consumers who have trouble finding product at stores.  With timed and targeted intervention in Kalistani economy, we will avoid both inflation, with strict price controls, and deflation with subsidies for business and consumer, unemployment, and poverty, but Kalistanis will experience some scarcity in some product in market.  This is inevitable, and with current policy, also unavoidable.  We will be there to support Kalistani people and business through entire ordeal."

The Empress defended the embargo as "necessary" to check henceforth unchecked Luthorian imperialism in Seleyan.  Some economists, however have criticized the policies in public, stating that Luthorian expansion into Seleya is not the nemesis that the Institutionalists make it out to be but a normal part of business expansion for a growing nation.  Some think that Kalistan's selective targeting of Luthori, while looking the other way about Canrille represents a double standard, and some suggest that the loathing of Luthori is at least in part due to the Empress' roots in Kundrati.  The Empress dismissed these critiques, however.

"Luthori has long legacy of attempts to dominate Seleya," she said.  "This is latest episode.  Luthorian colonial arrangement is designed to tie nations politically and economically to Mother Country.  Those who fall into trap become states that feed Luthori, limit their trade network to Luthori primarily, and exist exclusively to benefit the Luthori, with full cost carried by colony.  It does not matter what liberals in Luthori, or their cheerleaders in our own intellectual community, call it:  It is colonialism on face, and has no place in Seleya.  And Kalistan can not do business with those who have chosen, explicitly chosen to enter into subordinate relationship to Luthori Crown.  If we trade with Mordusia, that only helps Luthori.  If we recognize crown in Mordusia, which is itself illegitimate, we recognize right of Luthori to imperialize completely foreign nation which has no relation whatsoever to Luthori except as former colony.  This is impossible for us."

Many outspoken members of the business community and several noted economists have come out in support of the Empress' action.  "We will see a sharp reduction in trade volume in the medium term, both in terms of imports and exports," said Dr. Brian Jackson, of Vrassa Duchy University, "but in the long run, I think Kalistan will come out ahead.  In laying out the terms of this embargo, the Empress has not only put a credible commitment on the table:  Kalistan will feel some pain from the policy as well, so it is not a completely free choice.  This is a very hard position to take, and the Empress adopting it, shows that she is credibly committed to enforcing it.  But it also creates an opening for nations, maybe even Luthori itself, to at least attempt to discuss the matter with the Empress.  To date, there has been no evidence that Luthori has ever taken Kalistan's opinion of their economic and political expansion into Seleya into account, and I think it is Her Imperial Majesty's belief that this will give Luthori a reason to come talk to Kalistan to resolve the matter rather than continue its blase attitude toward Seleya.  Kalistan has said here that Luthori cannot act in Seleya with impunity, and is willing to bear some of the costs in ensuring that Luthori knows that it no longer has a free hand in this continent."

Whether Luthori will see this as an open door to come and try to settle differences or not is a completely open question.  It is highly likely that Luthori will simply attempt to ignore Kalistan's action, or deligitimize it as paranoia or overreaction:  this has been Luthori's historic attitude toward Kalistani protests against their economic, political and cultural imperialism on our continent.  But there have also been brief moments when a new path was possible.  There are many reason why Luthori should attempt to resolve the outstanding disagreements, and very few reasons that they should continue to either ignore or downplay them.  Yet, to date, Luthori continues to add irritation to provocation, one after another, to their relationship with Kalistan, and the Embargo is therefore an unfortunately predictable response in the long slow escalation of tensions between the two nations.

"One thing is not negotiable," said Her Imperial Majesty.  "Attempts to restore Luthorian colonial empire must end before we can work on any other issues between Kalistan and Luthori.  Is sad that that rogue state thinks it is Luthori right to carve Continent up for themselves, but this is ancient Luthori policy, and nearly 4000 years, nothing has changed.  If Luthori must imperialize other countries, why not focus at home?  They have two countries in Artania who are their colonies currently.  Why not dump resources there, and help them rise from third world status to join modern world?  Why must Luthori impose itself once more in our home, in our front yard?  It does not belong here, except as equal nation among equal foreign nations.  Is not special, especially in Seleya.  If Luthori understood fact, Kalistan would have no more problem with Luthori."

The Empress concluded by saying that Luthorian moves to expand their financial sector into Gaduridos is troubling and may lead to an expansion of the sanctions act to cover Gaduridos.  "We must evaluate move.  Anything we do to nation who helps Luthori, helps Luthori.  But Liberals are in charge there now, so while is disappointing, is certainly not unexpected.  We shall observe and make decision with more information."  When asked about the recent Lourennais diplomacy to Luthori, the Empress added "Lourenne is not Seleya.  They stand outside scope for sanction."

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Crown Princess Carolina hints at cracks in door slammed shut by Embargo
Future Empress urges caution when dealing with Foreign Nations
Kaliburg Free City, Ananto
November 30, 5571


Crown Princess Carolina publicly calls for Peace on Polytechnic Campus

Her Highness, the Crown Princess Carolina Ananto-Hulanevek made news today by appearing to put a little distance between herself and Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Pavlina I Ananto today on foreign policy.  She was interviewed in Kaliburg Polytechnic's The Daily Gallan, where she made statements on Kaliburg's Embargo policy.  Though the Crown Princess has no official policy role while she is still in University, where she will graduate in May with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering, the Crown Princess insists that she has her own mind on things, and has the unique privilege of being able to speak her mind.

"Well, Her Imperial Majesty, my mother, she sometimes takes things a little further than I would if I were in her place," said Crown Princess Carolina, on the Kaliburg Polytechnic campus this week.  "Not to say that I fully understand all the pressures she is under, but maybe if people realized that her heart is in the right place, maybe they could understand at least why she does some of the things she does.  I can say I think I understand a lot of it, but I also would probably go about things a little differently."

On her mother's motivations, the Crown Princess said "Well, you have to understand that my mother feels that the legacy of my father is being forgotten.  She is in office by accident, and she very deeply still misses him.  She feels that when others slight Kalistan, or ignore Kalistan, or deliberately provoke Kalistan, they are dishonoring the memory of my father.  And so for her it is a deeply personal insult not so much against her, but for my father's memory.  Fredrick was a very kind man, and his reign was the zenith of Kalistan's positive relationships with the rest of the world.  And since then, my mother has only sought to preserve his memory.  But she is still very much in deep mourning for his loss.  When he died, she was destroyed.  She wasn't the same.  She used to be happy, but has mourned him since he was murdered.  His loss took away her joy, forever, and nothing, nobody could ever replace him.  People call her the 'Black Empress' and I think she has embraced the title, just because the world looks very dark to her now.  A lot of her actions reflect that very deep sorrow and sense of loss, and she is I think struggling maybe to hold things together.  A strong Kalistan represents maybe keeping my father's memory alive for her, a little bit."

The Princess continued to talk about how much Kalistan has actually lost as a result of the loss of Emperor Fredrick.  "When we look at where we were when my father was killed versus where we are, we can see truly how much the fascists took from the world.  We used to be on friendly terms with Kundrati and Likatonia.  Now, both are estranged:  Likatonia just issued a travel advisory against Kalistan, and that is incredibly sad when you think about the role Likatonia played in my mother and father meeting.  My father's mother had made peace with Luthori, and Luthori respected boundaries in Seleya, and Kalistan's position.  And now that's over and Luthori and Kalistan are hostile.  Kalistan was in a period of growth, and now we are looking at a period of our economy contracting because of an embargo.  It's very sad.  It's not that my mother is a bad Empress:  In fact, she is probably the only person that could be Empress during this difficult period.  It's just that we would be at peace had my father survived and continued ruling with my mother, if the racists and fascists had just left my mother alone, and allowed her to be happy, instead of taking one of the two things she loved more than her own life, away from her after hounding her for many years."

The Crown Princess opined on the effects that the Embargo will have.  "I am not really too sure that the effects will be good for anyone," said Her Grace.  "If I were in her place, I would look for opportunities to speak with countries like Likatonia or Gaduridos rather than shutting them completely out.  I would have made up with Kundrati a long time ago, and I would have done whatever I could have to reach out to Luthori:  I would have gone there myself.  I realize that, as Empress, she has to keep up appearances, and can't seem to condescend to reach out to people she doesn't even recognize, but I am not so constrained.  If they wanted to reach out to Kalistan, I would take the meeting.  Anything to end this conflict in a way that both sides can be happy, without giving up on our vital interests, or demanding too much from the other side.  But, there has not been any interest by the other side in resolving things, and I am just a college student who studied civil Engineering.  What do I know?  All I do know is that a lot of people will be hurt by this embargo, and I think my mother is dead set on keeping it in place.  She can be very set in her ways, as I am sure others certainly are too."

The Crown Princess spoke about her plans following College:  "I have to begin my education in public Administration," said Crown Princess Carolina.  "That means that a lot of my social life will be curtailed, and I won't be as free to speak for myself as I am now.  My mother lets me get away with things I shouldn't m because she wants me to experience life before being saddled with the burdens of state.  But I am also very much my mother's daughter.  Though she adopted me as a baby, I grew up watching her, and remember her happiness and joy during our time with my father.  I know that she still has it in her somewhere, but I don't know if she will ever let it out again.  So I will experience joy on her behalf.  As I finish formal schooling, I have lots of plans for the remainder of this year, and then next fall, when I am beginning to learn how to become the next Empress, I really want to put my energies into beginning work on the Metro.  The Kundratis were very inspiring, and I think that is some project I can oversee which is low risk and will allow me to gain very practical experience in addition to what I earned in National Service."

Asked if she would ever visit Luthori, she said "Obviously I would.  My favorite band is from there and I really admire their people.  I believe they are friendly, and I also think that if they were ever allowed, they would enjoy meeting people from Kalsitan too.  It is impossible now:  I think if I ever went to Luthori now, it would be an international scandal.  My mother would never sanction a visit to Luthori.  But maybe someday we won't be enemies.  That is a nice thought."

Her Highness, The Crown Princess Carolina Ananto-Hulanevek was interviewed in an unofficial capacity by the student run newspaper of Kaliburg Polytechnic, The Daily Gallan by staff reporter Krista Chronenburg, and was reprinted here in The Republic

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Kalistan successfully places artificial Satellite into Orbit
"Proof of Concept" object sends radio signals to Kalistan four times before falling out of orbit
Spencer, Duchy of Suldnor
January 2, 5572


ISCA's Solaris 1 Rocket produces 39,000 foot/tons of thrust

The Imperial Space and Communications Administration has successfully launched a man made object capable of emitting a radio signal that was received in Kalistan, making it the first satellite launched from Kalistan.  The satellite, which entered Terran Orbit at an average height of about 350 miles, and began with an average speed of more than 20,000 miles per hour circled Terra four times, before its orbit decayed to the point that the gravity of Terra was strong enough to pull it back into the atmosphere.  As it hit the upper layers of the atmosphere, it was still travelling at about 18,000 miles per hour, and immediately burned up on entry.

"The radio transmitter that we launched was about the size of a basketball and it weighed over 100 pounds all told," said project leader Dena Alonzo.  "To propel this item to the appropriate location where it could complete even a single orbit, we needed to design and test a new rocket that would not only go to the edges of space, but would be able to arrive there faster and then burn much longer than the spear design.  In 5568, following the first successful rocket launch, we began working on the design for the Solaris rocket, which is still a single stage liquid fuel rocket similar to the Spear, but carries a significantly higher amount of fuel, and redesigns the nozzle to increase efficiency during burn phase."

The standard rocket design, which Kalistan seems to have perfected, would still not be enough to achieve orbit speeds and distances.  "We had to overcome this problem by developing a remote throttle to power the rocket back once the forces of gravity affected the rocket body less.  In other words, after the initial roll sequence that aligned the rocket with the proper trajectory to achieve orbit, and after escaping the atmosphere, it was possible to throttle the engine back to about 60 percent, and conserve fuel.  Then for the final roll, we could throttle the engine up, expend the fuel, separate the rocket body from the payload and deploy the satellite.  We worked out all the math here in Spencer, and we so incredibly thrilled that it worked."

Once deployed, the satellite switched on to begin broadcasting a short radio message in Morse code.  Anyone with the proper listening device could hear the message as it flew from north to south over the poles.  "The message said 'I want my M7'," said Dr Alonzo with a laugh.  "Can you imagine that being the first message Kalistani receivers got from space from our very first Satellite? How ridiculous and appropriate for this country."  The satellite completed four longitudinal orbits over the Anantonese Ocean before decaying in the air over Dovani.  "We heard the satellite once every 100 or so minutes as it came across out horizon, travelling south to north," said Dr. Alonzo, "and everyone was a little sad as we waited for the fifth time, but realized it was never going to fly back to our side of the planet."

Dr. Alonzo said that ISCA has declared the launch and mission a complete success.  "It has given us valuable insights into where to go next," said Dr. Alonzo.  "I think our launching of a satellite was very risky.  We are about a year and a half ahead of schedule for that, and will spend some time developing the next device which we hope to have a significantly longer shelf life than little Sally (the name ISCA started calling the Satellite after the mission ended.)  But this one was a great first effort, because we have learned a lot more about how orbits decay, why satellites might need more speed, and how we might create objects to maintain stable orbits."  Accomplishing this will require Kalistan to return to the planning phase, as it continues testing the Solaris Rockets.  "We will obviously need an engine that can produce more thrust even than the Solaris.  I think the most basic form of rockets capable of reaching stable terra orbit would require about four times the amount of thrust that we have at our disposal currently so, we have some work to do."

Dr. Alonzo said that the satellite is inspiring.  "People on our team are beginning to ask about geosynchronous satellites, that will provide Kalistani controlled GPS, which could have all sorts of civilian and military applications.  We already know the theory in GPS, but the problem is, Kalistan relies on other countries for their GPS transmissions.  We can't use those for military purposes, and any country anytime who maintains GPS satellites in orbit can just choose to shut Kalistan out whenever they like.  If we own our own satellites, there isn't a nation in the world who can have the power to deny us access to the things we need to get weather forecasts, manage traffic flows, or conduct effect command and control on the battlefield.  I know there are some nations that would like to prevent us from having these things, but now that we have successfully orbited a satellite, geosynchronous satellites are a when, not an if."

Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Pavlina I Ananto hailed the launch, and noted that she and Crown Princess Carolina Ananto-Hulanevek tuned into the broadcast in Eveari.  She reportedly added that she approved of the message as a word of good will toward the human race.

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Her Imperial Majesty's Foreign Minister responds to Likatonian and Mordusian Provocations
"Nationalizations are beginning", said Dame DuMont
Kaliburg Free City, Ananto
January 12, 5572


Dame DuMont speaks before National Assembly to brief on Embargo

"Nationalizations of Contraband properties are beginning across the Empire," said Her Imperial Majesty's Foreign Minister, Dame Jacqueline DuMont.  "It grieves Her Imperial Majesty that things have had to come to this, but it is important to kneecap Luthori where ever we can, and that includes cutting off trade from all Seleyan Nations who have aligned themselves with the nefarious designs of Fort William."  Dame DuMont was called to the National Assembly to discuss the implementation of Sanctions ahead of the Embargo Bill.

"To date, we have turned back more than two dozen ships associated with sanctioned nations, and have also refused to entry to more than 60 ships who are hauling Luthorian cargo into Seleya," said DuMont.  "Upon order of Her Imperial Majesty, we have succeeded in costing Luthorian businesses more than ₭6.5 Billion in either lost contract or direct sales. The Port of Sulari is currently the busiest port in Northeastern Seleya, and the added cost of needing to return to Likatonian ports to offload cargo or carry on to ports further south will add another estimated ₭2.5 Billion to that cost. The longer these sanctions are, the more expensive it will become for Luthori or its allied nations to do business in Seleya, crippling the profitability of not only Luthorian firms, but also those nations who retain their loyalty to that besotted nation."

Kalistan has realized similar sanctions, but has mostly been able to weather the storm. "We have seen prices of certain goods increase, due to being unable to access trade from Likatonia where a lot of our Majatran commerce used to pass through," said Dame DuMont. "System wide, we have seen prices increase for consumer electronics by more than 38%, for instance, but a lot of these increases have been offset by subsidies for Kalistani business to keep consumer prices as low as possible, so at the end of the day, prices for those goods that used to pass through Likatonia but now either have to continue to Lodamun or port in Port Swedes have only increased at point of sale between 7 and 10 percent, depending on the item." Much of Kalistan's production is localized, and the biggest shortages are in both luxury items and foreign food supplements. "Some families are back to fish and greens," said Dame DuMont, "but as that meal is a staple in most households in Kalistan, many of those families do not notice much of a difference."

Dame DuMont said she will be dispatching a team of diplomats to the Jelbic Empire to get a read on their position regarding the Embargo. "We don't imagine that we will influence the Jelbic Khan one way or another, but we do not have much info on whether they support the Embargo or whether they stand with Luthori. So I and a team of six will be flying to Wiel to meet with our diplomatic staff, and seek an audience with the Great Khan. At the end of the meeting, we should have a better idea of how they see the Embargo from Majatra. Our preferred outcomes would be, in order, enthusiastic support, neutrality toward the embargo, and then indifference. Obviously, supporting Luthori would be a tragic break with the Anantonese Empire, and is one we would like to avoid."

Dame DuMont said that no Luthorian property has been nationalized to date. "Upon inspection, it would seem that Kalistan may be the only Seleyan country where Luthori has not tried to build anything. We feel very blessed to acknowledge that fact." However, several bank accounts, totaling ₭65.8 million in assets were seized. "We have frozen these assets, not seized them. Apparently there were a number of Luthorian investors, or rather I should say, those involved in Luthori's black market, who have been hiding money in Kalistani Banks. And while it is illegal under our Nation's law to divulge the information about these bank accounts of Luthori's Criminal Class to anyone, we will happily restore access to these funds upon settlement of the outstanding issues between Kalistan and the territory known as Luthori." Dame DuMont said it is not Kalistan's job to help a foreign nation deal with its criminal class, and does not plan on assisting the Luthori Government in identifying its drug dealers, tax cheats, or fraud purveyors. "Those individuals have broken no Kalistani Laws. They just happen to have the misfortune of being from Luthori."

Sanctions against Seleyan nations have been relatively light to date. "This is, I suppose a benefit to being a thrall in the service of an evil overlord," said Dame DuMont. "They handle everything for you, the same way our nurses do everything for the individuals with severe mental or physical disabilities, or those who live their lives in a persistent vegetative state in our old folks homes, because their family members are either too selfish or too afraid to put them out of their misery. All Luthori requires of Mordusia and Likatonia is that you continue breathing so they can continue draining your life blood." Kalistan has however moved to deport all foreign nationals from a sanctioned nations. "We will provide you a free train ticket to either Addisjah or Lucid Valley, where you can board the trains of Lodamun or Baltusia respectively and get yourself back to your own country. Those who are still found within Kalistan's borders who have not declared an intention to seek asylum for their incompetent, enthralled governments as of February 1 of this year will be arrested and forcibly ejected from Kalistan."

On Gaduridos, the Foreign Minister referred to the Empress. "Her Imperial Majesty is still weighing whether Gaduridos' acceptance of a Seleyan HQ for some Luthorian Bank will constitute a violation of the Sanctions Order. It is unclear whether Luthori will actually follow through on their plans first of all, and second, whether the concern will be large enough for Kalistan to waste their time sanctioning Gaduridos over it. As our goal is to pressure Luthori's Seleyan allies so they put pressure on Luthori to disband its Colonial arrangement, sanctioning Gaduridos will likely have no effect on that question, as Gaduridos is not part of the Luthorian colonial regime. Finally sanctioning Gaduridos will likely have a strongly negative effect on the Gaduri economy while producing no measurable effect on the Luthori economy, and so there is pressure against strictly punitive sanctions against a neutral nation. The decision is ultimately up to the Empress, but as of today, she appears to be leaning against sanctions against Gaduridos."

Over all, Dame DuMont said the sanctions are beginning to take effect, and the pain in Kalistan has been comparatively light. "We don't see drops in stock prices in the KalSiE at a similar level that see see corresponding drops in the Fort William Exchange," said Dame DuMont. "Kalistani stocks are largely sheltered, and Her Imperial Majesty has ensured that price supports, wage supports and profitability measures are imposed across the economy to help Kalistan's businesses and consumers weather this storm. Liberal economies will have a much more difficult time addressing these shocks without signigficant public sector spending, but that also tends to encourage business markups, where businesses realize there is more money in the economy, so they raise their prices to get as much of that money as possible making it look like prices are rising due to government spending. We are strongly insulated against that sort of choice in the markets, so we are able to keep inflation under control. And though we are experiencing scarcity, we are also prevent demand side deflationary pressures by ensuring that all have basic income regardless of what their employers are experiencing."

Dame DuMont said that the embargo will continue until Luthori decides it is in their interest to reach out to attempt to settle Kalistan's grievances against that nation. "We are prepared to keep this up indefinitely if we have to. I assure you, Nationalist Kalistan will finish better than the Liberal Luthori will."

[GreekIdiot]

Beiteynu
Saham scrambles to contain spillover as Neset Index begins to feel ripple effects from Kalistani embargo
February 5572
https://forum.prtcy.com/thread-3-post-2131.html#pid2131

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House Ananto to offer Stabilization Loans to Nations Affected by Embargo
Grand Duke Mark Ananto announces more than ₭50 Billion to calm global markets
Sulari Free City, Kalistan
April 14, 5572


Grand Duke Mark Ananto-Orleans aims to help stabilize markets

Grand Duke Mark Ananto-Orleans has authorized up to ₭50 Billion to assist nations with taking the edge off the global downturn which is the result of Kalistan's Embargo of Luthori. "I am please to announce that as of today, House Ananto has transferred ₭50 Billion into the Bank of Suldanor, as an initial investment in a world stabilization fund," said the Grand Duke. "This aid will be made available to nations in the form of zero percent interest loans repayable over 10 years, and shall fund specific stabilization projects to counteract the negative effects of Her Imperial Majesty's Embargo of Luthoria."

The Grand Duke made the announcement in an interview with KRTVN 1's Colleen Jones, during her nightly television program. To access the line of credit, a nation will need to make application for an account with the Bank of Suldanor Commercial Bank in Sulari. From there, there is a short application process, which the bank will review. "Obviously, we will lend the money to nations based on need," said Grand Duke Mark Ananto-Orleans, "but our goal is to fund specific economic stabilization projects in the countries that take money, so that we can offer these funds to the most people as possible. There is a possibility that Her Imperial Majesty will also order the Central Bank to release an additional ₭150 Billion from the National Surplus to aggrandize this account."

The Grand Duke said the Governors of the Bank of Suldanor will administer the loans, and will charge a small 1% finance fee for loan service activities, which may be capitalized up front. "Our goal is not to make this political, but to help where we can," said the Grand Duke. "The only nations that wouldn't be eligible for stabilization funds would be nations currently placed under the terms for the Embargo. While I had initially lobbied for a no-strings type of arrangement, Her Imperial Majesty was adamant that money not be spent to assist those nations cooperating with Luthori, so in order to get the program approved, we needed to grant her that concession."

The Bank of Suldanor will begin taking applications from Nations by the end of the month. "Honestly, judging by the complete lack of interest in the Canrille Stabilization fund proposed by my cousin the late Emperor Fredrick II Ananto," said the Grand Duke, "I don't expect una lina abajo la calle, so to speak. Fifty billion should be more than adequate to cover the anticipated demand for Kalistani money, even free money like this."

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Crown Princess named Countess of Davon, Begins Crown Education
Her Highness secures funding for construction of Kaliburg Metro
Kaliburg Free City, Ananto
July 2, 5572


Crown Princess Carolina Ananto-Hulanevek has completed her formal education in Kaliburg

The Crown Princess, recently graduated from Kaliburg Polytechnic with a bachelors of science degree in Civil Engineering, spoke with The Republic to give an informal interview.

[The Republic's] M[ichael] A[rden]:  Thank you for the interview, Your Highness.

[Crown Princess] C[arolina] A[nanto-Hulanevek]:  It is my pleasure.  Welcome to Wilson House.

MA:  It is a beautiful palace, Your Grace.

CA:  I am so proud of it.  I feel such peace here.

MA:  So, you are done with college.  What's next for you?

CA:  Well, I have recently been named Countess of Davon, so my administrative duties begin now. Dulnerstaad, as a country, doesn't require much administration, but Davon on the other hand, will require some attention.  It is, I am told, an easy skill to pick up, but does require me to have some basic budgeting, adjudication skills, and planning and coordination skills, and these are things you can only acquire through practice.

MS:  Doesn't the County of Davon traditionally belong to the Empress?

CA:  Traditionally, yes, but there is no law that says the Empress cannot give it to whom she likes.  My mother, the Empress in this case, has decided to move the Imperial Seat back to Eveari, where she prefers to spend her time, and consequently, while Kalistan remains governed from Kaliburg, it is ruled from the County of Eveari.  This doesn't present any problems, and it gives me more of a free hand here in Davon.

MS:  What will you use that for?

CA:  Well, the Empress has okayed a project that will bring the Metro here to Kaliburg.  We will be meeting with the Kundrati Students who visited Kalistan last year, and moving forward with their plans.  It falls upon me to meet with them again, and start talking logistics.  The discussions will probably continue through the fall, and I may even have to visit Kundrati at some point.

MS:  Will you stay in Etxea?

CA:  We still have property there, for certain, and I maintain my dual citizenship in Kundrati for the time being, so it is likely that I will reopen Ananto House there in Etxea and will use that as a base of operations to meet with the Kundrati engineering students and planners.

MS:  Will Her Imperial Majesty fly with you?

CA:  The Empress has clearly stated that she will never return to Artania.  I imagine she will keep her word.

MS:  So, you are an engineer yourself, I understand.

CA:  I certainly am!  I am a civil engineer by trade!

MS:  What led Your Grace to civil engineering?

CA:  My father used to love fixing cars.  I would sit with him for hours as he tried to start this moco or that moco.  I'd watch how excited he got when he finally got one going.  I intended to learn how to build engines, specifically aircraft engines to try follow in his footsteps some way.  It was his passion.  But when I entered the service, and I said I wanted to learn engineering, they did all the aptitude tests on me, and everything, and found out that my real skills do not lie in torque coefficients and gear ratios, but in trigonometry.  I was instantly tracked into civil engineering and surveying.  And I, like so many millions of Kalistanis, discovered that the placement was correct in that I got to do something I really loved, and something I was really good at.  I was so happy that I told my mother my plans for when I was discharged.  You could tell she hoped I would start to work with her and she was disappointed at first, but came around and I think now she is glad that I will be working more closely with her and learning from her.

MS:  Will you work on the Metro?

CA:  I will oversee it, every aspect of it, from the funding, to the hiring, to the surveying, to acquisition all the way to tunnel building, trestle construction and track laying.  I believe the plan is for the Kundratis to come to Kaliburg to work as project foremen and women, directly under me, and they will be responsible for carrying out the program.  It will give me great experience, I think for overseeing similar large projects when I am Empress.

MS:  Does your mother intend to retire?

CA:  Her Imperial Majesty is no where close to retirement, she still has a lot of great years in her.

MS:  It was rumored that you recently met with several Institutionalist Deputies, including Sir Bertram Ames-Ananto, Dame Jacqueline DuMont, and Cliff Galtung of Vrassa.  Can you talk at all about this?

CA:  What have you heard?  How about we play it like that and I can tell you if you are correct?

MS:  Well, I heard that the people you met with are among the more nationalistic members of the Institutional Party.

CA:  What else?

MS:  That they represent a nascent Nationalist Bloc.

CA:  On your question, yes, I met with several deputies from the National Assembly.  We had lunch together at the Bayside Bistro in Imperial Hill.  Is this news?  Now that I am done with school, my mother expects me to begin meeting with Sir Bertram on a regular basis.

MS:  But these deputies are leaders of the Nationalist bloc of the Institutionalist Party.

CA:  I asked them to attend a meeting between myself and Sir Bertram, to get legislative insight on how a reform of the ISBI could be carried out.  There are a number of lapses that I was personally made aware of in the Bureau's local intelligence gathering operation, and we were discussing how to keep those lapses from duplicating around the Bureau.

MS:  So you can't say anything about the fact that they are a slowly coalescing Nationalist Bloc?

CA:  You would have to ask Sir Bertram why he consorts with Nationalists.  I am sure I do not know what you are talking about.

MS:  Very well.  These next few years will be very difficult for you.  Besides the Metro, what is your number one priority for Kalistan?

CA:  I seek to improve the housing stock on the Mainland.  Have you seen the blight in some of our cities?  It is horrific that we ask people to live like this.  I want to strengthen my mother's policy toward fighting poverty, and figure this is a good step in that direction.  I would also like to ensure that poor people who get into our houses and apartments do not lose them, so I have asked my mother to consider zero rents on public housing.  I'd like to see if that makes a difference in the lives of Kalistan's poor.

MS:  When you are Empress do you plan on trying to repair relations with Luthori?  It is doubtful that Her Imperial Majesty will seek to repair relations.

CA:  Don't count my mother out yet.  She is far shrewder that the Press and other nations give her credit for being.  Just because we have had to resort to this Embargo against Luthorian goods and have sought to encourage the nations that Luthori illegitimately holds in its claws, doesn't mean that a new solution might not present itself to us.  Sooner, hopefully than later.

MS:  But supposing that doesn't happen, will you work in your turn, to repair relations with Luthori?

CA:  There is nothing to repair.  We do not have relations with Luthori.  They have been completely broken by Lutori's outrageous colonialism in Seleya, when there is an entire world who would gladly roll over for their chance to be tied, like a barnacle to Luthori.  Would I reach out to Luthori?  Not while they refuse to even acknowledge Kalistan's legitimate interests in the Crown Lands.  I would say their ruler should go jump in a lake, if I wasn't at all concerned for the well being of the fish, leeches and algae plumes in that lake.

MS:  So does this mean Kalistan and Luthori will remain hostile?

CA:  Look, Mr Arden, you walked right through that door when you came in to my home.  It was just that easy.  They could come to Kaliburg and walk right into that door and sit down and talk with me.  But where are they?

MS:  I would imagine you would have them arrested before they got word 1 out, Your Grace.  With all respect to you.

CA:  I would indeed.  But if Luthori decides to treat with us, may I direct them to the Imperial Seat.  I am not going to go out of my way to beg for an audience before a person who is my lesser, nor will I advise my mother to ever do so.  She is the Black Empress.  She has no peer.

MS:  Would you, when you became Empress, would you lift prohibition on diplomacy with any Artanian States?

CA:  That prohibition is my Mother's, not mine.  She has her reasons and those reasons are, to my knowledge, good ones.  But we need to tread carefully here in Seleya.  We can talk to Artania when possible, but we have to be careful not to accidentally let a snake into our own house.  Far too many other regimes in the lesser sophisticated parts of Seleya, like Valruzia, have not been so cautious, to all of our perils.

MS:  One final question, Your Grace.  When you govern someday, which member of the Ananto Dynasty will you most seek to emulate?

CA:  My own Mother.

MS:  That's it?

CA:  Yes, she so strong, and she is uncompromising.  The Anantos have had beautiful people, intelligent people, and then people who were more ordinary than Imperial.  I think my father was one of these people:  He would have been content to stay in his garage, working on his cars.  But my Mother is every bit as regal as the Nicolettes, or Emperor William, or even Empreor Frederick, the first Ananto Emperor.  So I would like to be like her.

MS:  Interesting Choice your Grace.

CA:  I think I will have more of a sense of humor, actually.

MS:  Thank you for speaking with us today.

CA:  Thank you for taking the time to talk with me.

[Doc]

Breakthrough in Kundrati; Reports of Secret Meeting leak
Kalistan and Luthori met informally on Etxea, discussed Seleyan Affairs
Etxea, Kundrati
November 7, 5572


Crown Princess Carolina Ananto-Hulanevek arrives jetlagged in Kundrati to line up Metro Project in Late September

Kalistan's Crown Princess has returned to Kalistan as news of a secret meeting between the future Monarch and representatives of the Luthori Government has leaked to world presses.  Her Highness was in Kundrati for six weeks beginning in late September to begin working on her new pet project, the Kaliburg Metro, and to name Kundrati project engineers who will begin work in the Capital in the Spring.  But while she was there, according to unnamed Kalistani sources, she was contacted by Mordusian officials who passed the message that Luthori might be willing to talk to her.  According to the source, The Crown Princess phoned Kaliburg, got the ok to talk, and a meeting was arranged at the home belonging to the Herasymchuks', an important Kundrati family known to the Hulaneveks.

According to the government source, Her Highness the Crown Princess represented Kalistan admirably, and acquired some concessions from the Luthorian officials.  This would explain why, three weeks ago, the National Assembly quietly lowered the Embargo on Luthorian Goods, and began returning impounded goods to some Mordusian and Likatonian interests.  Details of the tentative agreement are sparse, but we think it involves a guarantee on Lodamun which allows Luthori to maintain most of its existing relationships with that nation, but abandons the effort on Luthori's part to push for a political or commonwealth arrangement in the Northern Seleyan Nation, and Kalistan's redeployment of the 4th Fleet away from the Artanian Sea.

"If these reports can be believed," said Girrard Michaelson, of Kaliburg Republican University, "it would seem that Kalistan dodged a major bullet here.  Neither side blinked, and it would seem that both sides got major concessions from a deal.  We would still need to consider Luthori's terms, but it seems that Luthori will keep most of what it has and Kalistan can rest easy on the Crown Lands Question."

Many observers said one pressure on Kalistan to seek settlement was the 4th Fleet which was initially designed to counter growing naval threats further to the north.  "The Fourth Fleet is not an embargo force, nor is it meant for large scale warfare," said Michaelson.  "It is a surveillance and defense in depth fleet.  As tensions increased, the 4th Fleet looked like it might end up on the frontline of any conflict with Luthori, and we believe that the Empress knew she couldn't win a prolonged combat situation there with the 4th Fleet as it is currently constituted."

When the decision to send Her Highness to Kundrati was made is unclear, though it seems that Her Imperial Majesty has long been open to a settlement that would allow both Kalistan and Luthori to save face and back away from the precipice of war.  The Crown Princess' trip to Kundrati provided just such an opportunity.

The KalSiE jumped on the news that there is a possible end to the conflict that has gripped Kalistan for years.  The scope of the deal is still to be seen, but the same sources close to the National Government suggest that Kalistan can be satisfied with the terms of that deal, and Luthori also seems satisfied.

"It is far too early to celebrate," said Michaelson, "but if this deal shakes out as we believe it will, Kalistan will have once more stood as an effective check to foreign encroachment in Seleya, and this is something we should be very proud about.  Let's hope it leads to more normal relations between Kalistan and our chief geopolitical rival.  Time will tell, and Her Imperial Majesty can still sink it, but this is the first ray of hope Kalistan has had in a very long time, vis a vis Luthori."