NationStates Jolt Archive

Speech by Prime Minister Cailean mac Fhearghas to the Dàil (Parliament), translated to the Common tongue from High Goidelic, the majority language of Bennavannin:

Today our tiny Confederacy of Bennavannin (Beanntan Bhànan) has peacefully won its independence, having regrouped from the remnants of the ancient Free State of New Hampshire (http://www.freestateproject.org having been the historic mechanism for the Free State's establishment, as we all know). Our beanntan bhànan, our White Mountains from which our new state takes its name, symbolize the hope we have for the future. With low taxes, few regulations, and lower crime than our neighboring anarchist and capitaliztic nation-states in the region of Libertarian Paradise, and with growing economic ties with Allanea, we are poised for rapid development, consistent with our civic values. Together we stand! For the time being.

From: Georgi Bass, Allanean Minister of Foreign Affairs
To: Benavannini Minister of Foreign Affairs
Subj: Embassy

Dear Sir!
Is it possible for us to establish an embassy in Benavannin? Currently, our Ambassador is en route to the town of Grafton, from which he will proceed to your official capital (wherever that is). He is using his personal SU-34 plane for transportation. He is authorized to discuss the following issues:

a)The establishment of an Allanean Embassy in Benavannin and vice versa.
b)The establshment of an Allanean military base in Benavannin for the protection thereof.
c)International trade tariffs.
d)International tourism.
e)The supplying of Allanean FMS funds to Bennavanin.

Dear Sir,

As we are a Confederacy, we have no single capital; each Shire of the Confederacy is sovereign. Nevertheless, most officers of the Confederacy, like myself, reside in Beul na Pùirt (Portsmouth), the huge megalopolis on our southeastern coast accounting for over 90% of our population and containing within its neighborhoods three of the sovereign Shires of the Confederacy. My own Shire is South Portsmouth, and land values are lower here than in the commercial district. It would be a suitable place for an embassy.

On behalf of the Confederal government, I would be happy to negotiate with your envoy on matters of trade, tourism, and diplomatic recognition. Our policy is of friendly relations with all, entangling alliances with none.

Sincerely,

[signed]
Cailean mac Fhearghas

As the information is re-transmitted, the black, sleek para-military aircraft changes course slightly and turns to Portsmouth.

"This is Flight 29-45-56, requesting landing permission, I repeat, requesting landing permission."

OOC: I'm not going to role-play air traffic controllers. ;) The PM, a CEO here or there, an opposition politician, a general... maybe. Just grand strategy stuff.

The plane touched down softly on on of the smaller runways.

The cockpit opened, and Stephen Trozky, the Allanean Ambassador to Bennavannin, climb out.

"Heh. Those third-worlders sure did build a nice city. Now where's the greeting ceremony?"

A limousine whisked Trozky to the southern end of Portsmouth, through bustling streets lined with small merchant shops hawking everything from jewelry to sausages. The car pulled up to a gated Edwardian mansion and was waved through the entrance. At the door, a butler greeted Ambassador Trozky and conveyed him to the study, where sat Prime Minister mac Fhearghas, father of the Bennavanninic state.

"Now what did you wish to discuss?" queried mac Fhearghas, eyeing Trozky carefully.

"First, we're looking for a nice place for an embassy. Is there a worthy real-estate company here? Second, we would like permission to base off a small amount of air-craft from your terriroty. Ann Coulter Mark III fighter-bombers, probably, for both your safety and others. Thirdly we suggest a treaty under which we would reduce all tariffs on your exports to zero and allow tourists to enter our nation - and vice versa. Fourth, and last, we suggest a Foreign Military Support Arrangement, in which we would donate 3 billion dollars, per annum, to the maintenance of your armed forces, on condition that you only spend such money on Allanean goods and services.

"On the first matter, please have your assistant speak with my assistant; Mairead will know more about that than I.

"On the second matter, we do not willingly alienate any of our territory permanently to any another government. We will not grant you a permanent base, but we will allow your fighter jets to use our military landing strips provided you give General Camshronach of the Confederal Joint Command at least three weeks' notice, and provided you offer the same courtesy to our minuscule Air Force. So that you know how things work around here, every Shire has its own Militia. However, we do have a Joint Command coordinating the operations of all Militias. Only the Portsmouth Militias have an air force, and the Confederal government is empowered to make this sort of decision pending approval from the Premiers of each Shire's parliament. I shall send them my legates immediately.

"On the third matter, let us talk specifics. I am willing to present you with a treaty abolishing all tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade between our two countries, and to permit free travel between our two countries without a visa. If you agree, we can sign this treaty, and I will present it to the Confederal Parliament for ratification.

"On the fourth matter, I appreciate your generosity, but the Confederacy is very proud. We are poor, but we will accept aid from no country. Our abolition of tariff barriers would allow both of us to buy and sell military equipment and all other goods on the open market, which is all that we ask. We have no enemies to fear in our region; we are surrounded by wilderness and other libertarian regimes. We may need to cooperate on eliminating some of the biker gangs that come up from the south, but we are handling them well currently."

"We will gladly sign a free-trade agreement with you. As per military bases, you have perhaps misunderstood me. We have never thought of alienating or annexing any of you land - more like renting or buying it the civilized, free-market way.

Furthermore, I will be glad to apply my personal aircraft (which, as you probably did not fail to notice, is a privatized SU-34 frontline bomber, all ready to rock and roll) to aid you with the biker problem"

"Unfortunately, we need to deal with some of the other territories in our region when it comes to the biker gangs, particularly the anarchic societies. We will approach them with negotiation first, but if a joint police action ever becomes necessary, we will keep your offer of aid in mind. There are few biker gangs in Bennavannin, although we do have the odd murder-for-hire case. Drug gangs have vanished since legalization, of course.

"The government of Allanea is welcome to buy any land in Bennavannin for any purpose whatsoever, military or civilian. Just be aware that it will remain under Bennavanninic sovereignty and jurisdiction."

"In that case, we are all set. All we would need is some land to base off a small fighter complement from, simply to maintain Allanean strategic superiority."

Situated near both the regions of Libertarian Paradise and Tareldanore, the territory of Bennavannin has at times been considered part of both regions. Nevertheless, the government of Bennavannin believes that the country is better served strengthening its links with the other countries of Tareldanore, and have done so.