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Peter's Statement

 

Like most of the world I don't have much in the way of love for Zachachevania the track record of the Rosocor Regime was appalling but like several other nations we chose to give President Fetu a chance, we gave him this chance at the Ardian Diplomatic Convention we went as far as to have Crown Princess Serenity attend as a mediator knowing the ire that would bring our way. Now much skepticism has been leveled at the results of that convention but what was significant were the commitments that President Fetu made both in written form and orally these are witnessed commitments that we hoped to hold him accountable to- if Zachachevania had indeed changed then this would not have been a problem.

Sadly it seems that President Fetu's word is not worth that much. I'll make no bones about it in the past few days my position on the Helgara crisis was that Zachachevania as the wronged party had taken a proportionate response by blockading Helgara as a means of applying pressure, the use of napalm however whether against soldiers or civilians is so abhorrent that it changes everything, the use of such weapons is never the answer and to use them paints Helgara as the wronged party and attracts the attention of the international community at large.

My friend the Empress of Rokkenjima says that she only ever offers 'her hand in friendship once' a sound policy since it gives everyone a chance, well President Fetu you were given that chance not just by Rokkenjima but by several nations on Ardia and ourselves, you were on the road potentially to a stable Ardia where you could have had a seat at the table, those CSU sanctions you want to see the back of so badly could have been lifted. Instead with this single act of inhumane behavior you can say goodbye to all of that, you have proven how hollow your words are, you have proven that you cannot be trusted confirming what we already suspected, you can continue to bleat on about Rokkenjiman Imperialism and their 'crusade' against you if you wish, but your actions justify every single sanction leveled against your nation.

I hereby give notice that the alert level of our Illumic forces stationed at Illumic East has been raised to Amber, the Antares alert level has been raised to yellow, both of these mean that our readiness to act has increased. I also issue this warning to President Fetu if Zachachevania continues its use of napalm or employs other tactics of a similar vein then the alert level of Antares will be raised to red and that will herald direct action to put an end to this crisis in conjunction with the efforts of our allies. So put it bluntly you stop or we will stop you.

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We have known for some time that the Enlightenment are a threat, they have on more than one occasion threatened not only the Duke of Valtheim but our Crown Princess. Her father the Emperor and her brother are perhaps the only two people more concerned by those threats than me her uncle. Now we see this group visit their war on an Achkaerinese ally, well that we shall not stand for. A short time ago the Emperor gave the order to deploy our forces to Supreme Sovereignty. The Enlightenment's days are numbered, they will be chased back to their den and then destroyed, we shall deal them a blow they will never recover from. When this is over there will be one less terrorist group on Mundus.

Emperor's Message

 

Good afternoon,

At this time of year it is tradition to receive gifts from each other. Each gift creates a new memory not only of what it is but of the person who gave the gift, I still have a snowman snow globe on my desk that Iona gave me many many years ago. So it's appropriate to begin by looking back at the year gone by.

It's been a momentous year for our country our place on the international stage has continued to evolve and we embody all our principles in how we conduct ourselves on that stage; fairness, honour, care, kindness and many many more. We have seen this criticized and while it does lead to a strain every now and then it will take a lot more than trivial issues to shatter the international community. The CAP is an achievement that my daughter can take personal pride in and that as a nation we can take pride in because this is something new, something of a first. Another first was the Ardian Diplomatic Convention in Zachachevania, a deal struck of great significance not just for the terms of the treaty but also the signatures on it. In many ways we have taken great strides towards international stability and in places we've dragged others along when we've needed to but the dream of a solid world peace is closer now than it has been for many many years.

When East Moreland left the CIS there were murmurs of 'what does that mean?' But we've struck a new treaty with our closest of friends we've exchanged gifts with them and solidified a tie that goes back centuries.

In the arena of sport our teams have continued to succeed we finished third in the medal table at both the summer and winter games, I had the personal pleasure to compete in the summer games as did my daughter and I've got to take my Santa hat off to East Moreland they put on one heck of a show for those days. In the Women's World Cup our ladies did us proud not only winning the tournament but winning it the way they won it- with heart, courage and nerve.

Of course it's natural that now my thoughts turn to family- we got one heck of a shock at the start of the year when Simon turned up alive, we've shared the joy of his marriage and I now have two grandchildren Aeolia and Lamia. But of course I have to think about the year that Serenity's had- a commission in the Imperial Navy, expecting a baby and of course marrying Isaac- the last one of which being a case of not before time. The wedding itself was something quite special to see the international guests so easily play their parts in the ritual was something unexpected and really did make the day a huge success.

It's natural when one looks to the past that one looks inevitably to the future- now what can the next year possibly bring? Well hopefully more of the same. The prospect of a third grandchild is something I'm looking forward to as I'm sure many people across the world are. I hope to have the opportunity as the next generation of Achkaerin's leaders assert themselves to have the opportunity to take a few more diplomatic trips abroad. I hope that the combined efforts of the CIS in Supreme Sovereignty will see the Enlightenment utterly smashed I hope to have the opportunity to see the world know peace.

Merry Christmas.

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It's a sad day when things like this happen, for fifteen people to be gunned down at what is traditionally a celebration is something no one expects. I offer my most sincere condolences to the family's of the dead.

It was not that long ago that I stood at the Artaxia retreat alongside King David and cemented the ties between our two nations, today I come here to see for myself the devastation that unfolded and to see those I am honored to call friend. King's Blood believe they can destroy a nation so easily? Well they are mistaken, on the car journey here I was able to listen to the Archduchess's speech and she's certainly got a wise head on young shoulders, East Moreland will be in safe hands with her until King David recovers, which I hope for the sake of his wife and daughter will be as speedy as possible.

To the terrorists behind this atrocity I offer this advice- run, run and don't stop running because you have no idea what you've stirred here today. You now have the attention not only of East Moreland, Rokkenjima and Dartfordia but Achkaerin as well the four compass point thrones as it were if you think you can fight that then go right ahead and try but today know that you have failed East Moreland still stands despite your best attempts. And also know this you will be found and you will answer for this.

Terrorists always look to divide but today they have done the opposite where they sought to divide they have united nations in grief, where they sought to weaken our resolve they have strengthened it, they seek to make us afraid well I ask you are we afraid? Are the chances of me walking into the street and getting run over higher now than they were before the attack? Of course not life goes on and we endure, we take the rough with the smooth and we become much stronger because of it.I consider East Moreland to be a very close ally of Achkaerin and while we don't always agree on this we do so if there's anything Achkaerin can do to help put an end to this then it will be put on the table.

Interview Transcript

 

KT: Sophia thanks for talking to us/

SK: It's a pleasure.

KT: So mission commander of Athena III. How does that feel?

SK: It still hasn't sunk in. I dared to hope, I dared to dream it might be me but I never thought it'd me who was calling the shots on this mission. With the recent expansion of the Achkaerin Space Agency not only in the opening doors initiative but also as the home of the Cotf Aranye Space Agency things have gotten a lot more competitive. I know that with the key seats on this mission being reserved for Achkaerinese astronauts I had a better chance than others but even so there are a lot of capable astronauts who I've trained alongside who could do this and I hope they get a chance with Athena IV and V.

KT: Are you looking forward to walking on Ishtar's surface?

SK: You bet I am. It's an odd feeling knowing that you're going to be going somewhere no one has ever been before, to know you'll be leaving the first footprints on what is essentially an undiscovered beach is quite poetic really. I'm only sorry that we're time limited due to the oxygen we can carry and the atmospheric pressure.

KT: Speaking of the atmospheric pressure- are you at all worried about the lander?

SK: Our lander is called the Nycelene and she's Seaforthian made and if any country on this planet knows how to make something to withstand pressure it's the Seaforthian's, we've tested it as best we can and we've simulated a multitude of contingencies for things going wrong, we're definitely at the point where theory has to be put into practice.

KT: So what happens now?

SK: We fly down to Dijel tonight spend three days or so in isolation to ensure our health and get over any jet lag. During this time the engineers and such will be setting up for launch and running all the checks they have to run. On launch day we get driven to the launch site and then if all goes to plan it's blast off for Ishtar.

KT: Have you figured out what you're going to say yet?

SK: When I step onto that planet's surface and take the first step? No I haven't- that's what my three days down in Dijel and then on the journey to Ishtar will be spent doing. Just as long as I know before I have to fly the Nycelene down.

KT: Thank you for your time

Victoria's Speech

 

Firstly I'd like to say how surprised I am, this isn't what anyone expected least of all me, I'd like to thank everyone who voted for me, the team that supported me throughout the campaign and the leader of the Patriot Party Vice Consul Rhian Kennedy.

I have been elected as a Senator today but the people I represent are not just the people who voted for me but everyone who lives in this constituency, whether they be young or old, in poverty or plenty, male or female. These things do not matter what matters is representing the concerns of the people who have elected me and then when we take things to the international level to ensure consistency, understanding and most importantly of all the ability to listen are present, as my mother always says we have two ears but only one mouth so we should listen twice as much as we speak maybe it's time certain people put that into practice.

Kirsty's Speech

 

There was a time a few years ago where I discovered something about myself, about my sexuality I wasn't what people refer to as 'straight' I was and am a Lesbian, however being only fifteen at the time I was rather uneasy about telling my mother, I didn't know how she'd react. But even so I had to talk to someone and as luck would have it that person was Sora Yoshimo, one evening in the gardens at Trinity House we sat and talked, it felt like I was baring my soul to my father and if I'm honest he is the closest thing I've ever had to a real father, and do you know what he said to me? He said 'there's nothing wrong with it, love is still love it is blind and not picky.' That gave me the courage to tell my mother.

In the years that followed I was privileged to share a close bond with him, his help with homework was always appreciated though his dating advice certainly wasn't. But he was something special and he will be missed. I will remember him fondly and I now challenge everyone here to continue the work that was started last year at Uppsala, for Sora, for ourselves and for generations to come let's keep the dream alive and make it a reality.

Quote:

 

The international community with the exception of ourselves, Luvonia and Supreme Sovereignty appears to be living in what can only be described as a dreamland. They say they will support East Moreland in their time of crisis yet in doing so they make themselves complicit in what would be an illegal act contrary to the Uppsala convention. They wish to say that Borland is not a sovereign state and then take action as if it were. There is only one word for that fellow Senators- hypocrisy. Even now we see East Moreland locking itself into a dangerous heading towards an illegal invasion, an unjustified invasion and an invasion that it will undoubtedly be allowed to get away with because the CTO backs East Moreland.

The motion at vote in the CTO is an irrelevancy it does not matter whether the motion is carried or lost because there is one inescapable fact- the CTO does not have the power to grant or with hold sovereignty, that single fact alone voids the Rokkenjiman resolution. The fact that Rokkenjima and other members of the international community refuse to accept only proves how much contempt they have for the CTO's established procedures. It does matter whether the CTO says no under the old admissions procedure because Borland can come right back the following day with an application that will supersede anything passed under the old procedure. The Borland situation must be resolved at the CTO and that means a definitive yes or no decision at the admission vote, the first step to that is to deem Borland as eligible so that the procedure moves passed the endorsement stage now having achieved that should the CTO say no it would be a definitive no that actually has some staying power.

The argument coming from Rokkenjima is clear- a Borlander commits a terrorist offence therefore all Borland citizens are terrorists, I can hear the human rights lawyers rubbing their hands with glee at the sound of that. Are all the Borland citizens terrorists? Of course not, is Borland eligible to join the CTO? According to the new procedure yes it is, a procedure that does not state anything to do with the individual it is to do with the nation as a whole. Is Zimalia complicit in the crimes of the Borland Separatists? No, to our knowledge the Borland Separatists have committed no terrorist activity in the lifespan of the so called Principality so I would be very interested to know by what possible measure Rokkenjima and others seek to hold Zimalia as such. Now while it's true that Zimalia does as far as the present situation goes harbor wanted criminals there is also such a thing as due process which is called extradition proceedings, now while we all hold a justifiably high level of skepticism towards Zimalia on that point it is still something we have yet to see requested.

International law is not just a sword it is also a shield, it works for everyone whether they have a state or not. Right now the Uppsala Convention actually protects those we regard as terrorists, we have already seen several violations of international law in this whole fiasco by East Moreland, by the COR and now potentially by others as well, this is a state of affairs that cannot be allowed to continue otherwise the CTO will prove just as toothless as the organisation that preceded it so I would urge the Secretary General of the CTO to stop what only promises to be an absolute screw up. The CTO cannot afford to be held in contempt by the very nation that proposed its creation, that is what we stand on the brink of amd we can only hope that sense prevails and the organisation does not fall into the abyss. The way forward is paved with reason and clear thinking not knee jerk reactions and gesture politics, force has been tried several times against the Borlanders and each time it has had only minimal effect the time for a change of tact has come, the international community should not waste it.

Official Statement

 

The only insult in all of this and I do not believe it to be a strong term is that Rokkenjima sees fit to suggest that the present state of relations between Achkaerin and Rokkenjima is the nations top priority, now while yes it is high on the list of priorities matters such as the war against the Enlightenment in Supreme Sovereignty and the security of Gowu take precedence, obviously if they were not present it would be at the top. It is a further insult to suggest that Achkaerin has not attempted to broach this subject before- Lady Kristina Ayanami in response to Rokkenjima's protest extended an offer to Rokkenjima to come to Valtheim for talks, an offer that was flatly refused and something that the Empress of Rokkenjima seems to conveniently forget. It therefore seems to fall to the Emperor to prove that he is the bigger man and to despite all of this inaccuracy to make the commute to put an end to this period of tension.

Quote:

 

Mr Speaker, honorable Senators I doubt that anywhere in this chamber I will find a voice supporting these tests. The fact that we have had to respond by testing our missile defence system in a show of support for Dijel is also concerning, however it is what Toshikawa apparently intends for the future that is most disturbing.

The proposed tests in Hygelac involve the dispersing of radioactive material in what has been termed a 'conventional' dirty bomb. This is completely unacceptable, the effect that the deposited radiation will have on the environment and wildlife down there is likely to be devastating we could see damage to the food chain that puts human life at risk and that's before we get onto the damage that it would do to the ice caps which in itself could compromise the efforts of the world to combat climate change.

There is also the matter of international law. Mr Speaker the weapon in question most certainly falls within article 1.7 of the Uppsala Convention, an outlawed weapon, the fact that Toshikawa now utilizes such a weapon is a breach of that convention and while Toshikawa may not be signatory to that document I do call on the international community and particularly the signatories of that document to apply pressure on this matter.

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Let me first be clear I will never compromise the security of this nation, yes there are other nations ourselves included that have this sort of missile the difference with Toshikawa's is the 'dirty bomb' element theirs would fall into a category of the Uppsala Convention ours don't. Now had this test over Hygelac gone ahead we would have seen untold damage to the eco system, potential acceleration of the ice caps melting and heck knows what else. But now we see common sense prevail, despite a lot of us being seriously worried for a while there.

I will never condemn the Nya Aland scientists for what they did, yes it was reckless and yes it amounts to that much used word 'imperialism' but under those circumstances it was the only thing they could do to preserve their work and the environment and they did it, if they ever come up to Achkaerin I'll personally have them at a state banquet. It is however time that the international community spoke with one voice and said that both Hrothgaer and Hygelac are not the place for weapons testing like this, that these areas are protected as critical to both the survival of the planet and ourselves as a species, yes Achkaerin has a military training facility on Hrothgaer but we do not practice anything damaging to the environment there. We simply test the durability of vehicles in the extreme cold and train our soldiers to combat it. It is time the CTO brought a resolution concerning this and then entrusted the security of these wilderness's to the WMO with CTO support.

Official Statement

 

Mr Speaker, honorable members, today as I'm sure you're all aware Rokkenjima has today announced what it terms a 'Mentorship' for Toshikawa. When I read it, I had to check my calendar and then having done that I asked my daughter to do the same with her calendar and phone, sadly to the disappointment of us both the date is the 14th of February and not the 1st of April because let me perfectly clear this declaration is nothing short of a joke. It is disgraceful, it is offensive, it is cowardly and above all else it is a betrayal of the international community.

Firstly let us discuss the disgraceful conduct of Rokkenjima. Once again this nation believes that it has the right to speak for the international community, that it has the right to lead every international response to every crisis. Well it does not we have seen it time and time again, and frankly it's pretty poor manners to believe that you have the right to lead a response to a situation when you are not the wronged party. Rokkenjima would have been better advised to present that proposal to the international community gathered in Avalon first, then they would have preserved some level of credibility. But since they seem more concerned with preserving a now meaningless treaty over addressing the concerns of the international community in the appropriate way then I believe that their credibility has just met the toilet, they have turned their back on the international community and they have crossed to the path of appeasement tearing up everything all their previous positions have established they stand for- if ever there was a need for proof of Rokkenjima's long refuted 'double standards' this is it and let's make no mistake this is a complete betrayal of the international community.

This 'mentorship' is cowardly it lacks teeth and Rokkenjima as evidenced from the negotiating position we can infer from this declaration is severely lacking in courage. Toshikawa is a nation that has developed a weapon prohibited under article 1.7 of the Uppsala Convention it is a nation that has violated the terms of the Ardian Entente and now Rokkenjima intends to prop up the government that has to have authorized the events that led to both circumstances? That is not a solution- that is a policy of appeasement, Toshikawa is being allowed to walk away with only the smallest slap on the wrist and why? Because Rokkenjima lacks the courage to take the necessary action. And if the Toshikawan government didn't authorize the said events then they only show how powerless they are and further invalidate the entire premise on which this 'mentorship' is based.

And just when you think this declaration can't get anymore offensive it does- the entire notion of Toshikawa a nation that in such a cavalier manner disregards international law should have any role in the establishment of a new state is frankly a matter of the utmost concern. Of equal concern is the suggestion that Rokkenjima would dare to suggest that Rokkenjima itself should be allowed to invigilate the process- that is a clear conflict of interest and amounts to nothing more than a land grab and imperialism.

Sadly this whole thing doesn't come as much of a surprise, we have come to expect Rokkenjiman double standards- heck if this was Zachachevania we'd be seeing a much harder line, but because it's Toshikawa they get away with it, the identity of the nation should not matter the circumstances call for only one possible response. Toshikawa under this 'mentorship' which is pathetic has been allowed to get away with far too much.

Toshikawa must be punished for its actions and the international community as a whole and not a single nation must determine what that punishment is. The time to ensure that Toshikawa never has the capability to pose this level of threat ever again is here and it is a time that must not be wasted. Considering what Toshikawa has done only punitive measures are appropriate and where Rokkenjima has failed I believe the gathering in Avalon will succeed.

Quote:

 

First the Achkaerin government fully supports the Gowu Assembly and we echo the spirit of if not the precise words of the Chief Councilor of Gowu. There's little doubt that Rokkenjima has acted in a way it deems best and for all we know it may stand a chance of succeeding but the point remains that Toshikawa's state of affairs is a concern for the people of Gowu, the people of Samsarah, the Republic of Hygelac and several other nations, these are nations that should have been consulted prior to or involved in the discussions it is plain and simple common sense but the lack of this involvement has led to a situation where Rokkenjima can be viewed as prioritizing a treaty in the Sakura-Umeko Accord above the international community. That perception is always going to get a backlash and unfortunately for Rokkenjima in this case it is one that is well deserved due to the lack of consultation the terms are acceptable to Toshikawa but was the international community consulted? The answer is of course no. And until the Empress can explain the lack of international involvement of those concerned she does nothing to help her position in future situations of a similar nature.

Now the fact is that whether we like it or not Toshikawa has agreed to terms that in our opinion are frighteningly light, however there's nothing we can do to change the terms of a treaty we're not party to. However there are some things we can do and hopefully we will see progressive and practical ideas emerge from Avalon that take this to the next level. I am now on behalf of the Emperor drawing a line under what I shall term the 'Rokkenjima fiasco' any issue with that nation should now be considered past the CTO has seen to the Borland disagreement and Gods willing Avalon will see to this latest difference of opinion, we're past it and it's time Rokkenjima did the same.

Peter's Address

 

We all know the devastating events that have occurred this day, over the past nine days we have competed in a multitude of sports and while we have intended to beat each other and win it is important that we remember that once we step off the field of competition we are kin, we are kin of the same species, the same race and that race is the human race. Tonight we gather here to think about those who have been lost in what can only be described as a freak event. For a long time the UNP has been able to sound the voice of reason, to balance the delicacies of international affairs tonight we have witnessed through the media what may very well prove to be the end of that nation or at least the beginning of its end and our thoughts and prayers regardless of our faith and beliefs go out to each and every person of the UNP.

However is a nation land, buildings or even fields? No a nation is people so as long as the people of the UNP exist then so to in a way does that nation. Many nations have already contributed to the relief effort and I announce tonight that Achkaerin forces stationed at the Antares base on Dauntel shall be mobilized to join that effort, I shall be in personal contact with Mr Henson of the Crisis Control Unit in the coming hours to direct him to bring the matter to the attention of the Joint Emergency Team.

Ultimately though it is now incumbent upon us as an international community to do whatever we can to help as many people as we can, we have long lauded the existence of bodies such as the Mundus Development Bank, Mundus Goodwill Bank, the Commonwealth Treaty Organisation, the Joint Emergency Team...the list goes on. It is time for the spirit of camaraderie we experience competing at this event to be shown on a higher level, the UNP is a nation that the present day world owes much to it's about time we showed what it has done for us and repaid that debt and do all we can to help.

Official Statement

 

First let me begin my offering on behalf of the Achkaerin Space Agency the most sincere of condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in the last few hours when something like this happens with this scale of loss of life statements such as the one I'm about to make become very difficult for all concerned.

The first question that we've spent the last few days answering not only to the press but also politicians, cabinet members and the Royal Family has been why didn't we detect this asteroid? The answer to that is simple we have an operational budget, yes it's a sizable budget and yes it's comparable to the budgets of other leading nations in the field of space exploration but that budget does not mean that we can possibly hope to have the whole of the 'Mundus Space Area' under constant watch. No single nation can cover the whole of the night sky to detect threats like this, they do happen and most of the time when we detect them we are fortunate in that their trajectory will either be a miss or their mass is so small that they'll burn up in the atmosphere.

This time the asteroid's mass was substantial and faced with that there are considerations that need to be made when dealing with such a circumstance the chances of being able to successfully redirect an asteroid are at best questionable especially considering the geography of Mundus, better approach's would be to destroy or break down the asteroid before it entered the atmosphere, yes there would still be damage but on a much smaller scale but crucially it's entirely possible that we;d be talking more about injuries than fatalities.

However what we have seen occur is a well intended move to redirect an asteroid end in an apocalyptic disaster a disaster which considering all other possible options was entirely avoidable.

Quote:

 

To be appointed to what is essentially a guinea pig position is always something interesting, if this works we could see other Prefects appointed to liaise with the nations of Alba Karinya and Albion. To be asked to be the trailblazer is something of humbling experience and to be nominated in the way that Kumiko did for me is a little embarrassing. But she is right about a few things, I know Ardia well though getting your education in Rokkenjima does invariably lead to that.

I'm not daunted by the task that's been put in front of me. Ardia is now without question the most unstable continent on the planet made so by a lack of conviction on the parts of some nations and the sheer ignorance of others, not to mention the complete lack of understanding and general good manners. The present situation in Toshikawa is as a direct result of all of this, you cannot expect a proud nation to sacrifice so much of their sovereignty without internal repercussions nor can you expect a negotiation held behind closed doors to be acceptable to all when those affected are not represented. These points fall to the heart of the job I'm being asked to do and I will do my best to do a good job.

Ardia also plays host to the CTO, an organisation that must reform or risk dying or becoming an irrelevancy. One of my proudest achievements in my time working as Deputy Chief of Staff was that I ran the analysis of the draft Commonwealth Treaty, so I know the flaws both old and the new ones that have cropped up since then, Birgit Strand in her tenure started the job of addressing the flaws by finding ways to take the pressure of an overwhelming workload off the General Assembly, however the key remains the Security Council- the CTO has to take a good look at that organ and decide what to do about it, hopefully this is a discussion the new Secretary General will facilitate.

The primary concern though remains the Toshikawan situation, not specifically the fracturing of the country but the fact that a consequence of those fractures is the Toshikawan economy going into recession and threatening to bring the Rokkenjiman economy down with it. Those affected by Toshikawa's recent actions have gathered to discuss the matter once before, the situation has clearly not been adequately resolved by the rather 'light' measures that Toshikawa previously agreed to so maybe it's time a new approach was discussed. A stable Ardia means safety for six and a half million Achkaerin citizens in Gowu and I will see them protected. If that means talking to people that no one else will or saying what no one else will then so be it.

Official Statement

 

Any form of currency union is a bad idea, because for all the strengths and rewards they bring they tie economy's together and when one falls the potential for a domino effect is prevalent. Mainland Achkaerin has several other trading partners so they will for the most part be unaffected.

As for Gowu, the government understands the concern of the citizens and will take immediate and decisive action to save the economy we will honor all existing export contracts with Rokkenjiman, Sovereigntyian^[1] and Toshikawan businesses however until this matter is resolved we will not be taking any new contracts from companies of those nations. We will however continue to import from those nations.

The Government of Gowu also implores Rokkenjima, in the strongest possible terms, to pull the Ducat out from the Toshikawan economy, if this does not happen then other nations on Mundus will have to take similar steps to those we are already taking to protect themselves from an economic crisis. No one has any wish to isolate Rokkenjima but we cannot risk the collapse of the global economy through the mistakes of a single nation.

Official Statement

 

After lengthy and detailed consultation with the government in Valtheim the decision of the Achkaerinese and Gowu Governments is that everything that can be done to protect Gowu and its citizens will be done, this includes an agreed increase in military presence across the branch's, a confirmation of a second round table to be hosted in Gowu in the coming days which Achkaerin will chair alongside Rokkenjima and any other measure that it is in the best interests of the future safety of this city to take- if others wish to call that meddling then they can but they first may wish to remember a few things:

The City of Gowu was built by the Achkaerinese it has stood here resolutely since then, it has endured close to two thousand two hundred years of existence set against this coastline for all of that time it has stood alongside the Toshikawan culture and people, we pre-date any other relationship involving Toshikawa, we know them better than anyone else, we understand them better than anyone else so we know that a solution to the Toshikawan situation must be one that is not going to see this cycle repeat itself ten years down the line and we will do everything necessary to accomplish and bring that stability."

Senator Hunt's Statement

 

Mr Speaker we see today that Premier Abe calls on this government to ensure that our sister government in Gowu upholds the laws of the Cross Straits Union. An understandable point however had the Premier read the Statement made by Councilor Bobble he would know that now that the Ducat has been pulled out from supporting the Toshikawan economy that the barrier put in place has been lifted and I quote 'until this matter is resolved' all that needed to happen was Rokkenjima to pull the Ducat once that happened there was no need for further restrictions, naturally restrictions will remain in place in terms of Toshikawa until we see a recovering economy in place something the Ikko Ikki Republic of Rennyo appears to have some good ideas about I would suggest that the international community starts paying attention.

What is of more concern is that Rokkenjima did not consult the Cross Straits Union before agreeing to a situation that very nearly brought economic ruin through a currency union- surely the creation of such a union is something that the CSU should have been made aware of and been required to approve especially since Rokkenjima forms one of the largest contributions within the CSU.

The Government of Achkaerin fully endorses the actions taken by the Government in Gowu at the time it was appropriate action to protect Gowu's economy and common sense that they did so.

Statement

 

Sport on Mundus is in excellent health at least it is at the very top, we've seen all manner of things, Achkaerin's advance up to the summit of the football world on both the men's and women's side of the game, we've seen the story of underdogs at club and country level with IFk Krokom winning last years champions league and then Luvonia at the recent world cup surprising everyone to take home the trophy. Sport is full of fairy tales and miracles just like that.

Sport also has a great power to bring people together- we saw this at the recent Mundus Games which against the backdrop of war in Supreme Sovereignty echoed a note of defiance against the Enlightenment with every medal won by Supreme Sovereignty in those games. Of course we've also been able to see the funny side- for example Dartfordia inexplicably missing the registration deadline for the Mundus Games, I'm the President of the Mundus Sporting Community and even I can't get a straight answer out of the Dartfordian's on that but it does boggle the mind.

So to the future we have an increase in the number of events planned we're presently hoping to negotiate some trial events with East Moreland. We'll also be requesting that nations look at ways to inspire the next generation of athletes so that this sporting golden age we appear to be entering isn't a short one.

Quote:

 

The people of Gowu remember the last Toshikawan Civil War, we saw the devastation that brought with it. This time though Gowu has a shield protecting it, we are better prepared should defending the city become necessary. We don't stand alone, we have a strength in unity with our allies abroad. Following discussions with the Chief Councilor the Government of Quintax has encouraged civilians living in the southern Ouchi area to evacuate to escape the coming war. The Gowu Government therefore encourages those civilians in the north to make for Gowu as a point of safety, we further encourage the Governments of Rokkenjima and the Ikko Ikki Republic of Rennyo to open their borders in a similar way to expedite such an evacuation. We've seen the horrors of this sort of war waged in this country thirty years ago, many innocents died then and no one wishes to see that repeated so unless you are really prepared to fight then we suggest you get the heck out while you can.