NationStates Jolt Archive

Official Kampferian Communique
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w107/imdmill/kampferianseal.jpg

[TO] The Realm of Cotland
[FROM] The Neo-Prussian Parliamentary Dictatorship of Kampfers

In order to further the knowledge between our nations, and to improve and formalize our relations, I am hereby inviting you to a full diplomatic tour within Kampfers. If you would like, we can schedule you a whole weeks worth of time where you will be escorted by my personal bodyguard and escort, Tim Yoon, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Derek Ritter, to learn more about Kampferian life and culture. After your tour, which I hope will be relaxing for you; I would like to speak with you about matters concerning both of our nations as well as over some matters concerning Haven and humanity as a whole. By the conclusion of your visit, I hope that we will have learned a great deal more about each others respective nations, and that our relations will be greatly impacted for the better. I would prefer to speak with His Majesty King Haakon VIII, but if he is unavailable then I will gladly settle for the applicable minister. Consider this an invitation for an all expense paid vacation to Kampfers with a small amount of work thrown in at the end.

[SIGNED]
Eric Richtoff
Fuhrer of Kampfers

Kampfers Stadt, Kampfers
In the office of the Fuhrer

The Fuhrer tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for the latest briefing on the Cottish government, military, and culture to be uploaded into his computer. He rolled his fingers over the keyboard, tapping lightly enough as to not register a stroke but to definitely make a noise. Suddenly, a soft bell was heard and a small window opened in the lower right hand corner of the right monitor in Richtoff’s large three LCD screen display, informing him that the upload was complete. His workplace seemed excessive to some, with the three screen display and a television built in to the opposite wall, but it helped him keep up to date with all of his work. There was much to do as the Fuhrer, and the ability to multitask was an important commodity. He flicked his mouse from his email accounts (secure and personal) on his left screen all the way to the right screen and clicked on the popup. On the center screen, a lengthy document started to appear, and a hardcopy version began to print. The Fuhrer made almost everything a hard copy. Then again, he destroyed those hard copies in relatively short span, but he liked to be able to take things with him besides on an obtrusive laptop, necessary for the tablet pad he liked to use. As he read over the document, he noticed a number of things. First, although he already knew it, he reread that the nation of Cotland was a kingdom, in fact not too different from Kampfers itself. He read up the basic information the Kampferian Intelligence Bureau had collected on the Cottish military: estimated total strength, naval strength, ground strength, and air strength. He viewed their economic situations and policies, and also gazed upon a few spreadsheets and diagrams of where Cotland ranked among the economic powerhouses of the world, and lists of what Cotland produced that would benefit Kampfers if deals could be worked out for said items. He moved on to their political affairs, and noted a few things. They had been making the quite the rounds within Haven lately, but such was not uncommon with newer nations. The one blip that passed through the Fuhrer's mind was the Prestonian diplomatic visit, as Prestonia was not located within Haven, but it was of no matter. He wanted to be as prepared as possible when it came time for him to get down to business. He clicked off the document, grabbed the hard copy and his cup of joe, and walked downstairs towards the entrance of the Neu Reichstag. The old Reichstag had been retired, and was now relegated to formal Kampferian governmental events. The marriage of the Fuhrer had also been notably held there. He stopped on the way and shredded the briefing: no use in keeping a document that would need updating within a couple of hours. He glanced at his watch. Any time know the Cottish entourage would arrive. He straightened his suit, nodded at the erect guards in full dress, and put on a smile with which to greet his kind guests.

Richtoff and the Cottish representative would be discussing a number of matters today, but what Richtoff mainly hoped to achieve was a better understanding of Cottish diplomatic tendencies within the world, a lasting security of peace between the two nations, and a free trade agreement. Other matters might be brought up if the opportunity presented itself, and the Fuhrer was quick on his feet in moments like that. The new territorial acquisition of Cotland might be brought up as well, but it was really a non-issue to the Kampferian nation. The flow of the conversation would dictate what the Fuhrer said, and the flow was yet to be decided however. All speculation on the content of the conversation, at this point in time, at least, was moot.

OOC: I'm not one for niceties, so you can just RP your guys being escorted into the Neu Reichstag and being greeted by the Fuhrer. If you would like a detail or two to mention to him that you liked just hit me up via TG or IRC

Kampfers Stadt, Kampfers

The small motorcade rolled up to the Neu Reichstag and stopped smoothly in front of the main entrance, allowing the suit-clad bodyguards driving in the two black sedans to immediately jump out from the cars and fan out in a protective ring around the black stretch limousine with a miniature version of the Cottish Royal Flag mounted on the hood, surveying the area quickly to make sure there were no threats present before they nodded to the bodyguard who drove in the limousine that the area was safe for their Principal.

Nodding in return, the bodyguard opened the aft door, allowing the passengers to disembark the vehicle. A few seconds later, the assembled crowd of curious spectators started cheering for real, as the star of the day, His Majesty King Haakon VII of Cotland emerged from the limousine, dressed in a tan tailor-made suit made from the finest textiles, a black silk shirt, and a black silk tie, with hand-made black leather shoes on his feet, and the King’s thick black beard was neatly trimmed. Turning to face the crowd, the King smiled broadly as he waved to them in recognition of their presence before turning to make his way up the stairs and through the entrance of the Neu Reichstag, his entourage of aides, secretaries, the Vice Foreign Minister (Foreign Minister Freiholt was down with the flu back home in Eeobroht), the military Adjutant, and five men of the Kongshirden, a mysterious military outfit that served as the King’s personal protection detail and who answered only to the King.

Inside the New Reichstag’s impressive lobby, the King found the Kampferian Fuhrer waiting for him. Smiling gently as he approached the Fuhrer, the King extended his right arm and spoke in English - He knew some German, but not enough to be confident to speak it in public yet.

“Fuhrer Richtoff, it is good to meet you at last. How do you do?”

Eric smiled warmly and greeted his visitors. "A pleasure to meet you as well, your Majesty. I am quite well, how are you doing? I expect your trip was ok?" He extended his hand to Haakon, offering a handshake. A warm handshake and a friendly smile were stereotypical of Kampferians, as they prided themselves upon their open and friendly attitude. The Fuhrer was rather glad that Haakon could speak English so well, as he himself, although fluent and extremely proficient in German, preferred to converse in English. He quieted his own voice and began to lead the Cottish delegation upstairs towards Richtoff's "meeting room" per se, although it was reserved for occasions such as this. There was a true conference room upstairs that he used for briefings and the like, and his personal office was a bit too secretive and impersonal for such an occasion as today.

He offered the Cottish delegates seats, but remained standing himself. "Would you prefer anything to drink? We have a lovely Endorsian blend in the coffee pots today; it's called "Nuclear Coffee". They say it is so good that your stomach can explode. If that's not your taste, we also have a darker blend from Northwestern Kampfers, where we have a few interspersed bean growers. I’m afraid to say that coffee is not one of our nation’s economy's strong points, and that we import a great deal of it to meet our culture's heavy dependency upon it. I hear that Cotland is especially renowned for its coffee, no? We also have a nice green tea and water if you are not in a coffee mood." He poured himself a glass of the Endorsian blend, marveling at how the water consistently reheated itself. It must have something to do with the "secret chemicals and other additives" they advertised.

A painting of the historical Kampferian homeland in 1912 hung on one wall, with beautiful detail portraying every major and many minor cities of the time, as well as rivers, railroads, fortifications, and the like. Much had changed since then, much indeed, but one thing remained the same: the Richtoffs still ruled Kampfers. From John I to Peter II the ageless, from Adolfus I the crazy to Eric, the Richtoff family had managed to stay in power with relatively little dissent. The line had seen a few wars, but nothing major, and there were relatively little intermarriages with other Havenic royalty. On the wall opposite the map of Kampfers was a map of Neu Prussia in 1936, just as finely detailed and almost as beautiful. The longtime colony was Kampfers’ first venture outside of its isolated sphere, and had been a colony so long that it had gained official status as a true province of Kampfers as opposed to a simple colony under the reign of Daniel I. Kampferian Arguin, the other Kampferian colonial holding, was much newer and had been founded with militarily strategic thoughts in mind, and as such was not depicted in the room. At one end of the room there were windows with no blinds, formally known as electrochromic windows, they not only were very handy to block out the sunlight when necessary, but they also made for a neat trick on those who had never seen them before. Still a relatively new technology, they were quite expensive, but the whole of the Neu Reichstag had been fitted out with no expense spared. Prices had swelled, but the aging Reichstag simply did not cut it any more, and people blindly funded the building project with large donations as a show of “national pride”. At the other end, there was a large television screen where one could display important information if necessary. Richtoff did not figure to use it today, and so he left it off, and the windows with only a minimal tint to reduce sunlight, as glare on the bright screen would not be a problem today. On the table were strewn various tidbits of paper about Cotland and quick notes the Fuhrer had taken. He found it quite impersonal to use a laptop during these conversations. Two guards stood inside the room, these as well in full dress. Outside of a few rooms and the outside of the Neu and old Reichstags, you would hardly see a soldier in full dress uniform, with the exception being at military parades, which were few and far between under Eric’s reign. In comparison, Adolfus I was said to have staged more than 9 parades in one week alone! These soldiers were more for show than anything, remnants of a bygone era, much like the maps that adorned the walls. Kampfers, as a society, was greatly infatuated with their past.

The Fuhrer glanced at the delegation that Haakon had brought with him, sizing them up roughly. If there was anything he had learned during his tenure, it was to never judge a book by its cover, but it never hurt to estimate one’s opponent, and he made sure that he estimated high. Turning back to his Majesty, he spoke once more. “I can get the rest of your party something to drink as well if they wish.”

OOC: Kampferian Family Tree so you roughly know what the hell I’m talking about:
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w107/imdmill/WIP%20linearts/richtofffamilytree-1.png

Neu Reichstag
Kampfers Stadt, Kampfers

”If they desire something to sooth their throats, I shall not stop them,” The King replied with a smile, sitting down. “We do have a rather well developed coffee industry in Cotland. Perhaps I can encourage some of our companies to export Cottish coffee to Kampfers? Anyway, I do believe that a cup of coffee would do wonders right about now. If it’s not too much trouble, I’ve been dying to try the Kampferian blend since I heard about it.”

Richtoff returned with a cup of coffee, which the King received with a friendly nod and “Thank you,” Before he took a sip of the brew and tasted the bitter beverage. Not quite as refined as the Cottish blends, which were roasted to the brink of perfection before they were grounded and brewed, but acceptable nevertheless. Nodding in acceptance of the brew, the King swallowed the liquid before placing the cup back down.

“A decent brew, but I really must talk to our industry about exporting some of our coffee to you.” He said with a smile. “Now, your communiqué said something about matters concerning our two glorious nations. I must admit that I am curious as to which matters you were referring to.”

The King had his suspicions, but he chose to keep his suspicions to himself, as this would allow him to keep his options open and would allow him to enter the negotiations that were about to commence without having committed to anything but showing u to the negotiations in advance. The King had learned the art of negotiations from both his father, the late King Olav V, and from his time in Praetonia, where he got a Masters of Economics from the world-famous Kingston Royal College of Economics - the alma mater of among other things the group of economic geniouses that had thought out the plan that had turned the Questerian economy back on its feet and into the green after the Four Day War a few years ago.

Now the King was going to get to use his diplomatic skills once again.

Eric took his seat, and smiled at Haakon. "Well sir, I do believe that you prefaced my first topic of choice very well. I believe that your coffee makers, as well as other industries, would find a very open and profitable market in Kampfers, and that our businesses would find the same in your nation. We could greatly facilitate this trade between our nations by signing a Free Trade Agreement here today. This would allow a widespread transfer of goods, as well as encouraging the flow of information and technology between our two nations. For example, the top fifteen universities in Kampfers for engineering are all a member of the research network on nanotechnology that was founded by the Aerospace Logistics Corporation. If your nation has universities or firms working on these projects as well, we could encourage mutual ties and the exchange of knowledge between them, hopefully increasing the rate of progress made. This is purely theoretical, and could be applicable to a wide array of subjects and fields."

Richtoff motioned his hands about as he spoke, the movements gaining speed and vigor and losing it the same in syncopation with his voice. He paused for a moment, and took a sip of his coffee. “Secondly, I would like to speak with you about your nation’s stance on a number of items. While we have made our own judgments about where you stand, the truth of your word would let us know where you truly reside about the major issues of the world today. If you don’t mind me prying, I would like to begin.” He took a deep breath and looked up to make sure the King followed him. “Where does the nation of Cotland stand towards the Alliance for the Preservation of Humanity? Where does Cotland stand towards the Questarian Commonwealth? Where does Cotland stand towards Gholgoth? What is Cotland’s stance on slavery, genocide, and finally, what is your reasoning behind the founding of your new colony? Was it economic, political, or militarily driven? By answering these questions, I will be able to understand your nation much better and be able to better choose what Kampfers might and might not be able to offer your nation.” He picked up a pen and turned to his papers, ready to jot down notes. The Kings response dictated how the rest of the afternoon would go.

OOC: Gotta run to my younger cousins birthday party and then work, so this was a bit rushed. I might add in a bit more description later, I wasn't quite satisfied with what I got done here.

The King heard the Fuhrer out before he took another sip of his coffee, thinking out an appropriate response. While in Cotland it would be unheard of to ask the King about such issues so directly, the King reminded himself that he wasn’t addressing a subject, but rather a… not an equal, for the King was King of Cotland by the Grace of God, but rather by a foreign head of state. That excused at least part of Richtoff’s bluntness, but not all of it.

“You pose many good questions,” The King began. “Let me start at the beginning. A Free Trade Agreement is perhaps a bit premature. My country has only recently emerged after a lengthy period of isolationism, and we’re still getting our bearings in the affairs of the world. I hope that you will understand that we prefer to take things a little slow to begin with, and that I’d rather prefer if we began with a more limited trade agreement that can later evolve to a Free Trade Agreement when we have learned more about each other’s respective countries. Perhaps in say a year or two?

“The Realm has a number of upper-end universities and other institutions of higher learning, and I am sure that they will be thrilled at the prospect of binding closer ties for foreign institutions of higher learning. So too would our students. It is my belief that the young are the future of the Realm, and that it is they who are going to be responsible for making sure that the Realm continues to prosper in the future. Therefore, I strongly encourage all young Cots to get an education, as this will ensure that they have every chance of succeeding in this world. It is for this reason that higher education in Cotland is free of charge for Cottish citizens.”

The King took another sip of coffee before he continued.

“The Realm hasn’t formulated any official policy against the Alliance for the Preservation of Humanity, mostly because we haven’t established what exactly it is that they stand for. We need more information about the alliance before we formulate an official policy, so I guess you can put us down as neutral to that particular alliance. As for the Questerian Commonwealth, the Realm has no unfinished business with them. In fact, the Realm enjoys rather friendly relations with Questers. Trade with Questers is thriving, the majority of my Navy’s destroyers and carriers are made in Questerian shipyards, and quite a few of the aircraft that serve my Air Force with distinction are Questerian in origin. We’re not allied with the Questerian Commonwealth though. As for Gholgoth, Cotland has no unfriendly relations with any nation there either. We consider Aequatio an important trading partner as far as military hardware goes.

“Now, you may find this a bit puzzling, but please understand Cotland’s history. Since the Realm emerged as a nation-state in the year 957 AD when my country was founded, it has had a long and varied history. It has been our experience that it is often the wisest choice to stay out of the big alliances, choosing instead to remain neutral where possible. This line of neutrality has proven to be a very wise course of action, as the last major war the Realm fought in was fought almost one and a quarter century ago.”

The King waited to make sure Richtoff understood before he continued.

“As for slavery, Cotland hasn’t officially banned slavery. However, it has fallen out of use – times are changing after all – and regardless, it was illegal to hold Cottish citizens as slaves. It’s not banned though. Most of our ethnic minorities are descendants of slaves, and they made a hell of a rattle about it from times to times. Nothing a quick round-up of their ringleaders won’t fix though.” The King said matter-of-factly, not mentioning that that round-up usually ended in the ringleaders being secretly stripped of their citizenship and deported over the northern border into the hands of Doomani slave traders in complete secrecy. In Cotland, the laws were made and repealed by the King, aka the Crown. The ethnic minorities didn’t just criticize the laws, but also the King for not moving to repeal them. Criticizing the Crown wasn’t a wise move when in Cotland.

“Genocide is an unfortunate action that should be avoided, but not at all costs.” The King said about genocide, leaving the issue to rest there before he moved on.

“Fuhrer Richtoff, I understand that you do not quite understand the ways of Cotland, but know this: I have no obligation to or intention of justifying my actions as King to a foreigner, even if he is a head of state. The only persons I have to justify my actions to is my wife, my children, my God, and perhaps my Council. Therefore, I hope that you will understand that I won’t answer that particular question.”

The King said, looking Richtoff straight in the eyes, his green eyes showing his determination and willpower. He had no intention of explaining to Richtoff that the reasoning behind annexing Korangar Island had been driven by military, political and economical concerns. Militarily and economically, because it gave Cotland a good operating base at the northern base of the Strobovia Strait where Cottish strategic bombers could operate from and where the Navy could get vital resupply bases, thus allowing the Cottish to safeguard its merchant convoys from Doomingsland and Questers. Politically because it had shown to the people that even if the King had granted them increased civil liberties over the past nine years of his reign, he was still the master of Cotland, and the annexation of Korangar Island had been a show of force, that the King and the Realm was still a mighty country with ambition.

The annexation had also actually increased his popularity. There was nothing like a good annexation to make the national pride soar and make people feel good about their country and thus themselves.

OOC: Most of my bluntness was due to the fact that I was rushed to get it all in <.< Sorry for the delay. Although it wasn’t long (especially compared to the ones with Ros and CP), I had a minor case of writers block.

Richtoff set down his coffee, as well as his pen, and frowned at the notes he had taken. He knew he had just hit a nerve, and that Haakon obviously felt that the information about why they had colonized Korangar Island was too sensitive to share with the Fuhrer. That alone told Richtoff much about the intent of the colony, and it was a little ominous. However, the meeting had gone well so far, and in fact he had been somewhat expecting that response. If negotiations continued as well as they had started, there would be nothing to worry about, unless the world's political climate drastically changed within the coming months, and that was something that no one expected. After briefly glancing over what he had written, Richtoff began to answer the replies of the Cottish king.

"A limited trade agreement would be good. Unlike Cotland, from what I understand at least, Kampfers practices an extremely open economy, opening free trade with any who will reciprocate it. We do not trade freely with protectionist nations, however, because it works against our economy. Your proposed method of achieving a free trade agreement sounds very fair. I will ensure that Kampfers begins to enact it as quickly as possible. I am also excited about the potential cooperation of our colleges and universities. It pleases me to no end when nations and especially their young citizens can put aside what minor differences that they have and work together for the greater good.”

He picked up his coffee and took a brief sip. “Your other response about the alliances and things such as slavery were interesting to say the least. At the moment, I have no comment, although I definitely have no qualms about what you stated. We too maintain strong ties, or what we would like to think are strong ties, with one or more nations of Gholgoth. That brings us to the issue of colonization. Respectfully, it is far and away your right not to tell, me, and I will not pry. I would have wished that you were open about it, if for my own conscience, but I can not even say with an assured heart that I would tell all if I was you. I have no room to criticize, and so, I will not.” He had gathered what he needed by the lack of a comment, however. Obviously, it was something that bore looking in to, and he made a mental note to get several investigators on it immediately. “Well, sir, I believe that all my questions are gone, although I may remember one or more later. Do you have anything in particular you would like to discuss?” He smiled warmly at Haakon, trying to relieve a bit of the pressure that had swarmed the room when Haakon had refused to divulge the details of the colonization.

The King was pleased that Richtoff decided to heed his advice and not press the issue further, and when Richtoff asked if he had anything he’d like to ask Richtoff, the King smiled again.

“As a matter of fact, I do. I’d like to discuss the details about our future trade relationship, but first, I have another, somewhat trivial matter that my Tourist Minister has been pestering me about since she found out I was coming here. It is my understanding that you have a rather substantial colony not far from Cotland. Neu Prussia I believe? For many Cots, Neu Prussia is a rather popular tourist destination, for several reasons I’ve been told. Firstly, it is a foreign country. That in itself makes it exotic, and is good enough reason to go there. Second, it is relatively close to Cotland. Therefore, I’d like to discuss the possibilities of establishing permanent lines of communications between Cotland and Neu Prussia, with the possibility to expand further to other Kampferian colonies in Haven. More specifically, we had in mind a boat line and airline connections…”

The King let it hang in the air for Richtoff to continue it from there. The King's plan was simple. If they could get a feel for each other's diplomatic skills and size each other up before they moved on to more serious topics, it would make those negotiations about the more serious topics a lot easier when they got to them.

OOC: epic gravedig

Richtoff pondered the question for a moment before responding. The last time a number of ships had traversed the strait between Neu Prussia and Cotland was, to be honest, many years ago, in preparation for the Battle of Thurbine Point. And although Neu Prussia was a well developed colony now with substantial improvements in not only defense, but also in infrastructure and tourism, Richtoff still held qualms about allowing too many Cottish citizens onto the colony. The First Battle of Neu Prussia had been long and bloody, and for this Richtoff was a bit prejudiced towards the Cottish people, or at least those who ventured towards Neu Prussia.

Nonetheless, today was a new day, and the days of Kampferian and Cottish fighting were long gone. At this point in time, the nations looked forward to many days of peace, both between each other, and with the region as a whole. It was this logic that lead the Fuhrer to his final answer. "Yes, of course. Boat and airline connections would be more than welcome entering and exiting Neu Prussia. Although most of the Kampferian airline companies opt for the Geonard line of planes, the Chevrokian Aerospace line are also accommodated in the hub airports. From there, the citizens can take smaller Kampferian flights to their final destination, or ride the extensive bus system. Neu Prussia, especially the coastal areas of it, cater extensively to tourists.

"I would also be welcoming to Cottish companies looking to setting up tourist resorts and the like within Neu Prussia, however there would be certain stipulations placed upon them. While I am all for free trade, I am also against an extra-national workforce infiltrating my industries, and this is a part of why Kampfers takes such a firm stance against illegal immigration. The requirements would mainly consist of using a high percentage of Kampferian/Neu Prussian workers within the resorts or what have you, including the management positions. If this is too much to ask, I'm sure other Kampferian companies will snap up the opportunity, or even Aequatian or Willinkian companies. As it stands, however, the offer is yours for the moment.

"Plane and boat lines to the Kampferian homeland are also quite welcome, but at this time there is no need for their expansion to include Arguin. At the moment, the only civilians allowed outside of the central city are Kampferian citizens who have subjected themselves to intensive background checks and are willing to lose a bit of the privacy they enjoy elsewhere. The island serves the purpose of a stop-over point for international flights within Haven and a large outpost for the Kampferian military, which exponentially stretches our sphere of influence in the region. There really isn't much of a point for any travel connections at the time, although arrangements could be made for stop-overs from Cotland to a large number of other nations, and vice-versa."

Richtoff now looked over to where his counterpart was seated and patiently awaited a response. Hopefully the meeting would continue in the productive manner it had begun.

The King nodded as he listened to Richtoff's reply. He too had shared the Fuhrer's concerns and the lessons learned by history, and especially the military expedition that had been carried out against Neu Prussia in 1894.

A hundred and fourteen years ago, during a completely different era, Cotland had attempted an invasion of Neu Prussia as a result of the Realm's unwise involvement in the Pan-Havenic Twenty Year's War, a war which had seen countless lives thrown away for pointless reasons. While the war and indeed the invasion attempt of Neu Prussia had established the ferocity and death-defying courage of the Cottish soldier, it had been futile. After two weeks of hard fighting, the Cottish II Corps had been forced to surrender to the Kampferians. When the fighting ceased on the 23rd of June, only 2 235 soldiers, all of them wounded, marched into captivity, the survivors of the 30 000 strong II Corps, the bulk of which remaining where they fell in the forests and fields around the Kampferian village of Sopol. A worthy revenge, some historians might argue, for the loss of the Kampferian Colonial Fleet at the hands of the Cottish High Seas Fleet during the Battle of Thurbine Point just prior to the invasion attempt, but a bitter defeat never-the-less.

However, much had changed since those days. Cotland and Kampfers had alligned themselves through the APOC alliance, and a strong friendship was forming between the two nation-states. This state visit was proof of that, the King thought as he decided how to formulate his reply.

"I thank you for your gracious offer, Fuhrer Richtoff." The King replied. "I am certain that the requirements put forth will not be an issue with our companies."

The King took another sip of the coffee before he placed the cup on the table next to the chair and leaned forward. It was time to broach the more serious of subjects.

"Fuhrer Richtoff. You and I are both learned men, familiar with the histories of our respective countries. Indeed, I dare make the assumption that we are both intimately familiar with our shared history, especially that of the final decades of the nineteenth century and the mistakes carried out then. I am thinking especially about the unfortunate incident in Neu Prussia." The King said, pausing slightly before he continued.

"However, while we must learn the lessons of history we must not allow it to prevent us from moving forward. Indeed, our two great countries have come a long way since those dark days well over a century ago. We enjoy strong relations, we have agreed upon trade and tourism agreements, and we have both been committed to defend each other's countries in the event of foreign aggression in the recent past through the now-defunct Alliance for the Preservation of Civilization."

"Therefore, sir, I would like to propose to you that Cottish and Kampferian relations, and indeed our ability to defend each other, be strengthened further. More specifically, through joint military exercises. Our respective armies have faced each other in the field of battle in the past and earned each other's respect. Let them now meet again, not as foes but as friends, and let renew that bond of respect and strengthen it with a bond of eternal friendship."

The proposal for Kampferian and Cottish joint military exercises was an interesting proposition indeed. True, there was a fair share of disagreements in the past to be reckoned with, but then again, had he not forgotten the past when joining the Alliance for the Preservation of Civilization in such haste? He did not regret joining, not by a long shot, for it was better to ally with small foes than to find yourself surrounded by enemies in an area devoid of friends. Indeed, that decision had been a risk, and yet it had paid off in the end. Through that alliance, Richtoff's faith in the Cottish nation and their ruler had been strengthened. It was this trust that now enabled Richtoff to make the decision he did.

"I would be quite welcome to the idea of joint military exercises between our nation's armed forces. The prospect of said exercises on Kampferian soil, however, is not so delightful. I hate to be a 'downer,' or so to say, but frankly the populace would not be receptive of any nation engaging in military exercises on Kampferian soil, even if it is a joint exercise. I am more than certain that the Doomani would allow us to use a portion of Nuclearum for the exercises, or alternatively you could host them in your nation. Either way, or even perhaps another alternative, would likely be more than acceptable.

"At this point in time, I feel that we have accomplished a lot here. Perhaps we can discuss a bit more on the economic and educational side, as I have a bit more I would like to bring up for each, but I believe that for now the other issues are settled in my mind, excepting of course the exercises, of which we must still work out the occasional kink or two."

”Hosting the war games in Cotland would be no problem at all,” The King stated confidently. “Alternately, we could start off with naval exercises in international waters before we move on to land operations. Regardless, I’m sure our diplomats and military officers will reach an agreement on the details at a later date.”

The King finished his coffee and returned the cup to its platter before he continued.

“Fuhrer Richtoff, I would like to take the opportunity to invite you and your family to Cotland as a thank you for the highly interesting visit I have enjoyed here in Kampfers. I hope that you will allow my country the honor of being your hosts and that you will experience as much about my country’s culture and history as I have yours.”

"The offer is much appreciated, and I think my wife, son, and I will take you up on that offer. It would be a good chance to get away from it all, or as much as one possibly can in this technological day and age."

Seeing as the meeting was coming to a close, Richtoff stood to his feet. "I do thank you or coming, it has been my pleasure."