NationStates Jolt Archive

http://www.drnightshade.org.uk/images/CACE/4cace3.jpg

The Coalition of Anti-Capitalist Economies is pleased to announce the commencement of the Fourth International Conference of Anti-Capitalist Economies. The Coalition invites all nations who share a vision of economic prosperity dedicated to the pursuit of the good of the people over the pure pursuit of profit, who oppose a global condition of social injustice perpetrated by the economically powerful against the disadvantaged, and who would come together to create a strong and diverse economic community prioritising social and economic justice at home and abroad, to attend the conference.

The aim of this conference is to bring likeminded nations together to build and foster strong alternatives to capitalist trade practices, to help forge new alliances between anti-capitalist nations, and to invite eligible nations to join the Coalition of Anti-Capitalist Economies. Also represented at the conference will be the International Fair Trade Agreement. The IFTA is a well established, large and growing trade alliance between nations pledged to fair trade practises at home and abroad, providing member nations with a strong international trade platform respectful of worker's rights.

The 4CACE will be hosted by the Serene Socialist Republic of Xikuang, and will be held in the Council Conference Halls in the capital city of Lhijir. Full accommodation for attending delegates will be provided by the nearby Sai Yilinhai and the Ghoran T'he'rajhi hotels. Transportation to and from the Conference Halls will also be provided.

Individuals wishing to attend the conference who may be sensitive to extremes of altitude are advised that it is in their best interests to arrive a few days in advance, so as to acclimatise to Lhijir's average elevation of 2700 meters. Advance accommodation easily can be arranged.

Please ask any questions you may have, or simply announce your intention to attend the 4CACE, here.

Note on security:
Security for the conference will be provided by the Xikuangese government. Should they deem it necessary, delegates are welcome to attach their own security personnel within reason, but all potential attendees are to be advised that the possession or carrying of firearms is illegal in the Serene Socialist Republic and will not be permitted within our borders.

ooc: RP rules and guidelines: Xikuang, like the vast majority of CACE, plays at modern tech +1 level. This means that, if some kind of technology is already envisioned and potentially able to have been developed in the next 10 years RL, it may exist and we may have it, as might you. Far future-tech nations are politely discouraged. Xikuang has no spaceports.

This is a peaceful RP. Please make sure all shenanigans of any description are okay with all involved parties before commencing. Thanks!

Ministry of Being Nice head Elsepeth R. Nibbling, with a few assistants and security personnel, will be on the first available flight.

Tired of being kept waiting for an audience with Gesamtkuntswerkian Ministers, Foreign Affairs Minister Daniel de Valera made a call to his Ministry while awaiting a flight out of Kapital, Gesamtkuntswerk.

"Dev here. Any developments I should know about?" he asked his assistant.

"A few, comrade, but nothing of grave import. Oh, I do have one telegram here from the Xikuangese Embassy. Are you planning to attend the 4CACE Conference? It begins this week," asked Political Assistant, Grade III Raisa Mikhailova Savelev.

"I should say so, Raisa Mikhailova! Send confirmation to the Xikuangese Embassy of my intentions and put together the standard assistant team that will be necessary. Good day, comrade, I should be landing in Gotha in eight to ten hours."

"Goodbye, comrade, have a safe flight."

--------


Minister of Foreign Affairs Daniel de Valera wishes to express his gratitude to being invited to 4CACE and confirm his intentions of attending. As always, we of the glorious People's Republic look forward to interfacing with the Xikuangese, and look forward to participating in yet another meeting of proletarian internationalists, Socialists and anticapitalists.

In solidarity,
Raisa Mikhailova Sevelev
Political Assistant, Grade III, Assistant to Minister de Valera
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
People's Republic of Caselonia

A gracious thank you to our Xikuang hosts for holding this important summit; since the early days of SeOCC's independance, we have depended on the support and friendship of non-capitalist nations across the world, and we look forward to strenghtening existing ties and creating new alliances with new attendees of the Conference.

During the course of this meeting, though, SeOCC would like to bring to the floor a specific question that has been tabled for too long, the creation of a global economic coordination body to aid in the finding of suppliers and producers, as well as overseeing the important work of developing industrial and pre-industrial countries. Naturally, we would envision this body working with, or within, the International Fair Trade Agreement (http://invisionfree.com/forums/CACE/index.php?c=5), and more importantly, this body would allow non-capitalist nations to not just produce for today, but plan for today, and direct long term investment to fill future needs.

SeOCC will also be sponsoring the request of the NationStates Political Economy Review (http://invisionfree.com/forums/CACE/index.php?showtopic=1551) to have their framework adopted by the 4CACE as a standard for economic analysis.

Myself and my group look forward to a productive and stimulating meeting.

Ottasam Kihl
Under Minister of Politics
SeOCC

After checking into their spacious hotel suite, the delegation from New Paristan sent off the following message to convention organizers.

To our gracious hosts, the Comrades of Xikuang:

New Paristan's delegation to 4CACE has arrived. The flight was easy and we are well-rested and ready to work.

Our delegation is made up of the following people:

The Honorable Cde. Amelie Poulain, Minister for International Affairs, and two Ministry for International Affairs staff members.

The Honorable Cde. Henri Raspail, Minister for the Economy, and two Ministry of Economic Democracy staff members.

The Honorable Cde. Jacques Villeneuve, Assistant Energy Minister, and two Energy Ministry staff members. Energy Minister Colette Juneau sends her regrets--she is currently overwhelmed with work and cannot make it.

That is our delegation, and we will be spreading them out during the convention so as to maximize our participation and ability to share and absorb information.

We wish all comradely nations participating in this conference the very best, and we look forward to meeting all of you.

Solidarity,

Amelie Poulain
Minister for International Affairs
New Paristan 4CACE Delegation Chair

--

Minister Poulain sent the letter and then noticed one of her staff members wobbling around a bit.

"Comrade, what's wrong?"

"Uh nothing...I think it's the ...whoa...altitude...just feeling a little dizzy..."

"Ok well sit down and breathe deeply. We need you in top shape tomorrow."

"I'll do my ...best..."

With that, the staff member sat down hard in a chair and closed his eyes, breathing deeply.

Minister Poulain sighed. Some people, she thought to herself, just don't have the stamina for international travel...

The Cloud-Water Community of Ecopoeia wishes to express its desire to attend 4CACE. We will be sending the following delegation:

- William Fort; Advisor, Council for Economic Affairs
- Charlotte Dorsa Brevia; Advisor, Council for Legal Affairs
- Nadia Cherneshevsky; Speaker for Industry
- Nirgal; Speaker for Agriculture

The delegation are anticipated to arrive in the next three days.

Kind regards,
Frank Chalmers
Speaker for International Relations

you can sure count Roscoviscya in on any anti-crapitalist economic dealings.bonjour comrads.

*Foreign Minister Nimzuka Schalvekki with security arrives by jet for the proceedings.with him are Ministry delegates from neighbouring Soroviev and the island Grovgn'a (spelt Grovnia internationally)*

Comrades,

The people of ParEcon will send a delegation to the 4CACE. The delegation consists of six citizens;

- Anna Holm, The ParEcon General Assembly
- Viktor Watson, The ParEcon General Assembly
- Maggie Öhlund, Foreign Affairs Council
- Per McCluskey, Foreign Affairs Council
- Margareta Åström, Federal Planning Board
- John Mortson, Federal Planning Board

The delegation represents the parliament, government and economy on behalf of the Pareconian people. We look forward to productive and inspiring discussions at the conference.

Sincerely,
The ParEcon General Assembly

Arriving imminently in Lhijir, despite the White Rhino Collective's condemnation of the event, are proCACE Shiree, Masaai Hooley (http://www.benovision.co.uk/NS/Masaai01-1.jpg) (Shiree Herald ACA) and Luigi Gogglez (http://www.benovision.co.uk/NS/LuigiGogglez.jpg), newly appointed Herald for Fair Play, who will join Charity Earnest, Shiree Herald to Xikuang at the Watfordshire embassy, before proceeding to the conference. (Hopefully) Joining them from the Celdonian Diplomatic Quarter, will be Heralds Verity Fruitful and Magic Hooley Snr.

Both parties will be accompanied by a full compliment of Shiree Military Dancers.

The Shiree Council - dominated as it is at present by the isolationist White Rhino Collective - has issued no statement regarding the event

(ooc: heh! schizophrenia=delegation of responsibility w00t! - the perfect buckpass - ithankyar)

The delegation from Nazi Weaponized Virus (A liberal state - apart from the name). Arrived just in time for the delegation, touching town at the Capitol Airport of Xikuang and then were transported onto a private jet were they checked in at Xikuang's premier Hotel - The Blank - Ironically enough they stayed in the 'Ambassadorial Suite', The Custom Built GH14 VIP Aeroplane carried:

- Minister of Foreign Affairs. Andreas Kapsis. (Head of the Delegation)

- Junior Minister in charge of Alliances. Stelios Vrizas

- Junior Minister in charge of Foreign Economics. Yiannis Valounis.

- Chief Ambassador. John Tsirtakis.

With the delegation came 4 Bodyguards in The 'EOKA B' branch of the Special Forces. They use the standard sidearm of the USP9D Silenced Gun.

NWV will be sending a Tank Battalion to back up her VIP Plane's position at the Airport, as well as an Infantry Regiment. As stated below:

- 2,000 Men.
- Standard Arms XM29.
- USP9SD Side Arms.
- Each Squad carries a Stinger AA Launcher
- Each Squad carries an updated Bofors RBS-56 BILL.
- Each Squad is wearing the new Water Based anti penetration Kevlar suits.
- 1 Out of every 5 squads has the new H&K GMG.
- Each Squad is armed with an XM312 mountable machine gun.
- Every Platoon has 1 Sniper with a AI AW-50.

As well as the Armored Battalion:

- 200 M1A2 SEP's in each.
- 200 ST-11's in each.
- 2,000 Men.
- Armed with XM8's as primary Weapons.
- And USP9SD's as sidearms.
- They also carry a full compliment of 6 Standard Hand Grenades.
- And are kitted out with the new Water Based Anti Penetration Kevlar Armor.

These forces will occupy areas surrounding The VIP Plane and VIP Helicopter. They will not infringe on Xikaugh's sovereign rights.

FOR SOCIALISM!

The continent of Aperin is not without renown for its natural splendour. From its arctic steppes to its equatorial forests, Aperin is a veritable showcase of environmental beauty, many of its constituent nations dedicated to the protection and preservation of this natural diversity. The mountainous nation of Xikuang, smack in the middle of Aperin's main landmass, is no exception. Visitors en route to the Lhijir International Airport, in the central province of Lhai, will be treated to spectacular views of mountain peaks shrouded in clouds and of green, fertile alpine forests, while travellers overland, most likely via the high-speed rail lines linking most of mainland Aperin, will experience the heights more directly, their routes snaking through tunnels and along precipitous switchbacks where the carriages might seem to hang in open space were it not for the regular chik-clank, chik-clank of the mechanical chain drives assisting the engines on the steep slopes.

http://www.drnightshade.org.uk/images/xikuang/lhijirl.jpg
By far the largest city in Xikuang with a population of 190,000, the capital city of Lhijir is a hodgepodge of architectural styles, modern multi-storeyed edifices capped with gleaming arrays of solar panels mingling with the traditional square, solid buildings of stone or slate-coloured brick topped by tiled, eaved roofs, joined together by covered verandas and corridors, the severity broken by arched, shuttered windows edged in colourful tiles forming symmetrical patterns. In the oldest (and highest) part of the city, where the Council conference halls and the delegate's hotels are located, the style is universally the traditional, but it is evident that many structures have recently been repaired or restored, and some more modern designs are to be found among the tiled decorations.

Any delegations sending advance notice of their arrival will be met by Xikuang's representatives at the conference, Elected General Councillor and Chair of the Elected General Committee for International Affairs Xiang Kalsang and Elected General Councillor and CACE liaison Kham Khitai. Councillor Xiang is a tall man-- very tall by Xikuangese standards, nearly six feet-- of dignified deportment, wearing his long hair pulled back in a neat ponytail. He somewhat dwarfs his fellow: Councillor Kham, a wiry fellow with something of a reputation for unfazeability, stands a mere 4'10". They will answer any questions the guests may have but will otherwise not keep them long, turning them over to other organisers who will show them to their hotels.

Telegrammed to the Caselonian delegation:

Greetings to the honoured Minister of Foreign Affairs Daniel de Valera:

We will be most pleased to welcome you to Xikuang to attend the Fourth International Conference of Anti-Capitalist Economies, and we are most grateful for your input. I assure you that we have the highest level of optimism that this conference will be of great benefit to anti-capitalist nations worldwide, and your arrival in Xikuang is happily anticipated.

With benedictions,

Khÿ T'ingqienh,
Xikuangese Ambassador to Caselonia

Telegram to the New Paristan Delegation:

Greetings to our honoured friends from New Paristan:

We greet news of your arrival with pleasure, and happy that your journey was without adverse incident. Councillor Xiang and I look forward to meeting your delegation soon. Thank you for your attendance: your participation is much valued.

With benedictions,

Elected General Councillor Kham Khitai


ooc: to Nazi Weaponized Virus: I'm afraid that such a large military company can't be allowed into the nation for a conference. That's just unfeasible. If you really need a small armed guard of no more than, say, a dozen, around your plane, we can create a temporary embassy for you on airport grounds, but no armed personnel will be allowed to leave it. You can bring bodyguards, but as stated in the first post possession or carrying of firearms is illegal in Xikuang. You'll have to leave them on the plane, which will be regarded as your sovereign territory and no one will interfere with it. Otherwise we'll have to decline to allow you in. Xikuang is a nation at peace, well provided with allies. There is absolutely no need for anyone to have a military presence at a peaceful conference.

The following message was sent to the Xikuangese:

Half of our Praesidium will of course be attending the 4CACE, but could you clarify your legal position on sublethal armament?

OOC: Can I plot a terrorist attack during the conference? Please?

I just don't like commies gathering together.

OOC: Somehow, I get this feeling that a section of my military should be dropped into the conference... I too don't like commies gathering together.

OOC: Please try to be a little more immature. Honestly. You're not getting into landlocked mountainous Xikuang in the center of the Aperin anti-capitalist supercontinent. Take your piddling and your toys and your jingoistic banter and go play with each other. All interposed "attacks" will likely be ignored and subsequently reported to the moderators for violating pre-ordained thread policy. It's a peaceful conference. Butt out. Additionally, newly-launched Galdagan Shivan-class carriers (http://invisionfree.com/forums/CACE/index.php?showtopic=1620) will be conducting war games off of Orcas Sound, the nearest body of water to Xikuang during the entire duration of the conference.

IC:

Francisco Ortiz, permanent Galdagan ambassador to the CACE, sifted through the morning's communiqués and found one for which he'd been watching for some time. "Excellent!" he exclaimed. "The conference begins anew!"

Immediately he picked up the phone and dialed Giles Chamberlain, Minister of Commerce. "Chamberlain, you old salt. It's come! Pack your bags. We're headed to Lhijir. Call someone over in Foreign Affairs for me, would you? I know it's been messy there since the Corona disaster but we really HAVE to have representation from the Ministry at the conference." Ortiz hung up the phone without waiting for much word from Chamberlain. He rubbed his hands together and started making a list in his head of what he'd need to pack.

In the mean time, Chamberlain, a bit baffled at what had just transpired but finally catching on, picked up the phone and dialed Sharon McManus. "Sharon, it's Giles. Listen, 4CACE is about to begin and everyone understands how the important folks in the MoFA can't really be spared at the moment, but we really do need a representative from your ministry at the conference. Do you have someone you could lend us?"

Sharon McManus gave it a moment's thought. "Well, I suppose it would make sense to send the Auxilliary Minister of Foreign Aid. I'll give Ernesto a call and see if he's able to make it."

"Splendid," Chamberlain replied. "I hope to hear from him.

The chain of calls continued down the line, finally terminating with McManus' call to the Auxilliary Minister of Foreign Aid, Ernesto Marvesa. Readily, the young Auxilliary Minister accepted the opportunity with excitement. He'd not had much chance to travel around Aperin and had heard too many fascinating tidbits about the land and culture of that mysterious country called Xikuang. He felt it was really about time that he was able to investigate more of the continent in which he resides, what with his job usually taking him overseas instead. This was a chance he wasn't going to miss.

OOC: Can I plot a terrorist attack during the conference? Please?

I just don't like commies gathering together.

OOC: No, I'd really rather you didn't.

As for other militaristic nonsense, may I repeat: this is a peaceful RP. No military convoys, no guns, no lamebrained magical fleets of warships showing up on my non-existent coastlines, no tanks rolling in over my neighbors' territory, of any kind. Just no, okay? Sheesh. Please respect the stated RP rules. Thanks.


IC:



Originally Posted by messaged to the Xikuang Government

Half of our Praesidium will of course be attending the 4CACE, but could you clarify your legal position on sublethal armament?

Thank you for your query. Certainly, non-bladed, non-lethal weapons in the possession of trained and accredited security personnel are permissable. Any firearm type weapons firing non-lethal ammunition would need to be in the possession of appropriately certified personnel; the weapons themselves would require registration while they are in Xikuang, and the weapon type must have an established 100% non-lethality rating; we do, however, discourage the use of these weapons. To be fair, it would be in your diplomatic interest not to include them, as it is difficult to tell them from deadly firearms, and there is a marked tendency amongst our people to find guns upsetting.

I hope this answers your question, but if you have any further concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.

With benedictions,

Commissioner Jye Choden,
Elected General Committee for National Security, acting head of 4CACE Security

East Hackney will be delighted to send a delegation to 4CACE as soon as the elections for UN Delegate of the Anti-Capitalist Alliance are completed; at present, all our politicians are engaged in pressing the flesh and kissing babies.

Accommodation has been set aside for the EastHackney delegation. Whenever our friends of EastHackney are able to arrive, we will be most pleased to welcome you, friends.

Letter to the Xikuangese Government:



Dear Friends in Xikuang,

The Tropical Socialist Paradise of The Weegies is pleased to inform you that we will be sending a diplomatic party to the 4th Conference of Anti-Capitalist Economies, made up of:

Jane McKinnon, Delegate to the CACE.
Alan Sharkey, Council Leader of the Weegies.
Christine Janus, Head of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Lewis Roper, Delegate to the IFTA.
Andrea Pacifico, Weegie Ambassador to Xikuang.
Megan Martinus, diplomat.
John McInnes, diplomat.
Paul Harris, diplomat.
Harriet Stuart, diplomat.

Ms. McKinnon and Mr. Roper will probably arrive earlier than the others because of their current closer proximity in the Celdonian Diplomatic Quarter. Miss Pacifico will, of course, be even earlier, seeing as she currently resides in Lhijir.

Schiachlan naí faláich-na failtégh téghran eilaghian, (OOC: May your house always shine with the light of happiness)
Frank Lipton,
Weegie Diplomatic Service.

The Government of CSW will be sending as a representative Chairman Lakhim Natil (He's a bit of a figurehead if you haven't figured this out yet) to the Fourth Conference of Anti-Capitalist Economies, along with a small group of advisors from the economics department, and of course a detachment of security members equipped with non-lethal weapons to protect the chairman. We will be sending the security team ahead so that the Xikuangese (I hope that's right...) police force can run the necessary background checks and assign the proper permits.

It took some getting used to, thinking that any state to which the Shield had given birth might be considered ‘anti-capitalist.’ Of course, to hear the propagandists working for those shattered remains of Royal Mining and Manufacturing (which had escaped nationalization by retreating out of the country) talk, the successor states to the Empire of the Shield were not only anti-capitalist, but downright dirty red communist buggers who doubtlessly ate babies for breakfast and enjoyed tying women to railroad tracks.

Whatever the debate, Charles Bradsworth’s United Kingdom of the Shield and Todd Andrews’ Republic of Weshield decided, as part of their newly formed close alliance, to send a joint delegation to Lhijir. The Igovian Republic of Wyclyfe was offered a chance to join the delegation but refused, citing ongoing conflict with reactionary forces funded by the Kingdom of Thortraia that demanded the country’s full attention.

As this would be the first conference of any sort attended by the still just weeks old governments, the UK and Weshield were careful to select only the best personal representatives. Andrews had half a notion to go himself, before it was pointed out that the President of the Republic might do a damn bit more good if he stayed at home. Bradsworth wanted his number one advisor, Benjamin Fullerton, that old man who had been with him since the first days of the Talks, but his advisors seemed convinced that an uneducated seventy nine year old man might not be the best person to take the United Kingdom’s front foot forward.

At last, the powers decided on sending one Harry J. Ridgeman, Secretary for Internal Development in the Republic, as head of the delegation. Ridgeman was an experienced bureaucrat who had resigned in protest following the Gurney’s bombardment of Fort Jackson and returned to his native Weshield. Representing the United Kingdom would be one Gerald Connors, who had cut his teeth in Foreign Affairs department of the Empire, served a shift in Gallaga, and most recently presided over the nationalization of the Shieldo-Dianatranian Oil Company.

The two men and their staffs would be arriving on a late model Bankfield aerotransport from the Shield promptly. The government was doubtlessly irritated by Xikuang’s failure to have a seaport. Even the ‘new Shieldian’ looked to the ocean as a symbol of safety and freedom; it was a powerful metaphor for their hopes and aspirations and dreams.

A fairly nondescript missive signed by both Bradsworth and Andrews announced the UK and Weshield’s intention to attend to the government of Xikuang and was laced with their hopes that the ‘anti capitalist world continues in its brotherly solidarity’ and that ‘perhaps, in the future, the United Kingdom and the Republic may be able to establish a closer working relationship with those great governments in attendance at the Conference.’

ooc: to Nazi Weaponized Virus: I'm afraid that such a large military company can't be allowed into the nation for a conference. That's just unfeasible. If you really need a small armed guard of no more than, say, a dozen, around your plane, we can create a temporary embassy for you on airport grounds, but no armed personnel will be allowed to leave it. You can bring bodyguards, but as stated in the first post possession or carrying of firearms is illegal in Xikuang. You'll have to leave them on the plane, which will be regarded as your sovereign territory and no one will interfere with it. Otherwise we'll have to decline to allow you in. Xikuang is a nation at peace, well provided with allies. There is absolutely no need for anyone to have a military presence at a peaceful conference.[/QUOTE]

Of course, its your land.

Comrade Minister de Valera looked apprehensively around the passenger area of the Tu-154 airliner conveying him to the 4CACE. He'd flown hundreds of times before, it was actually his job, to be honest, but he never got used to it. Most Caselonian Ministers actually flew on their own time, but not he. He called one of his aides, Yevgeniy, over.

"Yevgeniy, we need to peruse our agenda for the Conference. This is much more important than the 3WSC dinner. This is a conference where things actually get done," he said.

"Yes, comrade, I understand. What can I do?" replied Yevgeniy Ivanovich Pribluda.

"Yevgeniy Ivanovich, I need you to pull up lists of all of our recent extra-IFTA economic activity, the amounts of trade we do with non-IFTA signatories, and our foreign deployments. These will all be important."

"Yes, comrade...I will attend to it immediately."

Minister de Valera liked to keep tight rein on his assistants and planned to summon additional personnel to the conference whilst in-flight. He looked at the SVB (Special Security Branch) personnel sitting several seats behind him. They were, without fail, large low-browed fellows with conspicuous bulges under their jackets. In keeping with Xikuangese regulations, their weapons were loaded with rubber-encased bullets, to satisfy the "non-lethality" regulations of Xikuang, and none of them looked please. On many occasions, it was their utmost pleasure to slay reactionary fools looking to injure one of the State's many important functionaries, and they had done so several times in the past. Despite their being veterans of two deadly conflicts, the Melbourni War and the Nueva Habana insurgency, they were professionals to the core. They had never fired their weapons unnecessarily and, at least Daniel de Valera, Minister of Foreign Affairs, hoped they wouldn't have to during the Conference.

De Valera's mobile trilled and buzzed, and he picked it up.

"Dev here," he answered. "I understand...send my regards, and my wishes that they pick up the pace." He hung up quickly. He had secured the attendance of several functionaries, including the Caselonian attachè to the Celdonian Diplomatic Quarter, whose duties included Casleonian representation in both the CACE and the IFTA.

"Viktoria," he asked. "Can you call Minister Köhler in Horekya and get his thoughts on the conference?"

"Certainly, comrade, I will call immediately," she said.

"Thank you, my dear, your services to the People and to the Revolution are unquestionable!" he replied. He fancied her quite a lot, and despite his gushing accolades, she really was a key member of his entourage. He hoped for a quick flight, and looked forward to rubbing elbows once again with his comrades in the CACE and IFTA...it had been too long.

tag and such. obviously we're there, but i just got home and it's too late for anything more.

Telegram to the Weegie Diplomatic Service

Greetings, friends--

Thank you kindly for your message. We look forward to welcoming your delegation. Suites have been set aside for your party at the Ghoran T'herajhi, where we have attempted some extra provision for their comfort: we understand that, having just come from the tropical climes of your excellent country, they may find ours rather chilly and dry, but we'll do what we can.

With benedictions:

Secretary of the Lhijir Diplomatic Offices


Telegram to the Government of CSW

Greetings, friends--

We thank you for your message, and for your attentiveness to propriety with regard to your security. All being in order, we will be honoured to welcome Chairman Natil and company to Xikuang.

With benedictions,

Secretary of the Lhijir Diplomatic Offices


Fairly Nondescript Telegram to Bradsworth and Andrews:

Greetings, estimable colleagues:

(message laced with appropriately reciprocative optimism that the hopes and aspirations of the anticapitalist world would indeed be addressed and greatly benefited by this conference and the attentions given it by those dedicated to its cause)

With benedictions,

Secretary of the Lhijir Diplomatic Offices

ooc to Nazi Weaponized Virus: Thanks.

Aboard a Caselonian Tu-154 airliner bound for Xikuang

A member of the airliner's flight crew- a bouncy, cheerful young woman whose eyes were just a touch unnecessarily blue- made her way down the Tu-154's aisle.

"Comrade Minister, if you could please fasten your seat belt, we are beginning our descent."

Comrade Minister de Valera looked out of the aircraft's tiny window at the jagged peaks below. Not so far below, it seemed...

http://www.drnightshade.org.uk/images/xikuang/fromair.jpg

A brief wish that the conference was to have been held in some more sensibly laid out country flashed through his mind, immediately to be dismissed as uncharitable. But still... ah well, the pilots must know what they are doing...

The flight attendant bustled off to be grunted at by security, and the plane slowly descended through the clouds.

ooc to everyone: please forgive me if you didn't receive a personal reply. You know what they say about work expanding to fill the time available. ;) I'd like to give this a few more days for people to arrive, and then we can get underway...

(waves to FS)

Celdonia shall, of course, be sending delegates to the conference and thanks our gracious hosts for the preparatuions they have made in its planning.

Full details of the delegation shall be provided shortly, but it is expected that the Foreign Minister Mike McKay will be attending. We cannot, however, confirm, that President Tony Clinton plans to attend.

We shall naturally be honoured to welcome our Celdonian friends. Should President Clinton find time out of his many duties to attend, we will be delighted to welcome him.

With benedictions,

Secretary of the Lhijir Diplomatic Offices

A folded note is attached:

Mike, if you find that the hotel only stocks the usual inferior uisge beatha, don't despair. I've seen to it.

K.

The Most Serene Republic of Santa Sagissima rejoices at the opportunity to strengthen non-exploitative modes of production in the NS world. We have a delegation on standby, but we would like to be assured (once again) of the safety of our delegation from terrorism - especially the Kristian Martyrs Brigade of Komunist Misisipi. Besides economic experts and trade unionists, we would also like to send a TV crew, including Maria Cordosa, Pacific Vision’s top correspondent, who our intelligence agents believe to be targeted after an incident at Jackson City airport, KM, when she was en route to a Church Council in Communist Louisiana, which was targeted by terrorists. (http://forums2.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=342027&page=14&pp=15)
We have arranged flights and look forward to participating.
Inigo+
Vicar-Generalariat for Foreign Missions
The Most Serene and Commnistic Republic Of Santa Sagissima

ooc- I understand that terrorism has been disallowed by the thread rules, but we would feel more comfortable if the way that the threat has been removed were spelled out a little more. For instance, the cohesiveness of your society making it extremely difficult to infiltrate, let alone source high explosives, the excellent venue and accomodation security, the assured military destruction of any nation connected with a terror attack. We had the experience in CL of a very unrealistic attack on us by CM that was not stopped in any way by Louisiana.

We will be honoured to receive representatives of The Most Serene Republic of Santa Sagissima. You are welcome to bring a film crew, though we reserve the right to restrict filming in certain areas, in order to preserve the continuity of the conference and to safeguard the comfort of our guests. By way of assurance that your delegates will be safe within our borders, we reassure you that while Xikuang is a peaceful nation without much in the way of domestic violent crime, we devote serious attention to the detection and prevention of incidents such as any terrorist threat to which you allude. Our police force is very efficient, as are those of our nearest neighbours. A foreign terrorist group bent on malevolence would have a very difficult time making their way here. Further, security for the conference itself is equipped for extra vigilence with regard to potential threat to the security of any of our guests.

We have never had any dealings with the Kristian Martyrs Brigade of Komunist Misisipi, and Central Intelligence Offices confirms that there are no known branches of the organisation in Xikuang. Should your delegation wish to attend, we invite you to submit any details regarding this group to our police force, so that we may be maximally prepared to contain any disruptive activities they may pursue on our soil.

We hope this reassures you, and we hope to welcome your delegation to Xikuang in the near future.

With benedictions,

Secretary of the Lhijir Diplomatic Offices

ooc: Xikuang is a mountainous landlocked nation surrounded by well established, secure allies, with whom we co-operate freely. Aperin (the continent) (http://www.drnightshade.org.uk/images/aperin/aperinmap.jpg) is well known for watching most stringently for any possible incursions into our airspace, so no small private aircraft have a ghost's chance of getting in. Weirdly, while my nation description has always contained the phrase 'Crime is totally unkown', we have a police budget in the top twentieth percentile and a huge police force. Xikuang itself has no militant religious groups at all and few Christians, the primary religions being Buddhism, with a scattering of Muslims mostly in the West, so a Christian fundamentalist group is very unlikely to have any reason to take a gnat's weight of an interest in us or any contacts through hwich to infiltrate. Guns are illegal, dangerous substances such as explosives are tightly regulated and difficult to come by without proper permits. Government programs teach martial arts to everybody, but culturally, the Xikuangese are notoriously peaceable, generally abhorring violence, except in action movies.

Does that help?

Luigi Gogglez (http://www.benovision.co.uk/NS/LuigiGogglez.jpg) stared (ahem) blankly from the porthole of his cabin in the Shiree Council Diplomatic Blimp (second hand from Tanah Burung), as it meandered ever Westwards towards Xikuang, and the 4CACE Conference.

As newly-appointed Herald for Fair Play, the BRightOnian had been happy to find that the administration concerning the national futbol team fell loosely under his jurisdiction: A keen follower of the beautiful game, Luigi had visited the Rabble-Rousers games since his childhood, and had even visited the Camptown Stadium during his migration....

Luigi formulated strategies and fantasised scoring from set pieces for a while against the ParEcon national squad, before returning once more to the vast ring-binder detailing the SeOCC economic template and swiftly dozing off.

The Blimp continued.

Svea Riga will of course attend to this event honouring our allies and our future friends. We will send Nicklas Bergstedt Minister of Economics to represent Svea Riga and it's course.

Of course the Socialist Union of Kerla wil send a delegation to Xikuang to the conference. We will be sending

Stephanie Rosen, Premier
Rachel Nelson, Director of Diplomacy
Jake Bullhorn, Assistant Director of Diplomacy
Tom Robinson, CACE Representive
Hillary Betcher,Foreign Advsior
Regina Hapin, Ambassador

We will also send two guards, part of the Red Guard. You will hardly notice them. Being so close we will arrive in one day.

Stephanie Rosen
Premier
Socialist Union of Kerla

Comrades

We would like to extend our thanks to the host nation, the Serene Socialist Republic of Xikuang, for the generous invitation to attend this most important conference.

As some of you are no doubt aware, our newly-emerging nation is still engaged in heavy fighting within the Western Administrative Region of the FFAC. As a result our economy is still in a state of revolutionary flux, and we believe that our ability to contribute incisively and in sufficient depth on matters of great import to you all is weak as a result. Our efforts must be, and are, concentrated on stablishing new paradigms of socio-economic relations within the FFAC.

Nevertheless, we feel that there is much to be gained by all parties if we are present at this conference. We would therefore like to send 10 delegate-elects, two from each Administrative Region within the FFAC, to the Conference to act as Observers. Whilst we understand that Protocol would indicate a maximum of five Observers as a suitable number, in this instance we would very much welcome the ability to network intensively and engage with the smaller fringe meetings, hence the request for an expanded delegation.

If this arrangement should prove problematic for you, we would of course happily comply with established Protocol.

Comrades, we carry a new world in our hearts.

Dilly Faer
Federation Convenor to The Administrative Regions, FFAC

To Svea Rigan Diplomatic Offices:

We shall of course be delighted to welcome Rigan Minister of Economics Niklas Bergstedt. The presence of a Svea Rigan representative on Xikuangese soil, at a conference one of whose primary aims is to build and reinforce friendship and solidarity, is of particular significance given the recent emancipation of the Svea Rigan people from a cruel dictatorial regime, and the now known entanglements between our nations' histories. We heartily bid that era adieu, and look forward to many years of friendship with Svea Riga.

To Premier Stephanie Rosen of Kerla:

We thank you for your message, and we are prepared to receive the Kerlan* delegation straightaway. Provided your Red Guards can comply with Xikuangese law regarding weapons, they will be perfectly welcome. We wish you safe journey.

To Federation Convener to the Administrative Regions, FFAC, Dilly Faer:

May we reassure you that it is perfectly possible to accommodate 10 delegates from the Free Anarcho-Communes, and we welcome your participation, if only in observational capacity. May we further offer that this conference is not just about how already established and stable anti-capitalist economies can mutually help one another, but how anticapitalist nations as a strong, co-ordinated economic front can help to stabilise and lift struggling economies. By bringing your situation to the floor you may well help the conference understand how better to achieve this goal.

In any case, we would be honoured to welcome your delegation.

With benedictions--

Secretary of the Lhijir Diplomatic Offices

As expected, a number of people in our federation have been looking forward to 4CACE and would go whether we had an 'official' delegation or not. In addition to our Federation Delegation, expect representatives of the Not Bored! Economists and Accountants Collective and perhaps a few other assorted parties to arrive shortly.

To our comrades in Xikaung:
We thank you at being given the chance to attend this conference. Our delegation as stated is currently at your Capitol Cities airport awaiting transportation to the Conference. This is a great chance to explore all avenues of socialism and discuss ways of combatting the capitalist dogs. Our security are on the plane as you requested and we are awaiting for your approval for our Helicopter to transport us to the conference.

We would like to raise the following issues at the conference:
- A Rapid Reaction force to combat Capitalism - funded by the Nations attending.

- Trade embargos - My storefront will not sell to Ultra Capitalist Nations.

- Military Protection for small Communist/Socialist nations.

- Development of New Technology via a communist storefront.

- Discussing of Nations and thier implementation of Socialist policy.


Thank you.

Clapton Pond welcomes the opportunity to attend 4CACE, and will shortly be sending a small delegation of economists.

One elderly member of the delegation will be carrying a cane which, due to his not inconsiderable martial arts skills, could potentially be used as a lethal weapon. Obviously it would only ever be used in the unlikely event that self-defense is required, and even then would be used in a non-lethal way if possible. I hope and trust this does not contravene Xikuang's security policy.

To our comrades of Free Soviets, we will be delighted to welcome your delegation. To our friends of Clapton Pond, thank you for alerting us, and please assure your delegate that his cane is not a concern. Whatever his skill may be, we have faith in his peaceful intent.

To Nazi Weaponized Virus: Thank you for your compliance with our regulations. Following standard security checks, a repair hangar has temporarily been set aside for your aircraft and personnel. For the duration of the conference, this will be considered your embassy, and we will not interfere with it. We will provide catering for those not leaving this area should you require it. So long as they do not carry their weapons, your people are free to explore the city as they wish. Will you be requiring accommodation, or will your people prefer to remain on site?

We must decline to allow your helicopter to bring you to the conference site, however, for the reason that the conference halls are located in a civilian urban centre, and there is nowhere for it to land without causing serious upset. We will gladly arrange vehicular transport for you.

Certain of your concerns are to be addressed by items already on the conference agenda. You are of course welcome to raise other concerns.

Arrival of 4CACE Delegates in Xikuang

As the delegations (or parts thereof) arrive, they are greeted immediately upon disembarkation by at least one, but both if at all possible, of the two Councillors primarily charged with the conference's organisation. To some, they will be familiar faces: Councillor Xiang is a skilled diplomat who has himself travelled to several attending nations' embassies on International Affairs duties, and Kham, as Xikuang's permanent CACE liaison, may be recognised by delegates from CACE nations as well as those with whom he might have attended an international conference or two. The initial greeting is always the same, in the traditional Xikuangese manner: the right hand, loosely closed in a fist, is cupped in the left, and the joined hands are raised to forehead height simultaneously with a bow from the waist.

"T'qiirqi k'am elam, Sailin. Welcome to Xikuang."

----------------------------

The new arrivals will then be led through airport security, which is performed efficiently and attentively even as it is contrived to be minimally annoying. Airport security staff, identifiable by their black uniforms sashed with a green and yellow band, are universally polite, in sharp contrast to what delegates may have experienced elsewhere. Security staff are also very frequently accompanied by dogs: some are of a largeish, long-legged, shaggy grey breed with semi-pendant ears and large brown eyes, but most are enormous animals the size and shape of great wolves, always black in colour and pale-eyed. The dogs wear sashes identical to heir human companions. Occasionally, one will take interest in someone, which it will evidence by standing in front of that person and not allowing them to pass until some human clears them.

------------------------------

Security personnel attending delegations will be taken to separate checkpoint where they and their equipment will be examined and registered if necessary, wile their charges are invited to a secure lounge, where they will be offered refreshment. Clearing the security staff is made as painless as possible for the people involved, but it can take some time, so delegates are offered the choice as to whether they wish to wait for their own security, or to be provided with a native guard to accompany them to their hotel. Those delegates having sent their security ahead will (all being in order, of course) simply be reunited with them here. Those not bothering with security staff need not wait at all.

-------------------------------

All security proceedings complete, the delegates are offered tea, sincere apologies for the inconvenience, and then they are free to pursue whatever activities they wish. For most, it will probably be checking into their hotels. Special transportation has been arranged: comfortable people-carriers powered by clean-burning hydrogen engines of Celdonian design await them. Their luggage, unless they have requested otherwise, has been sent ahead.

The Ghoran T'he'rajhi and the Sai Yilinhai are located quite close to one another in the Lhahiszenaini street, very near the Conference Halls. Both are large, stately, well-appointed modern hotels each with its own highly rated restaurant serving a wide selection of cuisines. The Sai Yilinhai has two café bars, one of which is also home to an extensive library, while the somewhat larger Ghoran T'he'rajhi boasts three, one of which, for the more adventurous, remains raucously open 24 hours. Guests are free to wander about the city, should they like, or to pursue some peaceful relaxation in any of several well-tended parks and gardens. For the spiritualistically inclined, there are many attractions. In addition to being the capital city and seat of government, Lhijir is Xikuang's Buddhist spiritual centre, the huge and magnificent Lhunhan Kinryi temple complex dominating the highest tableau. Practicng monks and nuns, easily identified by shaven heads and orange robes, are a common sight.

-------------------------------

ooc: Please feel free to RP your arrivals, meet up and chat, wander around, whatever you like! I leave it up to you which hotel you prefer. Clarifications on the security proceedings: the Xikuangese police force makes extensive use of dogs, many of whom are sniffer dogs trained to detect various substances, among them explosives. If you're bringing in recreational drugs for personal use, no problem. I would like to get the conference proper underway this weekend, fiddly computer permitting.

The journey had been comfortable, if a little turbulent in places. Dilly had never got used to the fact that, when flying, there was thirty-five thousand feet of very unsolid atmosphere between her arse and the security of terra firma, being kept apart by no more than a couple of propulsion units and some fancy curves. At least, she thought, they don't make 'em of aluminium any more. Her engineering background meant that she was only too aware of the unpredictable catastrophic failure rates of the stuff, and she was eternally grateful for the ultra-carbon materials now routinely used in plane manufacture. Nevertheless, she was still glad when the wheels hit the tarmac and the plane strained to a halt. She looked at her comrades, all of whom appeared very unperturbed by the experience. 'Here we go' she said, as the group eased themselves out of their seats and began getting their bags together.

Most of the Communards had never flown before and were besides themselves with the fun they'd had, 'oooh'ing and 'aaah'ing at every opportunity as the plane had lifted them into the sky. She had to concede that, despite her nervousness, even she still fell under the illusion of how soft and welcoming the clouds looked from above, as if you would gently bounce off of them should the plane suddenly decide to start obeying the laws of gravity and plummet from the sky.

Processing at the airport was their next hurdle, although Dilly had heard of the legendary efficiency and unobtrusiveness of the Xikuang security services. Beyond that, she knew very little of their hosts (during her formal education, history was highly Anglo-centric and right-wing - what she'd learnt could be condensed down to capitalism good, communism bad, hardly mind expanding analysis, she reflected dismissively). She was aware of some sort of Confucian / Buddhist foundation to the state, although she still didn't understand how religion could be such a comfortable bedfellow in any kind of communist society. On this she agreed with ol' Karl. Maybe time spent in their midst would shed a little light on the matter.

As it turned out, what she'd heard was right. Not having any separate security personnel attached to the delegation (all of the delegate-elects were skilled fighters, armed or unarmed), they were through the airport in no time. Paco, who'd taken on the role of organising the practicalities, had sorted out the luggage with the Xikuang officials, and the group were now free to hit downtown. Not that any of them knew exactly where downtown might be but, being urban through and through, each was aware that every city has a less-polished side that was invariably a lot more fun and never too hard to find if you knew the signs.

There was serious work to do here, of course, and the group would fulfil their responsibilities with the utmost single-mindedness when the time came, but tonight they were just going to party party party.

The Bankfield, after a long and oxygen starved journey, settled in at last at the airport - what a strange thing to call an aerodock! - and the pilot guided it to the allotted space / hanger. As the propellers spun to a halt, men started to disembark. There were quite a few of them, and it was hard to distinguish Ridgeman and Connors from the crowd. All of them were dressed in the traditional Iansislean costume, albeit with a cockade of either green, white, and red (for the United Kingdom) or a deep burgundy (for the Republic) pinned to their fedoras, bowlers, top hats, or derbies. Who cared how ridiculous and out of place it looked? Everyone else was doing it!

Eventually, however, the two men, most likely Ridgeman and Connors, managed to restore order and commanded most of the men to wait on the flyer until proper accommodations for the vast sea of tagalongs, scribes, adjutants, and personal assistants had been found. With the group on the tarmac at last whittled down to three - Ridgeman, Connors, and one fellow they couldn’t seem to shake before giving up in disgust - the Iansisleans walked over to meet Xiang and/or Kham, both of whom were quite unfamiliar to them.

"T'qiirqi k'am elam, Sailin. Welcome to Xikuang,” said Xiang and/or Kham. Ridgeman, the less experienced of the two in foreign language, looked just about ready to say “God bless you!” when either a look from Connors or his own good sense stopped him.

“Thank you,” said Connors, deciding to take the lead and stepping slightly in front of Ridgeman, whose cheeks briefly took on a rosy color that may have simply been due to the weather at this altitude. In fact, all three Iansisleans seemed to be breathing very deeply; the tagalong was all but panting.

Brief introductions were made: “I’m Gerald Connors, His Majesty’s delegate to the Fourth Conference of Anti-Capitalist Powers ... this is Citizen Ridgeman, the Republic’s Secretary for Internal Development ... please allow me announce Citizen Deines, erm, assistant to the secretary.”

Passing comments were made about the score of other largely unnecessary people still waiting on the flyer, but it was obvious they had irritated Connors enough that he didn’t mind leaving them in cramped quarters for a while longer.

Airport security would have been less painful if Deines didn’t feel the irrepressible need to be fascinated by every single piece of technology, from the metal detector to the x-ray machine to any cellular phones and wireless units the guards might be carrying around. Like all Iansisleans, he was as hopelessly curious about modern technology as he was hopeless at using them. Often, Deines would poke at a button to see what effect it had unless physically restrained by a guard.

Connors made it clear that if they wished to haul him off to jail of any sort, they’d be more than welcome to.

In the meantime, Ridgeman was having a spirited one-sided conversation with whomever he could corner about how foreign the concept of ‘aerodo - er, port!’ security was to him.

“I’ve never heard of half these fancy contraptions,” he said, with almost an air of pride, pointing at a television screen or x-ray machine. “What won’t they think of next?”

He went on to explain that there was no screening at any of Iansisle’s aerodocks. Ridgeman then made a bad analogy about how it was sort of like the customs service in a harbor, excepting a list of things as long as your arm.

At last, that ordeal was behind them. Connors assured his hosts that the inconvenience was ‘nothing, really.’ As they had no security personnel, they were able to proceed straight to their hotel of choice, the Sai Yilinhai.


((erm, to be continued at a latter date. I think that’s enough talking on X’s behalf for one post! ;)))

After getting settled in their spacious Sai Yilinhai hotel suite, Minister Poulain and her staffers decided to check out one of the hotel bars. Minister Poulain was particularly interested in this bar she'd been told about with a library in it. She just hoped her Xikuangese was good enough to be able to read something.

As her two staffers went up to order drinks, she looked at the collection. A lot of titles she couldn't quite translate, but then, to her delight, she found a book by New Paristan's own revolutionary philosopher Jean-Paul Rousseau translated into Xikuangese. Rousseau's work was central to Bruno Leclerc's revolutionary development and his decision to lead the Militant Union to victory 20 years ago.

She picked up the book and started flipping through it, trying to pronounce out loud the unfamiliar Xikuangese translation. She brought the book back to her table as her staffers returned with the drinks. She was drinking Absinthe; her staffers had both settled on vodka tonics on the rocks.

She handed the book to one of her staffers, a young man of about 25 named Etienne Larouche, who was to be her translator on this journey. He looked at it, surprised, and began to read aloud from it.

She listened to the words of New Paristan's greatest thinker as she poured Absinthe from a bottle onto a sugar cube placed on a slotted spoon on top of her glass. She then poured a measure of water over the now mostly dissolved sugar cube, turning the golden liquor a milky color, and then used the spoon to stir the drink. She had always hated those people who set the sugar cube on fire before stirring...it seemed so pretentious.

They sat there for a while, drinking, reading and talking amongst themselves about the upcoming conference.


*ooc: at which point we welcome other delegates to suddenly show up and engage us in conversation. :-) *

For the courtesy of the presently indisposed Milesian Technate, the Commonwealth player posts in his stead. He's apparently having routing problems which are keeping him from the Jolt servers at large.

---

A notice was dispatched to the Xikuang Foreign Affairs department from Milesia notifying them of an impending delegation to arrive from the Milesian Technate. The letter read:

The Milesian delegation, a high-powered grouping from several key Departments such as the Dept. of Welfare, Labour, Economic Planning and Foreign Affairs will arrive in Xikuang via airplane to begin discussions within the framework of the 4CACE and Milesia’s presumed future application to CACE.

Foremost among the delegation is Cathal Ó Séagdha, head of the DoEPaC and Conan Skye, head of the DoL. The Milesians expected to find several allies among attending nations due to past encounters and shared economic ties. The party arrived successfully in Lhijir within the proper timeframe and was escorted to accommodation until such time as the conference would begin.

Nicklas Bergstedt loved flying, as a formed heavy-bomber pilot he was simply fascinated about all aircrafts, big and small. And that he was permitted to use one of the governments own Cessna to get to Xikuang was great, he loved the Cessnas above all other privat jets.

He was alone in the living room onboard the plane, he was thinking about taking a quick bath, watching a movie or read some documents he would give the Xikuangese authorities, the documents were classified but he had the permission to read them. Just that classified documents in Svea Riga is bad, really bad. So he choose the movie, Conflicts and Revolutions in modern days, oh my god, who picks these movies?!

After a good 3 hour flight towards Xikuang the clearence to land was given and he buckled up for a nice landing. When he exited his airplane he filled his lungs with the mountainair he loved so much. It was like he remembered it from his days as a refugee.

Free Anarcho-Communes:

The delegation from Free Anarcho-Communes turned themselves loose into the streets of Lhijir with little more than an airport brochure to guide them. It was not long before they began to feel themselves in another world. Perhaps it was just the relatively low oxygen content in the air, but there seemed to hang a serenity about the place, an almost palpable force urging one to slow down, relax, take it easy...

...which was not exactly what was on the party's agenda. Hoping that things would be a little livelier downtown, Dilly led her group towards a stop for one of the free urban public transport trains. A brief sinking sense of horror turned to relief when Paco pointed out to her that the schedule, printed in an unfamiliar alphabet, was repeated in English/Celdonian* immediately to the right. Indeed, nearly everything and, apparently, nearly everyone, seemed to be bilingual. At least language would not be a problem.

After a few inquiries of the locals, Dilly and her party soon found what they were looking for. At the other end of the market district, across from an open-air theatre square, one entered a labyrinth of corridors and back streets, lined with tiny cafés, little shops dealing in all manner of whatnot, shops and stalls peddling fresh, hot food, and-- increasingly-- purveyors of wines, fine smokeables, a peculiar, sweet, flat brown ale, and other brewed beverages, including a rather more highly alcoholic concoction than one might expect made of fermented yak milk. Here and there the corridors opened out onto wide squares, where music played and people mingled freely under the gathering dusk, congregating around great brasiers providing warmth as the evening chilled.

It was altogether a different sort of atmosphere than a large downtown pub, but one not entirely disagreeable. Dilly and her group were welcomed amicably, the native population evidently far more egregious in this setting. All at once, Dilly found herself nudged into a large circle of people, a small cup of warm rice wine thrust into her hand. Someone in the circle called out "Nha dzhielhin su'anghe!" to which the crowd replied as one: "Tang'jii jÿ t'ang'jii!", draining their cups. Dilly followed suit: what else could she do? There was gneral cheering and laughter, whereupon everyone moved off into smaller groups. Without knowing it, Dilly had just toasted a stranger's birthday.

"You're new here, aren't you?" someone asked: the smiling young woman who had given Dilly the wine. "Come by the fire. It's supposed to get cold tonight."

Iansisle

Brief introductions were made: “I’m Gerald Connors, His Majesty’s delegate to the Fourth Conference of Anti-Capitalist Powers ... this is Citizen Ridgeman, the Republic’s Secretary for Internal Development ... please allow me announce Citizen Deines, erm, assistant to the secretary.”

The taller of the two men greeting the Iansislanders replied. "Greetings, Delegate Connors, Citizen Ridgeman, Citizen Deines. I am Xiang Kalsang. This is Councillor Kham Khitai, our liaison to the Coalition of Anticapitalist Economies."

"How do you do?" Kham asked amiably. Neither Councillor seemed much fazed by the odd manner of the Iansislander's attire, but around them, a few staff could be seen to cast somewhat bemused glances their way. "Aiyah, like an old Celdonian photograph." someone or other whispered.

Passing comments were made about the score of other largely unnecessary people still waiting on the flyer, but it was obvious they had irritated Connors enough that he didn’t mind leaving them in cramped quarters for a while longer.

Councillor Kham's expression suddenly went blank.

"How many?" he asked.

Connors told him.

"Er." said Kham. "I think I had better go and... talk to somebody. If you will forgive me, gentlemen..." The tetchy Councillor bowed apologetically and bustled away.

"He worries too much." Councillor Xiang commented with a slight shake of the head. "I am certain that all attendant to your party easily can be accommodated within arranged provisions. If you gentlemen will please come this way?"

Slowly but steadily, the party made their way through airport security, not due to any improprieties in the delegates' possessions, but entirely due to Deine's insatiable curiosity. At last, while Deines was quizzing some hapless luggage clerk about a remote data entry pad, Councillor Xiang turned to Connors and Ridgeman. "Your nation must be a fascinating place indeed." he said. "So you have come to this age innocent of such innovations as--"

Suddenly, a commotion erupted behind them, beginning with an ebullient "Oh I say, what does this do?" as Deines discovered that the relatively plain, five and a half foot staves carried by many of the airport security people, had a button on them. The unsuspecting officer managed to snatch the staff away, but not before Deines had managed to press said button, whereupon there was a bright blue flash and an audible FZZZZZOT!!! went off harmlessly into the air.

"It delivers a maximum of 50,000 volts up to eight meters." the officer said quietly as a distinct ozone smell wafted through the hall. "And, sir, it would really be best if you didn't press any buttons unless you knew what they were supposed to do."

Deines wandered over to rejoin his group muttering something about '50,000 volts... that must be a great many volts!' while Xiang, satisfied that there had not been An Incident, made polite conversation with Ridgeman regarding the benefits of airport security. Eventually, the party was cleared, and Xiang took leave of them at the car that would take them to the Sai Yilinhai (Deines insisted upon rolling the window up and down throughout the journey).

Councillor Xiang half-smiled to himself as the van pulled away. "Charming." he muttered to no one in particular. "Absolutely charming."

At the Sai Yilinhai...

The receptionist smiled charmingly, as all receptionists do. "Ah yes, Delegate Connors, Citizen Ridgeman, Citizen Deines... and... some others, yes? Your rooms are ready. But if you please, Delegate Connors, there s a message for you, if you would not mind?"

The message was from one Xi'an Qiqiu, senior engineer at Lhijir International Airport.

She wondered if the Iansislean delegation might not allow her staff to look at their aircraft. Not, she hastened to add, to poke it or prod it or muck about with it in any way-- but simply to look at it. It was, she said, marvellous.

--------

*English/Celdonian: a number of us who RP regularly together have decided that it is interesting to RP language and language barriers, where they exist. The diplomatic language of Aperin in the language most widely spoken in Celdonia, which is, in ooc terms, equivalent to English, hence 'English/Celdonian'.

(ooc: Go on, Iansisle, I really enjoyed that! Too tired for more tonight... anyone else jump in anywhere.)

Security checks and hotel check-in finally done and dusted, the exhausted Ecopoeian delegation variously flopped onto and collapsed into the bed and chairs of Nadia Cherneshevsky's room. William Fort grinned, his gnarled features creasing with ironic humour.

"Considering the many hours of hard work in front of us here, I think it would be criminal if we spent our first night in Xikuang crashed out in our rooms. I hear our hotel has a 'raucous' bar..."

Nadia reluctantly raised her head from the seductively snug pillow. "I think it would be better if we were to sample what Lhijir has to offer outside of the hotel complex." She let her head flop back onto the pillow.

Nirgal chuckled quietly. A gentle snore was heard from the chair in the other corner of the room.

"Perhaps some coffee would be in order. Somebody wake up Charlotte."

Elsewhere in the Ghoran T'he'rajhi Masaai Hooley chatted amiably with some of the Xikuangese diplomatic contingent. Despite his racial heritage, Masaai had spent little time on the Western continent of Aperin and was enthusiastically greeting pretty much every random person he ran into as if they were longlost cousins.

Luigi Gogglez stood on a balcony with Beno Gladand (www.benovision.co.uk/NS/BenoGladand.jpg), the pilot of the Shiree Diplomatic Blimp, who had just arrived from the Airport. The pair had little in common excepting an interest in Bull-painting and Futbol, so they took in the magnificent view for a while before the pilot made his excuses and went into town to try and find some of the Communards he heard had already arrived.

Luigi felt uncomfortable in his diplomatic robes. He had managed to forego the ceremonial horns and facepaint, customarily worn by overseas Heralds, but his hat kept slipping on his shaven pate and he'd twice nearly tripped over the lengthy robe in the hotel lobby.

He glanced again at the SeOCC Economic template, and - passing the sign of the TriClan across his heart - made a fervent prayer that Magic Hooley Snr and Verity Fruitful (veteran Heralds with far more experience in deciphering the bureaucratic doorstops from SeOCCs Ministeries) would soon arrive themselves, and spare him the work.

He wandered through the hotel in order to replace the files in his room. A group of five of the Military Dancers nodded respectfully from one of the hotels bars. As the Shiree Herald for FairPlay reached his room he heard voices in the adjacent quarters. He couldn't make out the words... was it some Alcaeran language?

In a spontaneous moment of lonliness he knocked on the Ecopoeians door.
*rrRap-ap-ap*
"Hola! Anybody home?"

Nadia was gently shaking Charlotte back to wakefulness when there was a knock on the door, followed by a uncertain sounding call. Nirgal rose stiffly from his chair and opened the door to be confronted with the unearthly vision of a cadaverous man with bulging blue eyes, wearign elaborate flowing robes and a hat that would rarely merit the epithet 'fetching'.

"Ah, hello! You must be from Watfordshire, yes?"

The man, who appeared rather unsettled, nodded his head.

"I'm Nirgal, from Ecopoeia. Come in, come in. This is William Fort and over there are Nadia Cherneshevsky and Charlotte Dorsa Brevia."

The Ecopoeians, including the now awake Charlotte, waved at the intriguing visitor.

"So, what brings you here, señor...?"

Looking more than a tad relieved, if still a little giddy, Luigi holds his palms up in greeting.

"Nirgal, William, Nadia, Charlotte..." he bows to each in turn "..please forgive the intrusion: I find myself a little at odds with this climate and merely knocked on a whim... but I have studied what I can of your nation and was looking for amiable comrades with which to explore Lhijir..." Luigi pauses briefly in consideration "...to be honest, even objectionable companions would remain preferable to the slab of paperwork I have been avoiding..."

"Paperwork, ugh. Gives me the shakes. I suggest we hit the town and find some bars. I intend to thoroughly research Xikuang's, ah, cultural and social sights. Maybe find me a pretty lady or three, hmm?"

Charlotte rolled her eyes and made a none-too-flattering gesture at her randy old colleague.

"Hey, missy - there's plenty of life left in this old coot. Why, only last week I-"

Nirgal stepped in hurriedly. "Señor, we would be honoured if you would join us in sampling the night-time delights of this fair city. As you can see, William here may appear, ah, elderly-"

"Hah!"

"-but he is still very much young at heart. So, um, should we make our way now? The night is young and we have plenty to see."

Psylos declares its full support for the CACE.

Diplomatic difficulties at home have so far prevented the dispatch of a delaegation from our country to fulfuil their long-held dream of visiting the Serene Socialist Republic. We hope to have delegates present in the near future.

( A somewhat Wobbly Tag.)

Comrade General Kivi Eikki Paatelainen, Secretary advising The Igovian Soviet People's Defence Forces for the Igovian Soviet Commonwealth of Beth Gellert might not have been the comrade best suited to an event of the sort unfolding in Xikuang. Neither he nor his phenominal hangover greatly relished the idea of another long trip, another change of environment, and another official gathering.

These things didn't stop Portmeirion's communiqué to the big man getting through diplomatic channels in Korea, where Paatelainen was hard at work upsetting sensibilities at the Asian Friendship Conference. After passing the night sprawled on his hotel room floor in Seoul, the comrade General was roused by aides who bundled his lofty frame aboard the waiting Preston displomatic transpor aircraft. Cheapskates. Why should he make do with this awkward little twin piston-engine crate when The Commonwealth had scores of Marathon just sitting on airstrips?

Ah well, the Beth Gellen consoled himself with some strong ale on the flight, changed his mysteriously messy brown chequered shoulder cape with a cleaner blue and...brown chequered shoulder cape, and asked to be reminded where the heck he was going, now.

"Zwhat? Anti-whosits? So the ****ing Nicobarese won't be there, you're saying? Fantastic, do they know we're coming?"

The flight engineer shrugged and continued in his duties, providing the rest of the flight crew with the proper libations as the little plane dipped and swerved its way into Xikuang airspace.

http://citationx.cessna.com/wallpaper/center_photo_06.jpg
Here at last, Junaklion Hearld reporter Elijah Dabaransi thought to himself as he stared out the window of the Cessna Citation X which carried the journalistic entourage tasked with covering 4CACE. Sure, the Citation cruised at about 600 mph and could reach Mach .98, but that was nothing compared to the speeds Elijah experienced flying an SR-71 during his stint in the Air Force.

Somehow the Syskeyiapolis Journal, the Junaklion Hearld and the New Nicaea Tribune had all agreed to pull their resources together and send some journalists to cover the CACE conference. The transportation had been provided courtesy of New Nicaea Tribune head Henry Inchareon, who had recently bought the Citation for the company and wanted to test it out. Following the "Santayana Debacle" Syskeyia had technically broken diplomatic relations with all CACE nations save Constantinopolis, and the reporters hoped that the Republic's old alliance with the Holy Socialist Republic would help save their necks.

Finally, they looked out and saw the city of Lhijir:
http://www.drnightshade.org.uk/images/xikuang/lhijirl.jpg
"Such a beautiful city," said New Nicaea Tribune journalist Alphonsus Ba Nien. "Remind you of home, Maria?"

"Sorta, but not really," replied Syskeyiapolis Journal reporter Maria Agoume. "The clouds look nice, but they're annoying through the streets. Love the apline forests, though. Remind me of the Kardja Mountains."

The Syskeyiapolis native reminisced about frolicking through the mountain forests with her siblings back when she was a kid, then came back to reality.

The jorunalists were a bit afraid, and they had reason to be. Most of the CACE nations considered Syskeyia to be a nation full of OMG s3xu811y r3pr3553d f85c15t Catholic fund8m3nt8l15t5, and Xiukang and Syskeyia did not have formal diplomatic relations .

The plane landed at Lhijir International Airport.

OOC: Well, I'm sending journalists. :) Could you please say they have some special diplomatic pass or visa or something? Maybe talk with Stan about it, or something?

God bless,

The Republic of Syskeyia

OOC: Thanks to Galdago for posting for me in my absence.

Cathal and Conan got off the plane and were greeted by the Xikuangese Councillor, Xiang, whom they greeted in the traditional Milesian manner of bringing their right fist to their left breast and swiftly bowing before several other members of the Milesian delegation disembarked bowed. They were all dressed in a similar manner in a vaguely futuristic fashion with well-tailored suits, which were only generally worn for formal events.

“Nice to be back in a thin air environment,” said Cathal addressing Xiang “I was getting kind of sick of all that…’fat air’ in the lowlands. Thanks for meeting us Councillor.”

They all exchanged niceties before making their way to the security checkpoint to be given the all clear to move to the Sai Yilinhai hotel where the delegation intended to prepare for the upcoming negotiations, but not before browsing around the famous library for a short period of time.

Weegie Embassy, Lhijir

A smartly dressed young woman with rather short light brown hair and brown eyes stood in her office, looking slightly serious and officious, talking to an even younger woman, who seemed to be listening to her intently, but on closer inspection was probably staring at a spider web in the corner.

"And remember, Robin, to make sure that if the Weegie Embassy in Glasburgh calls again looking for another definitive list of those attending the 4CACE conference, to tell them that we've already sent five. I mean honestly, what do they do with paperwork over there?" The officious woman sighed in exasperation, looking up in despair for her fellow nationals in Glasburgh.

"Mmhmm. Yes, Ms. Pacifico."

"And, of course, while I'm attending other duties, Alfred McGeady will be in charge. He's a little more lax than myself, of course, but don't be expecting a holiday."

"Mmhmm. Yes, Ms. Pacifico."

"Now, I'm off to say hello to Xiang, and Kham. If I'm lucky, probably Jane McKinnon and Lewis Roper."

"Mmhmm. Yes, Ms. Pacifico."

Andrea Pacifico turned and left, leaving the bored secretary back to reading her book. Apparently it had been nominated for some award, or so it said on the cover.

ooc: computer is bad. Dare not try long post. Lost enough already. Try again soon.

Cirdani Diplomatic Concorde, Between New Grey Havens and Lhijir

The Concorde was a spacious aircraft, but diplomatic missions and international conference parties had always shown a surprising tendency to grow to fill up the space allotted to them. Even though the rest of the plane was rather disorderly and crowded, the top-level attendees had nonetheless managed to secure some breathing space in the front. Chairwoman Sigrid Andtern was busy “getting into the spirit of international socialist exchange” by trying out various East Hackneyite dark ales, Praesident of Foreign Affairs Saluki was reading a book about the border raids between Cirdanistan and the Tellenic Aperin tribes in the middle of the thirteenth century and, as usual, was a paragon of composure, although Fouad also kept a watch on his friend out of the corner of his eye-not that he didn’t trust Sigrid to remain sufficiently sober to hide her inebriation, but the 4CACE was to important to leave anything to chance. Seated in front of him, little Aïsha al-Jamuria, the Praesident of Economics, kept nervously going over sums and checking numbers in a thick leather-bound book, while Major Ingrid Feuersturm (Praesident of Military Affairs) was field-stripping and cleaning the handgun she’d have to leave behind at the embassy. The last member of the Praesidium present, the Praesident of Science and Education, Hakkon Perssen, had rotated his seat into a horizontal position and gone to sleep.

In the back, amidst the cohort of assistants, experts, and senior civil servants, the ubiquitous detachment of the Special Protection Service was scowling. Somebody had thought the paralysis-inducing lasers might shock the gun-fearing Xikuangese, and they had been encased in large bright yellow cylinders, which simply didn’t go with the SPS “I’m a serious bodyguard” look; the needlers looked distinctly gadgety, and if water pistols hadn’t been a totally alien concept in cold Cirdanistan they would’ve probably refused to use them. At least the electric cattle prods had afforded a moment of levity-due to the medieval-ish poses that could be struck with them-before being condemned as being just as ridiculous as the rest.

Upon arrival in Lhijir, while one of the SPS people was showing the relevant authorities the medical documents certifying there were no known possible complications from the neuroblockers in the needlers’ paralysing loads and registering the weapons, the delegation from the Praesidium was greeted by Councillors Xiang and Khitai. Fouad introduced Hakkon, the only Cirdani Kham Khitai had never previously met, while the little Xikuangese introduced his comrade to the group. A young woman from the SPS, unable to resist the temptation when she saw that the Xikuangese security personnel had their own electric prods, saluted one of the security guards with a (ridiculously over-emphasised) flourish of her cattle prod and then broke down laughing. Her colleagues quickly ushered her away from the Xikuangese in question, lest he be offended, while the politicians, serenely ignoring the whole affair, let the two Councillors send them on their way to the hotel (except for Ingrid, who had to rush off to the embassy to get rid of her gun). [OOC: assuming the Xikuangese let her take it off the plane in the first place]

In one of the Goran T'he'rajhi's well-appointed café bars, Maasai Hooley was chatting amicably with someone from the Elected General Committee for Economic Affairs. Conversation had turned to the NSPER, as it had a habit of doing whenever these economist types were around, and he was beginning to think he would rather fancy another drink. He gingerly attracted the attention of a passing staff member.

"Yes sir, what can I-- Masaai? Masaai Hooley?" she said.

She was a bony young woman with spiky hair and round wireframe glasses. He had no idea who she was, but he confirmed to her that he was who she seemed to think he was.

"Wow!" she effervesced. "I didn't realise you were coming! I'd have sent something! It's been years! Oh, but you probably don't recognise me; I was just a sprog last I saw you-- Jijie. Your cousin Jijie."

--------------------------------

In the control room at Lhijir International Airport, an air traffic controller received some data, triple-checked it, and keyed in a sequence.

"Confirmed, Beth Gellertian (ooc: ?) craft. You are cleared to land on runway 12. Welcome to Xikuang, and have a pleasant descent."

--------------------------------

At an arrivals terminal elsewhere in the airport, Councillor Kham and another individual, one Qzin Sangyin, waited to greet another party, hoping it wouldn't be too painful.

"I hope this won't be too painful." he commented to his companion.

"I don't know what you're worried about."

"I don't know why they came." They spoke a bizarrely inflected dialect that marked them out as hailing from the high plateaux of the Lhorong province to the west.

"Maybe to save our godless hellbound heathen souls?"

"Against which may the Compassionate Buddha protect us." Kham returned with detectable irony. "It's most odd. It's not as if we've ever had the rosiest of relations with Syskeyia. Why they should want to send... journalists... is beyond me."

"The world works in strange ways. We have lived in interesting times."

Kham shuddered. "Don't say things like that."

Qzin chuckled. "It will be fine. Trust me. Here they are."

The gate opened, and Alphonsus Ba Nien and Maria Agoume were admitted into International Arrivals, where Kham and Qzin awaited them. Greetings and standard pleasantries were exchanged, so that he journalists almost felt themselves at their ease, before Councillor Kham led them aside to a low table with a few seats around it in a sheltered corner of the waiting area commanding an excelent view of the runway through floor-to-ceiling windows. "Would you care for tea or anything? Coffee? Do please have a seat."

Suitable refreshment having been procured, Kham faced the Syskeyian journalists across the table, while Qzin mostly kept his eyes directed elsewhere.

"Mr. Alphonsus, Ms. Agoume, I understand you're here to attend the 4CACE in journalistic capacity. I am afraid that this is quite impossible. All media access to the 4CACE has been arranged months in advance, through accredited domestic and continental media and through the DataHavens. I am sure you can appreciate that we simply cannot allow unrestricted press access to the conference itself, and we certainly can't admit a late arrival. Security would have my head if I so much as thought about it."

Kham allowed this information to sink in, fussing a bit with sugar and butter and other such things that go in tea, before continuing. "We are of course happy to issue you with visitors' visas, and provided your licensing checks out-- I'm sure it will not be a problem, but we have to go through the motions-- to access to those areas designated for non-specially-accredited press covering the 4CACE. Likewise, you are perfectly welcome to the data feed from media points inside. That information is public, and you can be assured that you may observe the conference in its entirety through these feeds.

"I cannot offer you any more than that. You are welcome to stay as journalists on an equal footing with other journalists, but like other journalists, I fear that you will not be admitted to the conference itself or to areas of the hotels set aside for conference delegates not normally open to the public. I realise that this may be a bit of a disappointment to you, but like you, I have my job to do. Would you have any questions at all?"

--------------------------------

Councillor Xiang returned the Milesian delegation's traditional salute in kind, though he executed the bow a bit more slowly. Watching him, it was difficult to imagine Councillor Xiang moving quickly, though the deliberate efficiency of his every gesture did something to compensate for it.

“Nice to be back in a thin air environment,” said Cathal addressing Xiang “I was getting kind of sick of all that…’fat air’ in the lowlands. Thanks for meeting us Councillor.”

"Thank you for honouring us with your presence, comrade Séagdha, comrade Skye. 'Fat air'-- such an appropriate term. I always feel relief from it upon returning from abroad. It gratifies me that there will be at least some among our honoured guests who will find the Xikuangese climate rather more than less to their liking."

Xiang led the Milesians through security, accomplished without a hitch; one of the shaggy grey sniffer dogs wagged her tail happily at Conan. They then made their way to the Sai Yilinhai.

----------------------------------

General Councillor Xiang arrived early for his appointment with Ambassador Pacifico. They had met before: as Chair of the Elected General Committee for International Affairs, Xiang had met all of the many ambassadors to Xikuang, and he had striven to arrange at least one dinner with as many as possible. The Ghoran T'he'rajhi had set a closed-off section of its largest café bar for 4CACE delegate use only. Today, he would meet the Weegie Ambassador there. Reserving a comfortable corner table, he waited, but not long-- Andrea also arrived early.

Xiang rose and bowed. "Ambassador Pacifico, I am delighted to see you again! Please, you must be tired." He indicated for her to sit. Andrea knew Xikuang well enough to know that Xiang had paid her a compliment: by inviting her to sit before offering tea, he had acknowledged her as a friend worthy of trust.

------------------------------------

A young woman from the SPS, unable to resist the temptation when she saw that the Xikuangese security personnel had their own electric prods, saluted one of the security guards with a (ridiculously over-emphasised) flourish of her cattle prod and then broke down laughing. Her colleagues quickly ushered her away from the Xikuangese in question, lest he be offended, while the politicians, serenely ignoring the whole affair, let the two Councillors send them on their way to the hotel (except for Ingrid, who had to rush off to the embassy to get rid of her gun). [OOC: assuming the Xikuangese let her take it off the plane in the first place]

(ooc: it's too funny not to have happened, so let's assume it was after security checks, whereupon your guards' weapons will have been restored to them.)

The saluted security guard, briefly unsure whether he was being wound up, tossed his staff to a neighbouring guard, in the same motion snatching a length of carbon steel pipe, attached by a short chain to another length of carbon steel pipe. He struck a mock-intimidating pose, then collapsed into laughter.

Later, he would be reprimanded, most severely.

ooc: sorry, guys-- my computer has weird problems, and I am intemittently busy for many hours at a stretch... Xikuang is based on a liberated Tibet, Lhijir on a Lhasa brought fully to the modern age. Keep those in mind and RP away. I'll just take the risk and trust you. ;)

ooc update: my weekend was EATEN BY GIANT SLUGS! OMG! Not really, but certain circumstances have made it impossible for me to post. Conference proper-- soon.

'Fat air'-- such an appropriate term.

Had there been any Freesovs in the vicinity, you might have heard grumbles of "Damn mountaineers. Our beaches beat their vertical rockfaces any day..."

“Why don’t you go check on our rooms, Citizen Deines?” asked Connors caustically.

“I’d really rather...”

“That sounds like a smashing idea!” agreed Ridgeman at once. “Go and check on our rooms, citizen. It is an important task for the Republic.”

One couldn’t tell if Ridgeman was trying to fire the Revolutionary spirit inside Deines for his menial task or if Weshield simply had a long way to go before mastering its new republican vernacular.

Meanwhile, Connors was receiving his message. With a somewhat quizzical look on his face, he asked the receptionist to pass along that, yes, Xi'an Qiqiu and her staff were welcome to investigate their aerotransport.

“It’s just an old Bankfield,” he said, “not nearly as luxurious as...”

Connors drew up short. He’d been about to say ‘not nearly as luxurious as some of our cruise liners,’ but worried that perhaps Xikuang was embarrassed by its lack of a seaport and would take offense at that comment. Connors ended instead with a noncommittal “some other things” and a cough.

Strangely enough, it was Ridgeman who came to his rescue. The Weshieldian suggested, in a booming voice, that they ought to try the bar now that “we’ve dropped that demmed deadweight at last!”

Connors begged the receptionist’s pardon and the pair retired to the Sai Yilinhai bar - “look, it’s got its own library!” marveled Ridgeman - and sat down on the comfortable stools.

“Just water for me,” ordered Connors, his eyes scanning the nearly deserted room.

“Scotch on the rocks for me!” said the more boisterous Ridgeman. “Oi, Connors, what do you reckon that thingamabob does?”

“Judging from the sign above, it’s a card catalog.”

“But it’s just one of those mechanical brain doo-hickies!”

“Yes.”

“Huh! What won’t they think of next?”

Connors didn’t reply. He was too busy sizing up the New Paristan delegates out of the corner of his eyes. Ridgeman - much less unobtrusively - followed his gaze, then cocked his head and arched an eyebrow as if to ask the more seasoned diplomat ‘what do you make of them?’

Henri Raspail hung up the phone. He was out of a job. Sure, PM Chartres wanted him to stay at 4CACE as "Economic Liason," but still...he had liked being Minister for the Economy.

He sighed. Well, if it'll get us closer to communism, he thought, then I'm for it. He hoped it would work.

Hmm. How, he wondered, did that change his role here? He paced the hotel room and thought about it for a bit. Then he got dizzy from the altitude and sat down again.

"I need a drink," he said to nobody in particular, and stomped off downstairs to find Minister Poulain.

He found her and her two staffers sipping drinks and reading in a bar/library downstairs.

"Hi, comrade Poulain."

"Hi, comrade Raspail."

"I'm out of a job."

"Wow. That didn't take long...I didn't think the Economic Restructuring Bill was up for a vote yet." Minister Poulain motioned for her staffer to stop reading to her.

"Well, apparently Prime Minister Chartres thought now would be a good time. I don't know. I suppose this was inevitable, if you believe the economists. Heck, if you believe them, everything is inevitable. All we have to do is sit back and play our little role and communism will happen all on its own." Raspail motioned for a waiter. He realized that he looked kind of silly waving his arms around when it was obvious that no waiters were to be seen. He went to the bar and ordered a very stiff martini. He got his drink and sat down with Minister Poulain and her staffers.

"So...what's your role here now?" Minister Poulain inquired.

"I'm to stay on at 4CACE as a kind of economic liason." Raspail shook his head and took a long pull at his drink. "I just don't know what that means. I suppose I'm supposed to explain to 4CACE why I'm obsolete and what that means in the context of broader historical and economic forces that shape a communist revolution."

"That sounds about right." Minister Poulain finished her 2nd glass of Absinthe. Feeling pleasantly mellow, she decided the best course of action would be to order another one. She sent one of her staffers to the bar.

The staffer who wasn't busy at the bar noticed someone staring at the table and nudged Minister Poulain.

"Who's that?" She asked.

"No clue. Maybe another delegation, come to check out the bar."

"Hmm." Minister Poulain was happy to talk to other delegations, but in her somewhat intoxicated state was not about to try walking over and introducing herself. She looked casually at the man who had apparently taken interest in the table and nodded her head slightly in greeting.

ooc: for context, see http://invisionfree.com/forums/CACE/index.php?showtopic=1368&st=15&#last

The Beth Gellen aircraft bumped and screeched its way down the runway, the unusual size of its landing gear being explained by the heart-stoppingly rough nature of the intoxicated pilot's landing. The aircraft was worn by years of service required by the huge military cuts of the inter-Igovian years. DT-41 had, as CG-107, flown old 485mm torpedoes into action at Salvador, and had survived the .50" fire that'd brought down her sister aircraft. Built under licence in Savique, the Preston had outlived its parent nation, and now she exerted her two 1,750hp piston engines in ferrying Commonwealth Consuls around the world, despite being meant for internal flights.

Comrade General Kivi Eikki Paatelainen was made a Hero of the First Igovian Revolution in the same conflict that saw his steed's baptism, although he fought with both feet on the ground, helping to knock-out Victoria Salvadorian Merkava battle tanks in New Gibborim. Although his paternal family had reached Beth Gellert from Finland via the Soviet Union after his grandfather's opposition to the Fascists, Kivi Eikki had become every part the Celtic Beth Gellen during his life in the Indian Ocean state. His mother was a six-foot Welsh-speaking firebrand, so he was told by a father that couldn't actually be sure he was right, and the titanic Paatelainen adopted the lifestyle with enthusiasm. He lived in a round house in a hilltop village, he wore hand-woven and dyed garments that came with a short cape and were tied with string in place of buttons or zips, his flowing brown hair was only a little longer than his flowing brown moustache, and he wasn't done drinking inspite of the two or three litres of hard liquor he'd consumed in the last 24 hours.

The General made right for the bar, striding with massive and rapid paces that left his comrades disinclined to keep up, sending them back to the plane with a dismissive wave. Paatelainen commented aloud but to nobody in particular that the place was quite agreeable, looking a touch alike the New Welsh Mountains with structures that wouldn't have looked out of place in parts of the eclectic Beth Gellen capital, Portmeirion.

Here and there, on rock faces, walls, and even as he entered the bar, the Igovian slapped a few stickers (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v148/Chivtv/NS1/1939-2-plakat400.jpg) displaying the Premier at the revolution's helm, probably upsetting more people than he might recruit by its self-important waffle.

Before he'd even reached the bar itself, Paatelainen was bellowing a request for, "what's strong and local!"

Oh, I'll be here! Karl Ivanovich is my ambassador, because my main one Dmitri Andropov is in New Partisan.
Perhaps we should reveal our graphs - IFTA improves your economy - to the world? Again?

Perhaps we should reveal our graphs - IFTA improves your economy - to the world? Again?

oh, those will be here. in updated form no less.

Comrade Sikander trotted down the hotel corridor, desperately trying to keep pace with Comrade Albert's long-legged stride while scribbling hasty shorthand notes of the string of facts, figures and economic theses that the esteemed Delegate for the Economy was throwing out without breaking step.

"...fourth-quarter aggregate demand is way out of line with predicted ...damned Ecopoeians have to up their tradeables if they're to get to grips with structural unemployment... half a million in that one sector alone..."

Eyes fixed on his notepad, he failed to notice a diminutive Xikuangese waiter bearing a tray of empty coffee cups stepping out of a room to his right.

Amid the confusion and apologies and scattered shards of delicately patterned porcelain, Sikander caught a snatch of accented Celdonian emerging from the half-open door.

That sounds familiar... Ecopoeian? As Albert disappeared around the corner, still spouting economic analysis and heedless to his secretary's absence, Sikander gently pushed the door open and peered in.

Inside, a group of delegates were lounging around on beds and chairs looking bored and tossing around suggestions for the night's entertainment. They looked up at the new arrival and Sikander's eyes widened with recognition.

"Nadia? Nirgal? By Marx, I had no idea you were here! The security here is ridiculous - reception refused to tell me whether the Ecopoeian delegates had arrived, which hotel they were staying in, who was in the Ecopoeian party or, indeed, whether the nation of Ecopoeia did or did not exist.

"Paranoid, huh? Or maybe that's just typical Xikuangese service... anyway, you guys want to hit the town? The bar here's OK, bit bland though... but there's this fantastic little place just round the corner, does a great line in fermented yak's milk. No, me neither, but it's the local thing. And do you know if the Shiree are here yet? I gotta get some powerful psychotropics, the boss'll drive me insane before the week's out."

In Lhijir International Airport's observation tower, a control operator watched the DT-41's descent onto the runway with interest and mounting concern.

"Beth Gellen aircraft, you are deviating; are you experiencing difficulty?"

The radio returned a stream of syllabulary from which the operator physically recoiled. "I didn't quite get that." he commented to the operator to his left.

"They say they're fine and... things." she said. "They're back on track now, but..."

"Beth Gellen aircraft, check your altitude; you are coming in too quickly."

This time the radio returned an even more energetic stream of invective before ending on a nasty feedback shriek.

The operator exchanged the briefest of glances with his companion to the left before pressing a big red button on his console.

"Runway 12. Repeat, runway 12, full complement, repeat full complement." To the left, his companion was talking into the radio: "Demo-Bobylonian craft, we are experiencing difficulties. Please delay descent onto runway 11."

The controller and his companion to the left winced as the DT-41 hit the tarmac much too hard, bounced, wobbled, and careered onto the runway. Below, a squadron of boxy emergency vehicles bolted for runway 12, their operators fervently hoping nothing was about to explode.

It all worked out allright, the DT-41 finally coming under a reasonable degree of control and meandering its way to its designated berth under the escort of a couple of fire engines.

Though Xiang easily maintained an amicable nonchalance, and while the airport security staff attended to their duties with every efficiency, few of the natives could help staring at the imposing form of Comrade General Kivi Eikki Paatelainen. Indeed, the rough Highlander certainly stood out amongst the typically congenitally diminutive, culturally docile Xikuangese, who were generally quite happy to stay out of his way. Comrade General Paatelainen found his driver to be quite solicitous, pointing this or that possible attraction along the journey from the airport to the hotel.

Behind him, cleaning personnel broke out surfactant after environmentally friendly surfactant trying to remove stickers. Graffiti was perfectly legal, as was pamphleteering, but within certain limitations...

The General made right for the bar, striding with massive and rapid paces that left his comrades disinclined to keep up, sending them back to the plane with a dismissive wave. Paatelainen commented aloud but to nobody in particular that the place was quite agreeable, looking a touch alike the New Welsh Mountains with structures that wouldn't have looked out of place in parts of the eclectic Beth Gellen capital, Portmeirion.

Here and there, on rock faces, walls, and even as he entered the bar, the Igovian slapped a few stickers displaying the Premier at the revolution's helm, probably upsetting more people than he might recruit by its self-important waffle.

Before he'd even reached the bar itself, Paatelainen was bellowing a request for, "what's strong and local!"

"Certainly, sir." the bartender smiled, evaluating her customer even as she looked like she wasn't. From a range of bottles aesthetically arranged on lit hardwood shelves, very few of them labelled in anything but the non-Roman alphabet adopted by the Xikuangese, she selected a delicately labelled cloudy-clearish spirit, pouring what was evidently the standard measure into a tiny ceramic cup which, in the huge hand of the Comrade General, looked a little ridiculous. He downed it in one. It was strong, certainly, with a ginger-and-capsicum kick that would clear your sinuses for a week... but not quite what he was after. If this was the strongest they had to offer, these Xikuangese were a bunch of lightweights...

Noting the Comrade General's lack of enthusiasm, she tried a different brew, this one shoved far to the back. A dark amber, he could practically see the vapours rising off of the liquid.

"Perhaps you'd prefer this one, sir."

-------------------------------------

Elsewhere, a diminutive waiter was on hands and knees picking up a few intact, but mostly shards of, empty coffee and tea cups following a most unfortunate collision in the hallway. He could not help but overhear:

"Nadia? Nirgal? By Marx, I had no idea you were here! The security here is ridiculous - reception refused to tell me whether the Ecopoeian delegates had arrived, which hotel they were staying in, who was in the Ecopoeian party or, indeed, whether the nation of Ecopoeia did or did not exist."

He sighed, keying in a request for a hoover to be sent up on his datapad. They did so often conflate security with reception, these foreigners... of course security wouldn't have told anyone anything about any delegation. Reception would have... provided, of course, reception security approved. It was so simple, really...

Dear 4CACE,
As the Fuehrer of Reculif, we welcome this convention and all its affiliates. We hop e to bring an added element to your organization.

Dear 4CACE,
As the Fuehrer of Reculif, we welcome this convention and all its affiliates. We hop e to bring an added element to your organization.

Sincerly,
Klaus Kerns
Fuehrer of the Confederacy of Reculif

Rosa Almeida gave a laugh of sheer pleasure. At least she thought it was pleasure, and not altitude sickness.

"Look, it's the blimp we palmed off on the Shiree. They're here!" The people's representative for economic affairs & cooperatives clapped her hands together and closed her eyes, remembering a favourite trip.

Her seat mate on board the airship "Flying Emma's Red Shoes" scowled at her. "This is a business trip, Saudari Rosa," said Mari Alkatiri, people's representative for foreign affairs & human rights.

"Oh, yes, Mari, but look at the snow! Have you ever seen anything like it?"

"Of course i have, we have mountains in my province. But it's not the mountains we're here to see. It is to build international solidarity of working people."

Rosa stood and made a pirouette in the aisle. "Of course, Bung. But i for one intend to do some dancing as well."

The blimp swerved slightly to avoid a large bird, but the passengers felt no shock, insulated as they were by the comfort of the flying craft. "Flying Emma" began her descent.

General Councillor Xiang arrived early for his appointment with Ambassador Pacifico. They had met before: as Chair of the Elected General Committee for International Affairs, Xiang had met all of the many ambassadors to Xikuang, and he had striven to arrange at least one dinner with as many as possible. The Ghoran T'he'rajhi had set a closed-off section of its largest café bar for 4CACE delegate use only. Today, he would meet the Weegie Ambassador there. Reserving a comfortable corner table, he waited, but not long-- Andrea also arrived early.

Xiang rose and bowed. "Ambassador Pacifico, I am delighted to see you again! Please, you must be tired." He indicated for her to sit. Andrea knew Xikuang well enough to know that Xiang had paid her a compliment: by inviting her to sit before offering tea, he had acknowledged her as a friend worthy of trust.

Andrea bowed in return, and shook Xiang's left hand with both of her hands; which Xiang knew from his travels, whilst participating in various international events, was a sign of trust from the Weegies. She then took her seat.

"Ach, not really, Councillor Xiang. A little lightheaded perhaps, but that kind of thing normally comes from moving from a country where standing on a telephone book can give you a view, to a country where any flat surface is, invariably, vertical. Well, ok, I'm exaggerating to a degree, but you know what I mean."

She gave a small grin, and proceeded to talk again. "I am surprised by the Council Leader joining the party of delegates, although the size of the delegation is odd as well. After all, Councillor Sharkey has enough on his plate at the moment, with the opposing parties threatening to throw his government out on its' ear. Which, of course, would be bad for the future membership of my nation in the CACE, seeing as the Social Liberals have been moving steadily rightward since the 60's... sometimes it's hard to tell them from the Conservatives at times. I suppose he just wants to be part of this conference; after all, he shouted the longest and loudest of any of the politicians for CACE membership. But anyway, we shouldn't have to wait long."

Her phone suddenly rang. "I am sorry... just a second." She talked on the phone for just a second, and then put it back, a look of contentment on her face. "Jane McKinnon and Lewis Roper have just arrived at the airport."

Lhijir International Airport

The squat little white plane - the standard plane for Weegie diplomatic engagements - landed on the tarmac, and two people stepped out. The first, a fairly tall, oldish-looking man with a large mop of unruly grey hair, dressed in a long thick black coat and a tall furry white hat, shivered slightly, and made his way down the steps. He was followed by an equally tall younger woman with long red hair, less severely dressed than the man, but still prepared for the worst. The woman overtook the man slightly, and got to Kham first.

"Councillor Kham, hello!" said Jane, bowing towards Kham. "I trust, of course, everything has been ordered and laid out for our arrival very well... oh, what am I saying, of course it would be, in the best Xikuangese traditions of hospitality. This fellow is, of course, Lewis Roper, delegate to the IFTA." Lewis nodded once, gracefully, but remained silent. "The rest will be approaching soon; I heard there was turbulence over the Rigan Sea which delayed them to a short degree, but that is all sorted now."

The Pareconian Federal Airlines passenger jet PEFA513 touched down. Since all intra-Aperin Pareconian delegations ride with regular passenger flights, the six members of the 4CACE Delegation strode out from the sleek, joint-manufactured Celdonian/Pareconian aircraft along with other travellers and tourists visiting Xikuang.

After a thorough security check, the delegation was cleared to enter Xikuang and its capital, Lhijir. Although the Pareconian delegation hadn't gotten an official welcome notice from the Xikanguese government, they were absolutely certain to be accepted and accomodated, given the long and cordial relationship between the two nations.

--------------------------------------------------

OOC:

The Pareconian 4CACE Delegation:

- Anna Holm, The ParEcon General Assembly
- Viktor Watson, The ParEcon General Assembly
- Maggie Öhlund, Foreign Affairs Council
- Per McCluskey, Foreign Affairs Council
- Margareta Åström, Federal Planning Board
- John Mortson, Federal Planning Board

Feel free to use their names when RPing.

Mrs. Öhlund and mr. McCluskey are responsible for issues concerning the Pareconian government, while ms. Åström and mr. Mortson are responsible for economic issues. Ms. Holm and mr. Watson are representatives for the General Assembly and all regional and local councils. Their task is to observe the work of the other delegation members and safeguard the interest of the people in the negotiations.

some time in the imminent future

Luigi Gogglez attempted to unstick his face from the carpet, but soon found that his heads immobility was due to the fact that he'd somehow managed to wedge it under his hotel bed.

At least he assumed it was his hotel bed.

Probably better not to check quite yet. Luigi thought... in case it wasn't.

The Shiree herald for Fair Play began to notice an awful lactic stench coming from somewhere nearabouts. Despite the chill gusts blowing up Luigi's robes through the open hotel window, the virtually visible odour showed no signs of abating.

Brief and splintered recollections danced behind Luigi's eyelids.... yaks.
Why am I thinking about Yaks? he wondered.

A full minute passed before Luigi realised that the stench was actually from his breath and as he raised himself and took in the surroundings, the whole sordid affair came flooding back...

RE: 4CACE Observer Status
DATE: 2004.08.11

The Confederated City States of Mikitivity (CCSM) would like to petition the Serene Socialist Republic of Xikuang, host of the 4th International Conference for the Coalition of Anti-Capitalist Economies, for the privilege for the CCSM to send an observer delegation to the conference.

Though the CCSM may not technically be considered to have a socialist economy and certainly can be characterized as being pro-business, the CCSM does support international social programs and recognizes that the CACE members have always been leaders in promoting international long-term sustainable programs. Furthermore the CCSM would like to follow the proceedings of the International Fair Trade Agreement.

Since our delegation would act as an observer and will be reaching the conference late, it will consist solely of myself. My government is prepared to send me quickly if arrangements can be made for accommodations.

-HZ


Howie Zemo
International Office
Confederated City States of Mikitivity



OOC: A newbie to roleplaying I'd much rather observer. Howie is admittedly a younger diplomat with instructions to really observe -- which I plan to do. He doesn't have any authority to make any agreements, but hopefully can be allowed to sit in on some sessions. He might also provide another character to add into the role-play. As I get the hang of this, I may have him attempt to convey what he feels are the key events back home. :)

Aboard the plane Abbott One

The plane was spacious and lovely. It of course was equiped with state-of-the-art equipment. It had to be, since it was an government plane. It also had leather seats and other amenties, like a bar. You culd always get any drinkyou wanted and of course there was food avaiable. Doting the plane was the seal of the Socialist Union of Kerla. It was not an primivate plane. It was expensive, but the govermnet deemd that they need it. The plane was headed for Xiuang for 4CACE or the 4th Confrence of Anti Capitalist Encomies. Stephanie Rosen, the premier of Kerla remembers the first conference. It was the start of the Coalition of Anti Capitalist Economies or CACE, as it is known as, headquarted in Celdonia. Stephanie was pacing the plane. She was seen by Tom Robinson, the CACE Representive. "Why are you so worried Stephanie" he asked her. She responded, "I want to make sure that I get everything right Tom, you know that it is not an easy job." "O I am sure tht you will do a fine job, you always did. I know that this is imporant. This is a time when we can bring more members to CACE. We can show the world how powerful we really are. We made history when we first attended the first conference and we will be make history today too. I know that you will do an excellent job. Kerla is a utopia. We really don't have many problems and you know that." Stephanie nodded. She knew that he was right. "Wekk then lets get ready and hope that good things happen. I know that they will." Stephanie then walked towards the front of the plane. She then proced to enter the cabin. "How close are we Mitch" she asked the captain Mitch Williams. "We are pretty close Stephanie, less then an hour away. Just sit back, relax and we will be there in no time. After all we are pretty close." Stephanie laughed and went back into her. She then got a magazine to read. No need to sleep since they will be there pretty soon.

In the airport

"Why do we have to go through this" asks Jake Bullhorn, assistant director of diplomacy. "After all, we won't try to sabotage the conefernce." "Be nice to our hosts Jake" his boss Jenifer Stewart, the director of diplomacy said. "The Xiuangnese are nice people. They are peaceful." "I hope that they are" Jake blurted. After the security checks the team headed toards their hotel. It was a majestic city. There was of course lots to do in the city. After an awe of the city they headed out to see what they can do. After all they do need to relax sometimes.

The Holy Empire of the Water Cooler officially eschews and condemns the event. We find the very ideals which ‘4cace’ is built around to be distasteful, morally erroneous, and ultimately foolish.

We encourage nations not to pay any heed this conference, and the crazed ramblings of its attendees. We hope that in the future such nations will see the error of there ways and renounce there economical unviable system. To that end the Holy Empire of the Water Cooler will offer support to any nations that wish to change from the foolish system of communism to something that has been proven to work, namely the system of Capitalism.

However, and this shall not be taken as sign of approval of ‘4cace’, we shall not in anyway attempt to disrupt the smooth running of ‘4cace’. Furthermore unless specifically asked we shall not comment further on the matter. We encourage fellow capitalist nations not to behave in way that lowers ourselves to their level.

Sincerely,
The Most Holy and Omnipotent Emperor Sohi,
The Holy Empire of the Water Cooler

The Holy Empire of the Water Cooler officially eschews and condemns the event. We find the very ideals which ‘4cace’ is built around to be distasteful, morally erroneous, and ultimately foolish.

We encourage nations not to pay any heed this conference, and the crazed ramblings of its attendees. We hope that in the future such nations will see the error of there ways and renounce there economical unviable system. To that end the Holy Empire of the Water Cooler will offer support to any nations that wish to change from the foolish system of communism to something that has been proven to work, namely the system of Capitalism.

However, and this shall not be taken as sign of approval of ‘4cace’, we shall not in anyway attempt to disrupt the smooth running of ‘4cace’. Furthermore unless specifically asked we shall not comment further on the matter. We encourage fellow capitalist nations not to behave in way that lowers ourselves to their level.

Sincerely,
The Most Holy and Omnipotent Emperor Sohi,
The Holy Empire of the Water Cooler

CBC News recieved a resounding "no comment" from the Celdonian government in response to the HEWC statement denouncing 4CACE and the nations attending. Some analysts however believe that the Celdonians may now change their tack in dealing with the current situation surrounding the HEWC embassy in the Celdonian Diplomatic Quarter. The Celdonian delegation, headed by Mike McKay, in what may be his last major undertaking as Foreign Minister, is expected to arrive in Xikuang shortly.

In other news.....

At something like one in the morning, in the fifth (sixth? seventh?) bar that the group had visited, Nadia decided that it would be an excellent idea to introduce the others to the slavic vodka toast. Oblivious to the look of horror on Nirgal's face, she stood and made for the bar. Just as she was stumbling past Luigi's chair, Charlotte called out to her to stop.

"I've got a better plan. We're in Xikuang, let's honour them with the toast, yeah? Replace the vodka with fermented yak's milk!" She grinned encouragingly at the others. Bill smiled back and nodded his assent. Luigi's eyes bulged even further than usual, then he shrugged, muttered a resigned "why not?" and took a deep drag on his Xaijiannh Huruungo, relishing the wormwood afterglow. Sikander glaced at Charlotte's shining, excited eyes and felt an inexplicable urge to please her. He raised his nearly empty glass of Sun Wukong rice wine in support. Charlotte beamed back. Nirgal buried his head in his hands and uttered a muffled "well, if we must..."

"Right then. Well, I still want my vodka, so we'll toast alternately, yes? Yes. I'll get a few bottles; three of each should cover it." Nadia strode off in what she hoped was a purposeful manner, her journey to the bar punctuated by the occasional crash and tinkle of glass on floor as she zig-zagged between tables.

As her compatriot made her inelegant way to the bar, Charlotte supped at her Zhangnhe Mulhong, wincing at the fumes and smiling happily at the group. Her gaze fell on the Hackneyite, not for the first time that evening. He's really quite young, but... Realising that she'd stared for perhaps too long, she coughed nervously and made a show of attentively listening to Bill sing the praises of eco-economics.

Telegram to Fuehrer Kerns of Reculif
Greetings to Fuehrer Klaus Kerns of the Confederacy of Reculif--

Your attendance at 4CACE is most welcome. Accommodation for yourself and your staff has been arranged. May we soon welcome you to Xikuang.

With benedictions,

Secretary of the Lhijir Diplomatic Offices

Telegram to Howie Zemo of the Confederated City States of Mikitivity

Greetings to Howie Zemo of the CCSM--

Thank you for your communication. The Coalition of Anti-Capitalist Economies certainly does not exclude non-socialist nations from attending the 4CACE; indeed, we hope that governments which, like the CCSM, are interested in promoting social justice, will take an interest in the work we are doing, and we hope to encourage friendly relations with such nations whether or not membership in CACE is being considered. You are certainly welcome to attend in observational capacity. Arrangements can be made immediately for your accommodation. We hope to welcome you soon.

With benedictions,

Secretary of the Lhijir International Offices

Somewhere or other...

It took another full minute for the whole sordid affair to come back, and another to ruminate upon it, before Luigi managed to crack open an eye.

Unless his perceptions were seriously altered... admittedly, a possibility... this was not his hotel room.

Nearby, something snuffled.

The Ghoran T'he'rajhi, a closed-off section reserved for delegates only:

" am surprised by the Council Leader joining the party of delegates, although the size of the delegation is odd as well. After all, Councillor Sharkey has enough on his plate at the moment, with the opposing parties threatening to throw his government out on its' ear. Which, of course, would be bad for the future membership of my nation in the CACE, seeing as the Social Liberals have been moving steadily rightward since the 60's... sometimes it's hard to tell them from the Conservatives at times. I suppose he just wants to be part of this conference; after all, he shouted the longest and loudest of any of the politicians for CACE membership. But anyway, we shouldn't have to wait long."

Her phone suddenly rang. "I am sorry... just a second." She talked on the phone for just a second, and then put it back, a look of contentment on her face. "Jane McKinnon and Lewis Roper have just arrived at the airport."

Xiang smiled, well pleased with present company. "Excellent! Councillor Kham should be there to welcome them now; their accommodation is already in order." Someone unobtrusively brought tea, carefully setting out a little bowl of sugar alongside the more customary salt, and a little pitcher of milk was provided alongside the more customary butter.

"Actually, it seems to me that Councillor Sharkey's attendance is a good political move." Xiang replied, keeping an eye out lest Andrea should confuse the salt for the sugar and give herself a nasty surprise. "Here, he is in a position to interface with established and successful CACE nations, as well as to reinforce good relations with mainland Aperin, which is good for The Weegies. He is acting well in the service of your people, and if it increases his popularity at home, well, so much the better." He sipped his tea, which he left alone; he preferred it black. "And we are, of course, honoured that he should wish to visit."

Back at the airport

Jane McKinnon towered over Kham Khitai by a head and a half, and much overshadowed him in the elegance of her attire. This didn't bother him-- indeed, he was rather used to it. Anyway, he knew Jane, CACE delegates tending to run into each other from time to time in the Celdonian headquarters for the Coalition.

"Greetings, Delegate McKinnon! It is good to see you again. Greetings, Delegate Roper, and welcome to Xikuang. Yes, of course, everything is in order-- only a few security hoops to jump through and I can show you to your car."

Councillor Kham led the Weegie delegates through towards security, which as becoming mind-numbingly familiar to him. "I'll have to stay here, of course... I'd heard that the rest of your delegation would be delayed. I do hope this turbulence causes them no undue distress."

An enormous shaggy grey dog approached the Weegie delegate to the IFTA, wagging her tail happily.

----------------

"ParEconian Federal Airlines PEFA513, you are cleared for landing on Runway 4. Have a pleasant descent, and welcome to Xikuang."

The ParEconian delegation cleared security without incident and took one of the free public transport trains into the city centre. Dropping into their hotel, they find that their rooms are ready for them. People materialise to help them with their luggage.

Councillor Kham will later pay them a profusely apologetic visit to make up for not having met them. They are, of course, welcome any time they should wish to visit, but, well, you know, there are proprieties to be observed...

The night wears on, the various delegates and dignitaries pursuing their variously chosen entertainments, whether within the boundaries of their hotels or turning themselves loose to sample whatever Lhijir has to offer. Of the latter group, some may find that it is rather easy to become lost in the winding, climbing streets, stairways and alleys, many of which look very much the same, but there is usually someone about who can point them in the right direction. Those hailing from lower altitudes may find the night sky astonishing: on a cloudless night, or one where the cloud level is below the ground, multitudes of stars shine brightly through the rarified atmosphere, the subtle variations in their colours easily perceptible, the Milky Way lying like a river across the sky. Those still up at dawn will be treated to a most spectacular sunrise.

Anyone wishing for a bit of a lie in before the 10:00 am commencement of the conference, unless they sleep very deeply indeed, will find this quite impossible: deep, sonorous blasts from long metal horns descend over the city centre from the Lhunhan Kinryi temple complex continuously from seven to half-seven in the morning, a feature of Lhijir guidebooks tend to call 'unique', but to which more than one visitor in the past has referred as 'bloody irritating', occasionally using somewhat more colourful language. The Xikuangese are a typically early-rising lot, though, and anyone sufficiently motivated to leave their rooms at this ungodly hour and head downstairs for breakfast will find most of the native delegation already present: at the Sai Yilinhai, they are Elected General Councillor Kham, General Commissioner for Domestic Harmony Taqkhla Ÿkheri, General Commissioner for International Affairs Yi'i Lhyamo, and General Councillor Zhe Xexin, Chair of the Elected General Comittee for Economic Affairs; at the Ghoran T'he'rajhi, they are Councillor Xiang, Dr. Xu Xian, Chair of the Elected General Council, General Commissioner for Economic Affairs Amung Qelinparhe, and General Commissioner for National Security Qzin Sangyin.

Transports to the Conference Halls will depart at 9:15, 9:30, and 9:45. Alternatively, guests may follow their host's examples and go on foot, the Conference Halls being not much more than ten minutes' walk away.

The Halls themselves are located in a large and sprawling edifice in the traditional style, several side-buildings joined to the main hall by covered verandas. A short, wide, well-lit corridor leads into the central meeting hall, where a number of tables have been set together to form a square sufficient to seat all the assembled delegates. Glasses and bottles of local mineral waters, both sparkling and still and of remarkable purity, have been set out, as have been a number of small, deep ceramic bowls. The purpose of these is revealed as soon as the first of the delegates are seated: hot tea is immediately brought to them, buttered and salted to local taste, or plain, milk and sugar provided to those of such inclination. As this is a conference not admitting spectators, the tiered seating around the perimeter of the capacious room is mostly empty apart from the ever-present security; late or unannounced arrivals may be seated there. In the press balconies above (the hall is two floors high), a few news crews can be seen: some domestic, a few crews working what appear to be permanent audio-visual captures and computers, streaming directly to domestic news feeds and to SeOCC's open DataHavens; some international: Celdonian and East Hackeyite news teams can be spotted. The shutters on the colourfully tiled, West-facing windows are open, providing a clear view of the impressive Lhai mountain range, still shrouded in morning mists.

ooc: Shall we all meander conferencewards? Nebulous time is in effect, so please go ahead and wrap up anything fun you had going. W, I have no idea what you're up to, but I love it.

The Holy Empire of the Water Cooler officially eschews and condemns the event. We find the very ideals which ‘4cace’ is built around to be distasteful, morally erroneous, and ultimately foolish.

We encourage nations not to pay any heed this conference, and the crazed ramblings of its attendees. We hope that in the future such nations will see the error of there ways and renounce there economical unviable system. To that end the Holy Empire of the Water Cooler will offer support to any nations that wish to change from the foolish system of communism to something that has been proven to work, namely the system of Capitalism.

However, and this shall not be taken as sign of approval of ‘4cace’, we shall not in anyway attempt to disrupt the smooth running of ‘4cace’. Furthermore unless specifically asked we shall not comment further on the matter. We encourage fellow capitalist nations not to behave in way that lowers ourselves to their level.

Sincerely,
The Most Holy and Omnipotent Emperor Sohi,
The Holy Empire of the Water Cooler

XNN News Report:

When asked to comment on the condemnation of the 4CACE recently issued by the Emperor of the Water Cooler, Chair of the Elected General Council Dr. Xu Xian said "Naturally, we expect this sort of thing. They have stated that they do not intend to disrupt the conference, and so long as that doesn't change, there's an end to it." The Lhijir Observer reports a somewhat more energetic retort from General Commissioner Sonam Choeden. Commissioner Sonam is quoted as stating that "if we got all upset every time someone popped up and went 'Communists! Oh, my god, the humanity, children, it's communists!' we'd either have withdrawn from the international community or we'd all be gibbering wrecks by now. Tell you what: as a gesture of not lowering myself to whatever level our level is, I promise not further to notice or care."

Commissioner Sonam serves on the Elected General Committee for Domestic Harmony.

Comrade General Kivi Eikki Paatelainen appeared quite satisfied with the second offering from the bar, his satisfaction quietly all the greater that the bottle had to be extracted, for his benefit, from the dusty back of a shelf. Progressive economics and a stash of worthy booze, all on top of a mountain, these people, he thought, weren't half bad.

The Beth Gellen was happy to wander the streets for a while after a considerable stretch at the bar, talking to any man who dared approach him and leering at any woman. Paatelainen couldn't remember what sea level felt like, having spent the last few weeks... months, was it? In Korea, after setting out from the New Welsh Mountains. The architecture was refreshing here in not being bombed to bits, at least.

---

"What the bloody crown is that?" Wailed Kivi Eikki when woken by those unique refrains, three hours after passing out. "Oh, b*****, they're worse than the Drapoel!"

Beth Gellert was all but nocturnal, it seemed to many visitors, the locals -where they were Celts and other northern Europeans such as Paatelainen- generally resenting the bright, hot Indian sun. He couldn't understand why everybody else was so keen to perform for that damnable firey ball in the sky.

"Ah...Xikuang...conference...anti-capitalist...first day? Right...ready." Paatelainen said aloud, looking about the strange place in which he'd been woken. He lifted his big frame from the ground to which he'd fallen during the night, dusted himself down, and strode off in some uncertain direction, half resolved to find and punch the source of the chorus that'd disturbed him. He was, thankfully, intercepted by a less angry and more hungover pilot, come to make sure of his national delegate's rising, and to deliver him the day's United Nations report, being as it seemed of significance.

The Igovian Soviet Commonwealth's centrally-planned and currency-free economy is the world's 228th fastest growing. "Hm! We've slowed down since the hit to automobile manufacture." Mused the General, at least distracted from his pugilistic crusade against the horns.

Paatelainen headed down stairs, hopefull of a good fry-up, and encouraged by his comrade to think of the horns as akin to the favoured Celtic war horns Kivi himself had ordered blown when attacking the Royalists at New Gibborim.

After spending considerable time in the bar, Minister Poulain and the rest of the New Paristani delegation stumbled back to their hotel suite to find Cde. Villeneuve, Assistant Energy Minister, deeply engrossed in preparing for his presentation on "The Socialist Case for Nuclear Energy." His two staffers were at a table in the corner playing cards.

"Jacques, you old workhorse you. Why don't you get out, live a little?" Minister Poulain plopped down on the couch beside him, disturbing some of his papers.

"Dangit...Minister Poulain, I'm trying to get some work done here. Look at you. You're drunk again. Go drink some water so you don't go to the conference with a hangover tomorrow morning."

"He's right you know," offered (Former) Minister for the Economy (And Now Economic Liason) Raspail. "I always drink two glasses of water after I've been drinking heavily. Helps clear out the system."

"That's actually not a bad idea." Minister Poulain managed to stand up, wobble around a bit and find her way to the bathroom. She gulped down three glasses of water and two aspirin and collapsed into bed.

The rest of the delegation soon found its way to bed and soon the whole suite was filled with drunken snoring.

---

DONG!!! DONG!!! DONG!!!

"Mommy I'm late for school...the bell's ringing...I have..." Minister Poulain mumbled into her pillow before finally and very groggily waking up and realizing that the bells were, indeed, not in her head.

"The hell?" She rolled over and put the pillow over her head, groaning. The rest of the delegation soon woke up and blearily raised their heads, wondering what the hell all of that racket was.

"Is there a fire?" someone asked.

"Did someone get a really loud, really annoying wake-up call?" asked someone else.

Suddenly, Assistant Minister Villeneuve appeared, holding a tray filled with steaming hot cups of very black coffee.

"Took me a while to find this. They drink tea here. And they do very weird things with it involving butter and salt. I've never seen anything like it."

"Jacques! Go away...we're not ready to get up...what the HELL is that ringing?" Minister Poulain sat up straight in bed, got very dizzy and lay back down again, groaning. "Damn this altitude!"

"It's the bells from the temple, comrade. It's some kind of religious tradition. It'll happen every morning, I'm afraid."

"Jacques, do you have to know everything?"

"Yes."

Eventually, the whole crew found their way out of bed, showered, drank lots of coffee and made themselves presentable. The whole delegation then went down to the lobby to have breakfast.

In the hotel's restaurant, they saw several people they assumed to be the Xikuangese delegation. Minister Poulain directed her interpreter to make the introductions.

"Minister Poulain, this is Elected General Councillor Kham, General Commissioner for Domestic Harmony Taqkhla Ÿkheri, General Commissioner for International Affairs Yi'i Lhyamo, and General Councillor Zhe Xexin, Chair of the Elected General Comittee for Economic Affairs."

"[ooc: I'm not sure what the proper way to greet these good folks is, so let's just assume my delegation has done it politely.] ...This is the New Paristani delegation. May I present Minister for International Affairs Comrade Amelie Poulain, New Paristani Economic Liason Comrade Henri Raspail, and Assistant Energy Minister Comrade Jacques Villeneuve. And myself and these good comrades," the interpreter said, pointing at the staffers, "are the delegation's contingent of assistants and support staff."

[ooc again: I don't want to pull anyone else's strings, so I'll leave it to Xikuang to respond.]

In the air

A rather non-descript plane headed towards Lhijir airport. Onboard, Mike McKay sipped a whisky and made casual notes on the papers he was reading, across the aisle Nicola Forbes reclined listening to music, six men in dark suits played a peculiar Celdonian card game in the galley at the rear, and McKay’s three assistants discussed the merits, or otherwise, of the economic paper presented by SeOCC.

In the cockpit Bill Stevenson observed the flight-crew with the enraptured attention of a child. The responsibilities normally borne by the Minister of Trade seemed a long way away.


On the ground

The intercontinental maglev sped through the western province of Fortrose carrying with it Dr Lindsay Houseman, the Minister of Finance. Houseman hated flying and took the maglev at every opportunity. She watched the Celdonian countryside pass and make way to the majesty of the Xikuangese mountains - towering giants in a landscape she felt she had always known. She sipped mineral water and pretended not to notice the various people dotted around the carriage who had been tasked with ensuring her safety.


All together now

As always, the accommodation was excellent and an almost imperceptible smile escaped from McKay when he checked the mini-bar. “Well done Kham,” he thought to himself.


OOC: As our host wants to move this along please assume the Celdonian delegation is now in town.

The Holy Empire of the Water Cooler officially eschews and condemns the event. We find the very ideals which ‘4cace’ is built around to be distasteful, morally erroneous, and ultimately foolish.

We encourage nations not to pay any heed this conference, and the crazed ramblings of its attendees. We hope that in the future such nations will see the error of there ways and renounce there economical unviable system. To that end the Holy Empire of the Water Cooler will offer support to any nations that wish to change from the foolish system of communism to something that has been proven to work, namely the system of Capitalism.

However, and this shall not be taken as sign of approval of ‘4cace’, we shall not in anyway attempt to disrupt the smooth running of ‘4cace’. Furthermore unless specifically asked we shall not comment further on the matter. We encourage fellow capitalist nations not to behave in way that lowers ourselves to their level.

Sincerely,
The Most Holy and Omnipotent Emperor Sohi,
The Holy Empire of the Water Cooler


Back in Montmartre, Assistant Minister for International Affairs Hubert Degas read the note, then tossed it to his assistant to deal with.

"Stupid capitalists. Send them something terse."

His assistant, an ambitious young comrade named Stefan, typed out the following note on his laptop:

"Emperor Sohi,

In the immortal words of American Vice President Dick Cheney, Go F---"

Luckily, Assistant Minister Degas glanced over at Stefan's laptop and stopped him before he could go any further.

"I said terse. Not insulting. Terse."

Stefan grumbled and erased his original message.

"Emperor Sohi,

In the immortal words of Shakespeare, "There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

Sincerely,

Hubert Degas
Assistant Minister for International Affairs
The Socialist Commonwealth of New Paristan"

Stefan showed the note to Hubert, who nodded his approval. Stefan sent the note, and then went back to his game of Minesweeper.

The Ghoran T'he'rajhi, a closed-off section reserved for delegates only

Andrea picked up the pitcher of milk and gently poured a small drop into the tea. She shrugged as she lifted the cup up to her lips. "I suppose you're right, after all, the Council Leader does manage to turn the smallest of things into political capital. Although I'm sure the honour will be all his. He has great respect for the Xikuangese people... similar histories, I suppose, of rising up and fighting against a foreign oppressor, although it's not good to name our friends the Rigans that anymore. There is obvious residual hostility, though, I don't doubt that for a second, especially away from the metropolitan areas, regrettable, but understandable. There's an old phrase; "Siolfáigh áilsa magh creinágh, Siolfiághin áilsia magh rannial'ian." - roughly translated, it goes "The battle may be long, but the hatred will be longer.", which sums up a lot of things quite well, really." She sipped her tea.

The Airport

Lewis raised an eyebrow to the large hairy dog, and smiled broadly. He bent down, and patted the dog on the head.

"Ach, are you not a fine wee specimen? Isn't she, Jane?"

Jane nodded slightly. "Well, Lewis, "wee" is the word I'm having the problem with there, after all..."

"Aye, you know exactly what I mean. They don't make them like this back home... wee yappers, most of them. Ach, isn't she a darling? Aren't you? Aren't you?" The dog continued to wag its' tail around Lewis, whilst he rubbed the sides of it's head. Lewis nodded at one of the security men, again saying that she was "a lovely thing." Some of the Xikuangese guards looked a little bemused at Lewis' rather overt reaction to one of the sniffer dogs.

The Airport, near midnight

The second white, stubby plane of the day settled to a halt. After the stairs had been put into place, the large contingent of people piled out of the plane, mostly looking a little tired. One man walked a little slower than the rest, seemingly with a slight difficulty.

They made their way over to the Xikuangese welcoming party, which was, by now, much depleted, many having already gone to their beds. Kham still remained, however, to greet the members of the Weegies who had just landed. Most just wanted to make their way to the nearest hotel to rest, and said little. A blonde woman and the slower man took more time. They both came to Kham at the same time.

"Councillor Kham, how good to see you." said the man, who was of around medium height - compared to a lot of Weegies, rather short. "Alan Sharkey. And this, of course, is Christine Janus." The woman nodded and interjected. "It's a long flight, Kham, and some of the bouncing about caused by our flight made more than a few of our delegates... rather less predisposed to saying hello."

Alan resumed talking. "But more predisposed to finding somewhere to dispose of a sickbag. But I digress. This will surely be a most productive conference, especially in the capable hands of our Xikuangese friends." He breathed in sharply, with just a little difficulty. "I'll have to get used to this thin mountain air... anyway, where's this hotel, then?" He rubbed his hands together, partially in anticipation from the conference, partially through cold.

The Ghoran T'he'rajhi, a closed-off section reserved for delegates only

"Indeed." Xiang mused, setting his cup down. "And it's true, the Rigans had their part in more unfortunate chapters of our recent history. Did you know that they covertly supported the Guo Leng occupation? It wasn't common knowledge here, until rather recently. But we mustn't get dragged down by the past. And we certainly mustn't forget the suffering and the struggle of the Rigan people to free themselves from that terrible regime. Svea Riga now belongs to her people, not to a cadre of cruel, power-mad generallissimos, and we must welcome them to this conference with open arms."

Lhijir International Airport

The dog revelled in Roper's attention, lolling her head back as he scratched behind her ears, licking his hand when she could. One of the security people-- a shortish, bristly-haired man-- approached. "She likes you." he said to Roper, smiling. The dog half-made as if to jump up on the Weegie IFTA representative, but the security guard spoke quietly: "Taqa, buo la. Keqi." The dog immediately sat down, tail still wagging. The guard turned back to Roper. "I have worked with this dog for four years now. She is a good judge of character."

The Airport, a bit later

Councillor Kham approached the Celdonian delegation led by Mike McKay, considerably less formally than he had any other delegation he'd so far met. "Hello, Mike!" he said, then turned to the other delegates. "Ms. Forbes, Mr. Stevenson, welcome. It is an honour." Behind them, a green-and-yellow sashed young woman approached the six large men in dark suits. She said something to one of them, received something in response, and gestured for them to follow her. They would be through security in no time.

Pleasantries were exchanged as Kham led the party through security, painlessly enough. Through at last, Khitai drew Mike McKay aside. "Say, Mike, what's all this with the Water Cooler? I had the weirdest 'phone call this morning. Might as well have been about space ninjas."

The Airport, Near Midnight

Councillor Kham tried to keep himself from yawning as the last of the Weegie delegation disembarked. Decidedly rumpled at this hour, it would not take a trained eye to deduce that he has recently been nudged awake from an uncomfortable position in an airport waiting lounge chair.

"Council Leader Sharkey, Commissioner Janus. It is an honour to meet you. Welcome to Xikuang. But I am very sorry to hear that your journey was so troubled. Please, let's get this airport nonsense out of the way and you to your hotel. The conference can be only as successful as its participants are constructive, and you must have your rest." He guided the exhausted Weegie party through security, then led them to the nearest possible exit, 'phoning for one of the hotel transports to come there. "Otherwise, we'll have to go through four terminals to get to the main lobby. It will be here in a moment." he explained. While they waited, Kham addressed himself to the party generally: "You should find that your rooms have been equipped with a humidifier. I suggest you turn it on. The nights are cold here, and especially with the heat on, they can be very dry. Don't hesitate to ask for anything you need. Reception is fully staffed 24/7."

Morning: the Sai Yilinhai

ooc: actually, we do have coffee. Some of Aperin's finest Arabica grows in the Zikudukou mountain range to the Southeast. Somebody obviously made a tragic purchasing error and they had to send a runner to the other hotel for some. Somebody, therefore, is in trouble. ;)

Seeing the New Paristan delegation approaching, the Xikuangese rise and bow, and again to each of the delegates as they are introduced. Commissioner Taqkhla seemes particularly pleased at hearing her name correctly pronounced-- one might imagine that foreigners might often get it wrong.

"Good morning, Comrades." Kham addressed the interpreter, then the delegates. "Good morning, Comrade Poulain, Comrade, Raspail, Comrade Villeneuve. I hope you have slept well?" "Please, will you join us?" Commissioner Y'i interjected. "We could just pull that table there over." "Indeed, and that to the one behind, so we'll all fit." added Zhe.

"Breakfast is something of a social occasion for us." Councillor Kham explained, hoping the New Paristan delegation did not feel overwhelmed. "We would be very pleased for your company."

Perhaps it was more than just coincidence that led Sophista to develop some of the finest hypersonic aircraft in the known world at the same time it revolutionized sound-proofing. Twin scramjet engines powered the delegation's flight through the air at nearly twelve times the speed of sound, providing effecient transportation and a roar that deafening couldn't even begin to describe at the same time. Inside the cabin, though, things were painfully silent. The outside turbulence was kept out by several layer of Acoustix padding, but it might as well have been open air. No one in the cabin had anything to say to the other.

And for good reason. The seven members of Sophista's ad hoc delegation to a conference they had no real reason attending were less than enthused about the entire thing. Four of them were only aides, here to shuffle messages between the conference and Santa Andrea. The rest, all top-level diplomats without permanent attachments, had been pulled away from other pressing issues to make a last-minute flight to a country that, up until this point, had ignored their home country in the world political arena.

Had the order not come from the Prime Minister himself, it might have gone completely ignored. No one in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs understood why he'd sent them anyway. Sophista was, by and large, an economic anomaly, embracing both socialism and capitalism simultaneously. Basic public needs such as housing, utilities, and health care were provided by the government, while a raging market economy existed to provide consumer goods. Everyone in the country lived comfortably thanks to the services provided by their tax dollars, but were free to spend the rest of their money however they pleased. This put them at odds with traditional capitalists who saw Sophistan state-owned utilities as wasteful and restricting, as well as true socialists, who balked at Sophista's somewhat lax regulatory stance.

Only her enourmously respected diplomatic corps and position at the helm of the world's orbital technology industry kept Sophista from isolation. Why, then, would their head of government send them head-first into an environment that might be less-than-welcoming? It was the question that everyone seemed to be asking.

The pilot's intercom clicked on, breaking the stillness of the air. They'd be on the ground in a few minutes. Time to put the game faces on.

the following is distributed to the delegates before the days sessions begin.

Samir Amin writes, in Spectres of Capitalism, ‘if a transformation is economically necessary, it is also politically, and culturally necessary – and the reciprocal is also the case.’ Change is not effective if it is not complete. In our work against capitalism, we understand that economic justice is not possible without social justice. What, then, does this tell us about our work after capitalism has been overcome in our nations? What new problems confront non-capitalist governments?

Non-capitalist nations must work within a world still dominated by capitalism, must trade while foreign corporations vie to exploit their workers, must live under the threat of foreign invasion. We seek support and safety in numbers, and it was in this spirit that the first Conference of Anti Capitalist Economies was formed, to bring together nations that face the same problems so that they can seek common solutions. Through the creation of the Coalition of Anti Capitalist Economies and the International Fair Trade Agreement we have overcome the economic limitations set before us. Through the United Nations we have brought workers rights into the global stage, and in doing so have achieved material guarantees for all, not just our citizens. Still, though, our work is not complete.

The process of globalization, the increased integration of cultures, governments and economies, presents us with a new set of challenges. Our societies become intermingled, interdependent, and as our governments and people seek their place in a world of many, so too must the economy adapt to the new paradigm. The challenge that faces non-capitalism today is the building of a new set of rules, a new way for nations, and economies, to relate to one another.

Establishing a global political body is important to maintain the rule of law, to give nations a peaceful way to seek redress, resolve conflict and address issues that affect the global community. The global commons, for instance, require an authority above individual nations to properly address. In the era of globalization, local economic decisions affect entire nations, which affect regional economies, which domino until few, if any, are left unchanged. The simplest tenet of democracy is that those that are affected by a decision should have some authority over that decision. Shouldn’t our economies be held to the same standard?

The future of non-capitalism lies here, in our ability to join together, not just politically, by economically. What we are proposing is a global body, headed by a board elected by the nations who choose to take part, which will be charged with coordinating investment and production among member nations. The goal is not to take control of member economies, but to create a single, coherent system of investment to fill future needs and make capital goods available to developing economies. Instead of leaving the task of filling economic needs to market forces we can create an institution that creates short and long term plans based on the needs submitted by its members. In such an institution, we replace trust in an invisible hand with the rational linking of demand and production.

In this institution we will take the next step forward in the development of our economies, creating a new system that truly embodies the ideals of our nations. Cooperation, not competition; people, not profits; prosperity, not exploitation. Only when our international policies are as just as our domestic policies can we say that we have fulfilled the promise of equality.

Ottasam Kihl
Under Minister of Politics
SeOCC

Pleasantries were exchanged as Kham led the party through security, painlessly enough. Through at last, Khitai drew Mike McKay aside. "Say, Mike, what's all this with the Water Cooler? I had the weirdest 'phone call this morning. Might as well have been about space ninjas."


"Hmm...wish I knew the full story myself. What I can say though is that the ambassador, Odin, seems to have more than few screws loose and we've told them to recall him immeddiately and close the embassy within the week. I suspect they'll attempt to negotiote onnthe latter bit, but we want Odin out now. Anyway, how have you been Kham..........."


Later.....

Over breakfast the topic of discussion was the Seocc paper that had been delivered first thing that morning.

"Look familiar to anyone?" enquired Houseman.

"Well, I suppose it was about time for another stab at the Trade and production Board wasn't it" replied Stevenson.

"I'm sure it'll be thrashed out in due time. Now, another coffee anyone?" added McKay.

Sigrid woke up at 9:10, or rather, Ingrid woke her up at 9:10 by knocking at her door. She got out of bed heavily and opened the door, only to find the Praesident of Military Affairs in full People’s Revolutionary Air Force dress uniform at attention outside her door.

“Bloody hell. What are you doing here?”

“I’ve come to wake you up. It’s 0910 and we decided to arrive at the Conference at 0930, so we agreed to meet in the lobby at 0920.”

“Damn you and your fascist military manners.”

“The military is not intrinsically fascist, as you know full well.”

“Look, my sense of repartee is still in bed, and as you ought to know, I meant piss off because I hate being woken up in the mornings.”

“Yes, Commander.”

“And spare me that ‘yes, commander’ bullshit.”

And with that, Sigrid slammed the door. Ingrid was rather annoyed, although Fouad, when he heard the story, was less than surprised; he had considerably more experience in waking up the Chairwoman for important meetings and other international conferences, and still remembered rather vividly a time when she had nearly taken his head off with an axe.

Ingrid and Fouad, the two early risers, were the only Cirdanis in the lobby for but a short while; they were soon joined by Aïsha, who, although she was a few minutes early, came down the Ghoran’Thelaiji’s stairs at a full run whilst putting on her coat. Next was Hakkon, punctual to the second but somewhat poorly woken up. Sigrid, however, remained conspicuous by her absence. At 9:27, Fouad took it upon himself to go fetch her and started back up the stairs, when she came rushing down them in the opposite direction, still-wet hair sending water flying in every direction and coat half-on, pushing past several other delegates and knocking the unfortunate Praesident of Foreign Affairs into the railing. Fouad picked himself up, slowly smoothed out his clothes, and then gave her The Glare. Although Sigrid opened her mouth, no one ever knew if it was to apologise or to snap (as she was wont to do), since Ingrid cut her off with a curt remark about being behind schedule. The party was about to set out, when Aïsha started to fuss about Sigrid’s hair.

“You can’t go out with your hair like this. You’ll catch a cold!”

“Don’t worry about me, dear. I do it all the time. Besides, Xikuang is positively warm.”

Aïsha, of course, knew that was a double lie, but also knew better than to point it out. Anyway, Sigrid had been enough trouble already to deserve any colds that came her way. As it had previously decided that they would walk to the conference, the party set out on foot towards the Conference Halls.

To our gracious hosts, the Comrades of Xikuang:

We are a tiny island nation devoted to worker's rights and the arts. Our proud little nation has some of the oldest plays known to human history written on stone tablets they depict the creation of the universe by the "great bird"-- We also have more art museums per a capita than any other nation.

We hope you will accept this 30-foot tall steel rainbow bird as a token of friendship and our shared goals. The bird is a symbol of the universe, but in many cultures peace also:

http://www.futurebird.com/art/birdgift.jpg

In the interest of cultural development and the arts we would like to propose a new visa for artists.

We would be happy to join in the embargo of capitalist nation proposed by Nazi Weaponized Virus but we are concerned about our supply of fine watercolors, brushes and other art material.

We also depend greatly on tourism-- and the export of fine furniture to nations all over the world.

Will this embargo cause us serious economic problems?

Perhaps we could start with an embargo of nations who have abusive labor practices?


Thank you for hosting this conference.


Sara Silver, People's Republic of Futurebird

Minister Poulain thanked the Xikuangese delegation graciously for the invitation to join them for breakfast. The delegation sat down and enjoyed a traditional Xikuangese breakfast and discussed the upcoming conference with their hosts.

[ooc: Xikuang, I'm a bit lost as to how this convention is going to go, so if you want to RP this discussion, you're welcome to RP New Paristan's responses as well. If you want to.]

After breakfast, Minister Poulain and the crew walked with the Xikuangese delegation to the convention hall. The New Paristani delegation found seats on one side of the square table arrangement and began to organize their papers and materials for the conference.

Minister Poulain picked up the proposal from SeoCC and read it thoroughly. She made a note to transmit it back to Montmartre for thorough analysis.

"I don't know if we can support this fully. It's a definite violation of sovereignty. What do you think, Comrade Raspail?"

Economic Liason Raspail looked over the statement carefully. "It makes sense. But I'm pretty sure we'd have to have a national referendum on it before we could participate. It might be difficult to coordinate it with our council-based socialized economy."

"Agreed. I'll send it over to Montmartre at the first break and we'll see what Prime Minister Chartres thinks of it."

Most of the Iansisleans managed to refrain, fortunately, from getting absolutely smashed the night before the conference. Unfortunately, exactly half of those who did matter - namely Ridgeman drunk themselves off their feet. While this was not an unusual occurrence for a Shieldian, as they tend to be downright miniature in height and build compared to people from more healthy countries, it was quite the embarrassment for Connors, who had to lug his co-delegate up the stairs. He’d have used the lift if he could have figured it out, but that was quite hopeless for the technologically ignorant little man.

As the night wore on, however, Connors started to wish more and more that he had simply drunk himself asleep. He’d lived most his whole life drinking the oxygen rich, water heavy air of the Southern Shield and couldn’t quite figure out how he was meant to fall asleep. Every time he’d start to drift off, his mouth would naturally close for the night and his nose would be unable to fill his lungs. He’d wake a minute later, gasping for breath and swearing that someone had been pressing a pillow to his face. At last, his want of sleep overpowered his fear of suffocation and he drifted off into dreamland.

Connors had always been an early riser, for as long back as he could remember. Even though his night had totaled just five and a half hours of sleep, he awoke - gasping for breath - at just shy of six o’clock. Briefly, he considered going for a walk, but then thought that alone in the hallways would be a great time for one of his ‘aides’ to jump him and make his argument for inclusion in the conference. Scrap that idea. Instead, Connors pulled out a yellowing copy of Virdis’ poetry and opened to a random page.

Some time later, he was startled from his reading by a long, loud blast on what sounded like a horn from somewhere. But while his heart fluttered slightly, there was a loud crash and a series of curse words from the next room over. Connors smiled; Ridgeman was awake. He gave the Weshielder fifteen minutes, then knocked on the door. He’d retained the key from the previous night, so Connors let himself in when there was no reply.

Ridgeman was clutching a pillow over his head, evidently trying to block out the ongoing noise of the horns. A lamp, which presumably had once resided on the night table, lay broken on the floor. Ridgeman didn’t seem to respond too well to Connors’ suggestion of breaking their fast and let out a fresh string of curses and blasphemies intermingled with affirming just how damn much his head hurt.

Suddenly, Connors noticed a door belonging to an Iansislean opening down the hall. With a cry of fear, the Shadoranite launched himself into Ridgeman’s room and slammed and bolted the door. A minute later there was a knock and the doorknob juggled. Connors stood in stony silence and Ridgeman bellowed curses at whoever it was.

At last, they left and Connors managed to convince Ridgeman that, yes, breakfast was a good idea. He half drug the other man through getting dressed and walking down the hall, only making him stand at the end for the best possible appearance.

Just before walking into the lobby, Deines popped out of nowhere with a smile on his face.

“Good morning, sirs! Have a good night? I know I did - did you see that clock on the table of our rooms? No hands, even, it just reads the time out for you with big numbers! And how about that air conditioning, eh? We could use something that efficient during the hot season in Gallaga, wouldn’t you say, Mr Connors?”

Both men stared at him in disbelief at the long string of unrelated thoughts.

“It was freezing last night, Deines,” said Connors at last. “Why the devil were you playing with the air conditioning?”

“Wanted to see what it did,” replied Deines enthusiastically. “There’s a whole group of bigwigs in there,” he continued, jabbing over his shoulder. “And you have to take a gander at their moving-picture boxes! It’s just like being at the teneral!”

Pushing Deines out of the way, Connors and (more reluctantly) Ridgeman walked into the lobby with what scant dignity they had remaining and looked around.

[OOC: Real-life events have intervened and I have to leave NS for a couple of weeks - please read as my delegation leaves to attend with an emergency domestic situation!]

In what is certainly a surprise for everyone involved, a new delegate arrives at the conference, in an airplane - or rather, some sort of advanced airborne vehicle of unfamiliar design - bearing the cross-with-hammer-and-sickle coat of arms of the Holy Socialist Republic of Constantinopolis.

As Constantinopolis had been adopting strict isolationist policies for over a decade, choosing to interact only with other CACE members and IFTA signatories, this public appearence by a Constantine delegate is highly unexpected. Analysts wonder if this could mean that Constantinopolis is returning on the world stage.

The delegate, Comrade Alexander Konev, refuses to answer any questions at this time.

Having learned of the comments made by The Water Cooler, Comrade Konev makes a public statement:

We hope that in the future such nations will see the error of there ways and renounce there economical unviable system.
Do you realize that many of our "economically unviable systems" are among the top 1000 fastest growing economies in the world, according to the most recent UN census? Do you realize that The Republic of Celdonia, for example, has the 71st fastest growing economy in the world?

Please do not humiliate yourself any further. As the CACE is a beacon of equality and prosperity for the entire world, it is we who should be offering aid to ease the suffering of your starving masses.

To that end the Holy Empire of the Water Cooler will offer support to any nations that wish to change from the foolish system of communism to something that has been proven to work, namely the system of Capitalism.
We're quite happy with the way our "foolish system of communism" has brought us a powerhouse of an economy and great ratings in both civil rights and political freedoms. Now tell me, how many thousands of people were executed for dissension or died of starvation last year in your corporate police state? If the purpose of capitalism is to bring misery, poverty and death, then it can most certainly be said to "work", since it achieves those aims splendidly.

Upon learning of Konev's statement regarding the latest round of ignorant propaganda from the Water Cooler, Daniel de Valera, Caselonian Foreign Affairs Minister, grunted appreciatively and raised his coffee mug almost imperceptibly. It had taken them some getting used to, but the hotel stewards had learned to make coffee extremely black and extremely strong, just the way the Caselonians liked it; nevermind that they seemed to learn much quicker after he had slipped them each a 25 ruble note.

After a disappointing Conference on Heartland Economies, Minister of Economic Affairs Dr. Hasso von Keldermann would be arriving as well, presumably with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yuri Vasilievich Dmitriev. De Valera yawned, then grimaced as his head began pounding. "That bottle plus of Tullamore Dew last night was not a good idea, Dev..." he admonished himself. He quickly reminded himself of his heritage, and that it wasn't his fault. He was, after all, Irish.

"Barman, where's a good spot to eat breakfast?" he asked. He was fishing out a cigarette when he noticed some New Paristanis, Cirdanis and SeOCCians in the lobby outside.

"Thanks, anyway, mate, but I'm off." He laid a 25 ruble note on the bar and walked out into the lobby. "Better late than never," he thought to himself as he walked toward the milling delegates.

Nicklas Bergstedt had gone to bed early, really early. And set his alarm clock to go off 5 minutes before the blasting horns that awoke him every morning for more than 2 months a couple of years ago. Blasted, he hated those horns and it was time to do something about them. So when they went off he jumped out of bed shouting.

“I AM ALREADY AWAKE! HAHAHAHA! Got you, you f*ckin’ horns. HA! You didn’t wake me up this time! I, to use a phrase I’ve learnt from my son, owned you!”

He jumped around a bit in his room tearing down a lamp and slipping on the rug several times. He stops abruptly when he notices his secretary standing in the door.

“What the hell are you doing? I thought it was an air raid, that the Kist scum were finally here ready go glass on us, and that the horns were some outdated warning system. And I find you in here playing catch with yourself. Get some more sleep or get your clothes on… you sleep in the nude” She closed the door leaving Mr. Bergstedt in a most unfunny position.

He took a minute or two to examine what the Rigan state had sent him to wear. Official military outfit ”Ahh, yes, feed the paranoid states some more of the Rigans are militaristic assholes”, a suit. The suit it is. He knocks on his secretary’s door which flings open.

“Shall we?”

They walk down towards the lobby and see the group of delegates from other nations stand there looking a little lost. He walks towards them.

“Nicklas Bergstedt, minister of economics in Svea Riga. You’ve probably never heard of me… probably because we’ve never had a minister of economics before” He raises his hand to salute but hastily stops and puts his hand towards the delegates hoping for a shake.

"Old habits die hard, eh, Minister Bergstedt?" laughed Daniel de Valera. He extended his hand and shook the Svea Rigan's. "Nice to meet you. My name is Daniel de Valera, Caselonian Minister of Foreign Affairs. I know most of you are attached to the military in some fashion, but I did want to discuss the possibilities of our nations, and other Aperin nations, forming an internationalist force in the Heartland. As you well know, the interests of CACE and the IFTA are under constant assault there."

De Valera took a pull off of his шахтерские-brand cigarette, and waited for the Svea Rigan's reply.

"Nice to meet you to. Hah, yes they certainly do, bloody army messing with my brain and body. But don’t say I said that, we still got people running around keeping other people unknowing about the third part of people… or is it the other way around. Now that I’ve got you confused I can answer your question. That exact thing has been discussed over and over again with the government; the lack of a military alliance fitting for Svea Riga is one of the main issues discussed over and over again. Tell you what; I’ll get in touch with Axel Johansson minister of defence to hear what he says about the thing. But I can almost assure you that we’re in”

Mr. Bergstedt takes up a lighter from his pocket and extends it towards Minister de Valera.

In Lhijir
Capital City of Xiuang

The Kerlan delgates got a nice sleep. Of course the bells ringing did annoy most of them. Of course the Directorate of Dipolmacy has gathered imporant cultural details about the Xiuangese. They knew that they were Asian descent. They also knew that they were primaly Buddhist, even though they did respect other religions. Kerlans have a very coridal relationship with the Xiuangese, even respecting them. Jack Bullhorn was skilled in a few languages, Xiuangese was one of them. He knew that they would be talking mostly in English, but it was good to know that he knew it. When the delgation first arrived, they vistited the city. They knew that they had be well rested.

The next morning was relavity calm. Stephanie stopped by Jake Bullhorn's room. She knew that he was a late-riser. That is what she hated about him. Of course they didn't go on trips much. Stephanie knocked on his doors. "Wake up and open up" she said. After about five minutes of no respondes she went to his boss, Jennifer Stewart's room. She was already awake. Jen opened the door. Stephanie blurted "Do you know that your assitant is still sleeping?" "I know, I know. Why do I always have to get him up" Jen asked. She knew the answer so she didn't give Stephanie time to answer. "Alright I will do it." After about ten minutes they left for the conference.

Conference

As expected the conference was very diverse. The Xiuangese were taking chargeand that was evident. With Stephanie was Jennifer Stewart (Director of Diplomacy), Jake Bullhorn (Asst. Director of Diplomacy),Tom Robinso (CACE Delegate), Hillary Batcher (Foreign Advisor) and Regina Hapin (Ambassador). It was one of the biggest delegations. Stephanie scanned the room and found the Rigan delegate. Svea Riga was once the enemy of Kerla. Stephanie spotted Nicklas Bergstedt, Rigan Minister of Economics. She approached him. "Hi I am Stephanie Rosen, premier of Kerla. It is nice to meet you. I want to get to know you guys better."

ooc: Bump! Too tired for more tonight. Bump! Bump!

If much of Lhijir awoke to the sharp sound of a horn slicing through the mountain air, there were those who were already awake: delivery people moving through the narrow sloping streets, for instance. Mari Alkatiri always arose well before dawn. He no longer faced Mekka to perform prayers as his father had taught him, but one thing had stuck. Rise early, perform the morning ablutions to be perfectly clean and pure before prayer. In his case, he would be clean and pure before heading to the conference.

His travelling companion was a different story. Rosa Almeida had been up late, sampling the Xikuangese capital's nightlife and its many brands of unfamiliar fermented beverage. She'd fallen into a religious debate with a man whose wispy beard was all she could remember of the philosophical outpourings. She'd fallen into bed and dreamed of running through sub-alpine meadows.

Then the claxon call of morning. An abomination, this: an alarm clock built to the scale of an entire city. And it was cold, bitterly cold, cold like a storybook Buddhist hell. "Augh, just five more hours," she shrieked, before remembering where she was. A much-needed hot shower set things right and she joined Alkatiri to head for the conference hall lobby, noting in passing that this appeared to be one of the few countrie sin the world where she felt taller than average. A few people were already there. She struck out at random and started shaking hands. "How ya doin, comrade? G'mornin, citizen. How's tricks, sister?"

bump. let's get this conference on the road.

OOC: Due to the absence of the power behind East Hackney, further reports of the Alçaeran invasion of Lhijir's various night spots have been put on the backburner.

IC:

A thousand wild elephants trumpeted in Charlotte's ears. She awoke with a start, moaned and lifted her head from the pillow. A mistake. The elephants chose this moment to mount a stampede through her brain, continuing their trumpeting as they charged. Stricken with pain, she tried to open her gummed eyes. Light seeped through the fluid in front of her eyes. She coughed and wondered if a small rodent had curled up in her mouth to die. It certainly tasted like it. She tried to remember how she'd arrived at this terrible state. The last elephant of the stampede issued a final trumpet and booted her skull. She moaned again. There was a knock on the door.

"Charlotte? I've brought you coffee. You OK?"

"Nnshgkrfl."

"Ah. I see. I'll put a drop of kava in, that should sort you out."

Twenty minutes later, Charlotte shambled into the kitchen, feeling little better despite a long shower. Bill Fort was washing up, whistling a cheerful melody. Charlotte winced at every clink of crockery. Nirgal stood at the window, gazing at the breathtaking scenery and munching on an apple. Charlotte was mortified. They had no right to be so sprightly! Nadia grinned at her and handed over a mug of oily kavajava. The potent beverage clung fiercely to the sides of the mug and glooped insolently as she stirred it. Thick and nasty, just how she liked it. She took a gulp and savoured the bitterness. Nadia kept grinning at her.

"What?"

"Enjoy last night?" There was an evil glint in Nadia's eyes.

"Um. Maybe. I assume so. I don't really remember very much."

"What, not even the young lad from East Hackney?"

Charlotte's blood ran cold. Young lad from...

"Ah, did I... uh... did I. Um."

Nadia's grin grew unnervingly wide. She laughed.

"Luckily for you, he was a proper gent, though I could tell he liked you. Just a bit of flirting, harmless. Mostly. I take it you don't remember your synchronised vomiting, then?"

Charlotte felt faint. Nadia guffawed. In the background, Bill chuckled lightly.

"Anyway, I'll fill you in later. We've got about five minutes before we have to set off for the conference."

Later, while sitting in the conference hall and desperately trying not to be sick over the delegate in front of her, Charlotte noticed a young man look at her uncertainly and then wave. She groaned inwardly and waved back, smiling awkwardly. So young. Nice though... She shook her head and prayed for the hangover to pass.

"Hi I am Stephanie Rosen, premier of Kerla. It is nice to meet you. I want to get to know you guys better."

Mr. Bergstedt made a slight bow while he shook the hand of Stephanie. "Nicklas Bergstedt minister of Economics in uhm, Svea Riga.
Hah, well that's one less enemy to worry about I guess then. I mean, well... yes." Mr. Bergstedt felt somewhat uncomfortable in the seat. The history of Svea Riga and Kerla wasn't exactly filled with joy and happiness and here he stood face to face with the premier. But she seemed to be quite normal and happy about the meeting so why shouldn't he be.

"A pleasure to meet you" He added just before letting go of her hand.

"Had a nice awakening I assume? Blasted horns, I spent more than 2 months here during the times before the revolution. They awoke me every morning, thought I would go crazy"

Masaai greeted his companions outside the lobby of the conference halls.

"'Dia, 'Dia! so glad to see you again!" the diminutive Herald's evening had been spent in happy reminiscence with his young cousin, where he had been invited to spend a comfortable and rejuvenating night - away from the formal magnificence of the Ghoran T'he'rajhi.

With pleasure, Magic Hooley Snr. noted that the Herald to the ACA's Bibianian suit was immaculately brushed, and the gull feathers poking from his conservatively cut hair looked neat and perky.

"Hijo mio!" the elder statesman exclaimed, as the pair embraced.

"But where is Luigi?" enquired Verity "... I hoped to meet him before the conference began.."

Masaai shrugged. The chance meeting with his distant kin had altogether pushed the newly-appointed Herald for Fair Play from his mind.

"I'm sure he shall be along shortly," Masaai smiled "... I understand Señor Gogglez is a stickler for punctuality... and I believe he was hard at work on the model for the Economic Review... he really seems most keen".

Reassured; Verity and her companions made their way into the foyer and began to meet and greet. Magic Hooley Snr. made his way to share some tactful comments with the Rigan and Caselonian Ministers, while Masaai and Verity aimed for the Constantinopolis and the Burungis respectively.

Verity Fruitful? Rosa scanned her memory. She was the Herald for, uh, Sculpting with Silly String, wasn't she? No, that couldn't be right. She held out her hand and broke into a broad smile. "Sister Shiree! How do you manage to stay warm here? And did you read that article about planning from esteemed comrade minister from SeOCC?" Alkatiri shot her a dirty look and tapped his foot, hoping the doors to the conference room would open soon.

In the conference hall:

Minister Poulain looked at her watch and realized that the conference would not be starting for quite a while. She stood up and walked over to the NPNS news crew who were busy hooking up equipment.

She asked one of the technicians, "Hey, you guys have web access here, right?"

"Yes, comrade Minister," the technician said. "We've jacked into something called a "data haven." This laptop is hooked up to the internet, and we have a printer/scanner/fax here too."

"Great, that means I don't have to go back to the hotel. Mind if I borrow this for a sec?"

"Feel free."

Minister Poulain scanned the SeoCC document into the laptop and e-mailed it to the Office of Prime Minister Chartres in Montmartre. She added her comments below the statement:

"Comrade Prime Minister,

I think this is an interesting proposal that deserves your attention. It sounds like an anti-capitalist United Nations--a sort of international economic parliament.

My view is that we'd have to have a national referendum on whether to sign on to this. This isn't like the IFTA or the CACE--this is bigger, and would have a more profound effect on our day to day economic activities.

I have my cellphone with me. Please call it once you've read this and we'll discuss it further.

Thanks.

A. Poulain"

--

In Montmartre, New Paristan:

Prime Minister Chartres looked over the document he had received from Minister Poulain, and was grateful to find that it had been dutifully translated into Paristani by her interpreter.

After reading it, he lit a cigarette, leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, inhaling the sweet smoke and trying to process the statement in his mind.

"This could be good for New Paristan. On the other hand, we'd have to make some major changes," he thought to himself.

"I've got to give Minister Poulain some idea of where I think we should stand on this thing, so she can discuss it intelligently at the conference."

He typed out what he thought sounded like a good "official first position" on the SeoCC paper.

"New Paristan expresses interest in SeoCC's proposal for an international economic body. We have concerns about how the body would handle conflicts with the economic policies of individual nations.

New Paristan cherishes its economic and political sovereignty. We have only recently begun to branch out into the international arena by joining CACE and IFTA--two organizations whose ideals and structure match those of New Paristan to such a degree that joining them did not violate our sovereignty. We would hope that SeoCC's international economic body would mirror the respect that CACE and IFTA have for individual nations and their right to self-determination within the broader struggle against international capitalism.

We will work with SeoCC and other interested nations to develop this idea further. We would ask those nations, however, to be advised that New Paristan's political structure would likely require us to hold a national referendum to determine whether we signed on to such an agreement."

Prime Minister Chartres e-mailed his response back to Minister Poulain and called her cellphone.

--

In the Conference Hall

After sending SeoCC's statement to Montmartre, Minister Poulain sat back down with the Paristani delegation to wait for a response.

Her cellphone rang a few minutes later.

"Yes, comrade Prime Minister."

"Hi, Amelie. I've e-mailed you a preliminary position paper. Feel free to distribute it to the other conference attendees."

"Thanks, Max."

"Incidentally, you were right. We will have to do a referendum before we sign on to this. But go ahead and work with SeoCC on this. It could be a good thing for New Paristan if it's done right."

"I agree. Ok, I'll go look at that statement. See you back in Montmartre in a few days."

"How do you like Xikuang?"

"It's an odd place...very spiritual, very different from Montmartre. And they have these bloody bells that go off every morning. It's irritating. But at the same time, it's really interesting."

"By the way, what does Comrade Raspail think of this statement?"

"He agrees with my assessment. He'll be helping me with the nitpicky economic details when we get to negotiations."

"Ok. See you back here soon. I look forward to your full report."

"See you soon, Max."

She hung up, went back over to the NPNS news crew, borrowed the laptop and printed out the statement by Prime Minister Chartres.

"Hmm. Ok, yeah, this gives me something to work with." She had her interpreter translate it into Celdonian and then made several copies. She then instructed her other staffer to distribute the copies [ooc: I don't know how, but assume it's possible] to the other delegates.

Free Anarcho-Communes: hope all goes well with RL. May we see you again soon.

"Hmm...wish I knew the full story myself. What I can say though is that the ambassador, Odin, seems to have more than few screws loose and we've told them to recall him immeddiately and close the embassy within the week. I suspect they'll attempt to negotiote onnthe latter bit, but we want Odin out now. Anyway, how have you been Kham..........."

"Well, I certainly hope they manage to deal with the situation without undue kafuffle... some of that sounded positively dodgy, though I wouldn't know. Me? Oh, I've been allright, more or less... but I haven't seen you around the CDQ in a while."

ooc: Ah, C, have you forgotten? We do the family name first... Kham's given name is Khitai. Unless that was on purpose, in which case, Khitai probably thinks Mike's sore at him for some reason, and will inevitably conclude that he has committed some grievous offence of which he has been entirely unaware... you know how he is.

ooc: New Paristan, hope this is okay...

Adjustments as to the positioning of tables and chairs was made and the New Paristan delegation seated, their staff taking the nearest tables. Opting for a traditional breakfast, they were served with fresh steamed buns and a bowl of fine noodles in a savoury clear broth amply seasoned with ginger and chillies, with a choice of vegetables and beancurd, egg, or, for the more adventurous, beetles: the Greater Spotted Beetle, chosen as the national animal for its robust and resilient character, is also a prized culinary staple. They taste a bit like gamey crayfish.*

Over breakfast, Minister Poulain expressed her excitement as the conference was about to begin. "We're all terrifically excited about it too, and not a little nervous." Commissioner Taqkhla replied. "It's not only an important conference with a lot of potential for real progress for non-capitalist economies, it's a bit of a historical milestone for us as well. Xikuang has never hosted an international conference like this one before." "Really, never?" Minister Poulain replied, somewhat surprised. "No. Actually, we've never been host to much of anything." Councillor Yi'i added. "We've not really been in much of a position. Until recently, a lot of the city-- well, everywhere, really-- has been... ah..." "A right royal wreck and a half?" Kham offered. "Exactly! A right royal wreck and a half. But we've come a long way." "A very long way." Councillor Zhe added. "If, in the course if this conference, we can provide the means and the vision to do for even one nation what has been done for us, we will have done a lot of good. But of course, we must set the bar far higher."

*Note: other visitors will no doubt be pleased to note that the kitchens offer quite a range of breakfasty things to suit a variety of palates, including an authentic Celdonian Full Breakfast, which the natives generally find daunting.

ooc: I suppose the delegates will talk about... stuff... and then head out to the conference.

Message to Sara Silver, People's Republic of Futurebird

Greetings to honoured friend Silver of Futurebird--

We thank you very kindly for your generous gift. In our country, we consider the promotion of the arts to be highly important for the benefit of the people, and we are most interested to learn of the artistic traditions of our fellows far and abroad.

We also welcome you to the 4CACE, much of which will be devoted to the presentation of work already done towards the creation and maintenance of strong, viable, and fair alternatives to capitalist trade, and to building and improving upon that work. We hope that you will find that there are more options than simply declaring a trade embargo against all capitalist nations, but that you can opt into an existing trade alliance, the International Fair Trade Agreement, that is just about guaranteed to meet your needs. We will be discussing the IFTA at the conference, but you are welcome to peruse it in advance, here. (http://invisionfree.com/forums/CACE/index.php?showtopic=410)

We thank you again for your interest and your generosity.

With benedictions,

Secretary of the Lhijir Diplomatic Offices

Lhijir International Airport

"Oh, yes, absolutely! Send confirmation at once!"

The Constantine delegation arrived unexpected and unannounced, but not a bit the less welcome, at an hour far advanced into the evening. Comrade Konev was met and greeted by Councillor Xiang, who with a most uncanny skill deflected all attention from Constantinopolis' single delegate, delivering him directly to his hotel without the slightest fuss.

"I read your statement, comrade, and I applaud you. You are very correct: one of the many ways we can serve the world is simply through example. Your nation has always been prominent in the struggle for the people's liberation. I am most gratified to see you here."

The Goran T'he'rhaji
“I AM ALREADY AWAKE! HAHAHAHA! Got you, you f*ckin’ horns. HA! You didn’t wake me up this time! I, to use a phrase I’ve learnt from my son, owned you!”

Outside the Rigan's suite, a timid young member of cleaning staff delivering extra towels nearly had a heart attack at the sudden eruption of glee at the Rigan delegate's apparent defeat of the horns. She had only just managed to pick up her towels from the floor when the secretary stormed along, flinging the door open to reveal the somewhat exposed Bergstedt in the midst of his victory dance.

She scurried away, making a mental note to request transfer to another floor tomorrow.

At the Conference Hall

ooc: And now I must apologise. I have been very busy, generally only getting to the computer too late and too tired to do anything, but at least I've done some good work and I can take a few hours off! I hope. I must beg your indulgence-- I'm refitting a flat, and it keeps eating my life. ;)

President Fernigold is on his way to the conference, he will be arriving shortly with the intention to join the CACE and to combat and end capitalism.
Blaugrana Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Verity Fruitful? Rosa scanned her memory. She was the Herald for, uh, Sculpting with Silly String, wasn't she? No, that couldn't be right. She held out her hand and broke into a broad smile. "Sister Shiree! How do you manage to stay warm here? And did you read that article about planning from esteemed comrade minister from SeOCC?" Alkatiri shot her a dirty look and tapped his foot, hoping the doors to the conference room would open soon.

Verity (http://www.benovision.co.uk/NS/VerityFruitful.jpg) bowed to Rosa and Mari before embracing them both.

"Its an honour to meet you both. I was overjoyed at your appointment Snr. Alkatiri, and word reached the CDQ that you made quite an impression in BRightOn Rosa" Verity dipped her head imperceptibly"...with certain Shiree Heralds. But I've been treated to a wonderful new faux-fur coat graçias hermana - I hear it is the same as the one Daffyd Bigham was photographed wearing in Cirdanistan"

Verity noticed Mari's impatience and spoke to Almeida "I have read the SeOCC document... as Herald to the CACE, I'd boast that I'm one of the few Shiree who actually enjoy the missives from the MoI... but as to our response.... even if the proCACE faction were in the majority, I'd imagine the notion of any kind of international economic planning board would be met with the same antipathy as usual... and with the White Rhino Collective holding sway... well: the proposal stands as much chance of even reaching the Council floor as the Knootian Government has of embracing socialism."

Comrade General Kivi Eikki Paatelainen lurched about the breakfast area apparently more affected by the last two or three days of jetting about the globe on alcohol-based fuel than he fully realised. The words full and breakfast put him in mind of healing grease and meat, though he really didn't know much about Celdonian cuisine when he requested the dish in question.
Besides grease there was at least one more thing the Igovian needed before searching-out the conference proper (other than a formal education in something besides Igovian military doctrine), and as he sat waiting for whatever exactly it was that he'd requested, the Beth Gellen broke-out a thin case containing an unusual pipe which he stuffed with some opiate or other and put a match to.
Oy, I don't ruddy recognise anybody he thought, peering through a growing ploom of powerful-smelling smoke. Looks a pretty diverse lot, at least, maybe I won't be the only one at odds with any mainstream. Though he thought for a moment that he'd noted a sprite of some sort amongst that diversity, the general put it down to hallucinogens.

Mari spared a smile for the Shiree herald. Well, those Watfordshire diplomats had gone out painting the town in his campaign colours. Granted they got the colour wrong, but it's the thought that counted. But at the mention of the word "Knootoss" his face turned sour and he looked for something to spit into.

"The minister from SeOCC writes with wisdom," he said curtly. "Exactly the sort of thing i campaigned for."

Rosa had enjoyed Verity's hug and returned it enthusiastically. She resisted the temptation to goose her. Neither the time nor the place. "We have white rhinos back home, a few in the sanctuaries, a few still running wild," Rosa said, quite misunderstanding what was being said to her. "Hey, care to place a bet on whether those fellows from Iansisle can operate their microphones?"

Verity rolled her eyes

"Don't talk to me about technology... we opted for the Biotopian laptops to upgrade our diplomatic services and our Union of Courtesans... according to the grapevine, they've only gone and embraced privatre enterprise... so that's our IFTA 'connection' screwed... seems like the Cirdanis might be the best alternative... probably best to issue those Iansisle delegates with some rubber gloves though..."

Turning to Alkatiri, Verity Fruitful bowed low.

"I apologise if my flippancy irritates you Señor - rest assured, I hold the efforts of your people in the highest regard and despite any evidence to the contrary - such issues are a serious matter to the Shiree"

Comrade General Kivi Eikki Paatelainen-- after being politely moved to the smoking section-- is served with a veritable festival of protein and grease, a delightfully soft fried egg swimming in the juices from bacon, black pudding, two kinds of Celdonia's finest sausage, and a token acknowledgement of the vegetable kingdom in the form of sauteed mushrooms and half a tomato. The waiter who puts it down seems somewhat afraid of it.

"More coffee, sir?"

Elsepeth R. Nibbling, looking even paler than normal and clad in a fluffy bathrobe, walked carefully into the breakfast area, trying very hard not to bump into anything. She'd picked up something non-serious but unpleasant which had manifested in all its glory the night before, and she was still kind of nauseous.

Making a significant detour to avoid having to breathe in any Full Celdonian Breakfasts, she poured herself a very large mug of ginseng and catuaba tea, loaded a very small plate with non-acidic, non-fatty, non-sugary titbits, and sat down on her own, tucking her legs up underneath her.

ooc: Ah, C, have you forgotten? We do the family name first... Kham's given name is Khitai. Unless that was on purpose, in which case, Khitai probably thinks Mike's sore at him for some reason, and will inevitably conclude that he has committed some grievous offence of which he has been entirely unaware... you know how he is.


OOC: Sorry X, it slipped my mind so if you're willing assume McKay got the form of address correct as he's not p#ssed with him.

And hey everyone...Celdonia object to being labelled with the least healthy breakfast in the world. Actually, it explains why we spend so much on public services but do so poorly in the UN health surveys though (that and the steadfast refusal to ban smoking in public places maybe), so eat them at your own risk :p

ooc: Ach, C, you can't have a capital city of Glasburgh and no fry-up breakfasts!
(Oh, for the record: a vegetarian version is available, with tofu sausages, walnut-mushroom pudding instead of black, and fried toast instead of bacon. This too is authentically Celdonian. A lot of meat-eaters prefer it. For the record: based on the vegetarian version of the classic Scottish fry-up made by the now defunct Grosevenor Cafe in Ashton Lane, Glasgow, and positively lovely.)

After a satisfying Aperin breakfast (eggs and toast, with eggs and eggs), Ministry of Economics Officer Stedt remarked loudly, to whoever was listening, 'Isn't there supposed to be a conference at some point? With people discussing important issues? I thought - did I misunderstand? Conference, economies, when?'

ooc: patience, Grasshopper. I am writing the post as you rant. This has been one hell of a week for me.

Connors escorted Ridgeman, who looked ready to start cursing about the ‘wake-up call’ to anyone who would listen, and Deines to an isolated table and tried to keep them from ruining Iansisle’s relations with any of the present powers. The three ordered a full Celdonian breakfast (well bemeated, of course!) - that being the closest to the rich morning meals of the Shield - and set at the courses with vigor. Soon, Officer Stedt’s prissy, annoying voice cut across the delegate’s general din.

“Impatient git!” snapped Ridgeman, massaging his temple (Stedt’s tone didn’t seem to agree with his hangover), “Haven’t they agendas in SeOCC? Don’t they know how to tell time? Can’t they realize that when a conference is listed as starting at ten o’clock, it probably won’t have started at nine fifteen?”

Connors silently agreed while trying to get Ridgeman to keep his voice down; it wouldn’t do any good offending another delegate. Deines, meanwhile, was too preoccupied with playing with a cellular telephone he “had found on the floor” (though Connors suspected more suspicious origins for the device, as Deines hid it whenever anyone looked in their direction) to notice the drama unfolding between his superiors.

While her compatriots picked delicately at their healthy and no doubt delicious Xikuangese breakfasts, Nadia happily shovelled down a quite magnificent Celdonian artery-choker. She grinned at Charlotte's pale, slightly green complexion and watched her gaze catch on the young lad from Hackney and his ... uh-oh ... very attractive female companion. She shrugged and slurped at her tea, grimacing at the sour tang of yak butter.

"Hey, Nirgal - you seen Luigi at all?"

And hey everyone...Celdonia object to being labelled with the least healthy breakfast in the world.

OOC: Exactly. That'd be unfair to the Celdonians. It's us. :P

OOC: Exactly. That'd be unfair to the Celdonians. It's us. :P

ooc: deep fried WHAT now???!? :D

Ten o'clock approaches, and the delegates assemble at the Conference Halls. The same halls where the Elected General Council meets, occasionally alongside scores of provincial councils and various committees, the venerable building was once the dormitory, instruction and mediation halls for Buddhist acolytes in association with the Lhailhunhan Kinryi complex, whose early morning horns many of the delegates are still cursing. It was converted to 'offices' during the long occupation of Xikuang, and has since been re-converted to serve as Xikuang's primary seat of government. Much of the original ornamentation remains, and the restored shutters on the high west-facing windows are open to the view of the Lhai mountain range. The atmosphere is one of serenity and calm.

The main hall is vast and spacious, the floor surrounded by tiered seating and overlooked by a balcony, this commandeered by news teams and the ever-present security. Seating is not pre-arranged: delegates may sit where they like, but if anyone appears confused, one or another of the Xikuangese delegation comes forward to seat them. Copies of the conference agenda are placed at all seats, as well as being displayed on a large screen at one end of the room. Copies of Under Minister Ottasam Kihl's address are also made available to delegates who haven't received or have not yet had a chance to read the document.


Fourth International Conference of Anti-Capitalist Economies

http://www.drnightshade.org.uk/images/xikuang/conferencetag.png
Agenda:
Ethical International Trade:
Review of the International Fair Trade Agreement (http://invisionfree.com/forums/CACE/index.php?showtopic=536)
Assessing Our Economic Status:
The NationStates Political Economy Review
Planning Economic Growth Internationally:
Considering a global economic co-ordination body
General Brainstorming



Samir Amin writes, in Spectres of Capitalism, ‘if a transformation is economically necessary, it is also politically, and culturally necessary – and the reciprocal is also the case.’ Change is not effective if it is not complete. In our work against capitalism, we understand that economic justice is not possible without social justice. What, then, does this tell us about our work after capitalism has been overcome in our nations? What new problems confront non-capitalist governments?

Non-capitalist nations must work within a world still dominated by capitalism, must trade while foreign corporations vie to exploit their workers, must live under the threat of foreign invasion. We seek support and safety in numbers, and it was in this spirit that the first Conference of Anti Capitalist Economies was formed, to bring together nations that face the same problems so that they can seek common solutions. Through the creation of the Coalition of Anti Capitalist Economies and the International Fair Trade Agreement we have overcome the economic limitations set before us. Through the United Nations we have brought workers rights into the global stage, and in doing so have achieved material guarantees for all, not just our citizens. Still, though, our work is not complete.

The process of globalization, the increased integration of cultures, governments and economies, presents us with a new set of challenges. Our societies become intermingled, interdependent, and as our governments and people seek their place in a world of many, so too must the economy adapt to the new paradigm. The challenge that faces non-capitalism today is the building of a new set of rules, a new way for nations, and economies, to relate to one another.

Establishing a global political body is important to maintain the rule of law, to give nations a peaceful way to seek redress, resolve conflict and address issues that affect the global community. The global commons, for instance, require an authority above individual nations to properly address. In the era of globalization, local economic decisions affect entire nations, which affect regional economies, which domino until few, if any, are left unchanged. The simplest tenet of democracy is that those that are affected by a decision should have some authority over that decision. Shouldn’t our economies be held to the same standard?

The future of non-capitalism lies here, in our ability to join together, not just politically, by economically. What we are proposing is a global body, headed by a board elected by the nations who choose to take part, which will be charged with coordinating investment and production among member nations. The goal is not to take control of member economies, but to create a single, coherent system of investment to fill future needs and make capital goods available to developing economies. Instead of leaving the task of filling economic needs to market forces we can create an institution that creates short and long term plans based on the needs submitted by its members. In such an institution, we replace trust in an invisible hand with the rational linking of demand and production.

In this institution we will take the next step forward in the development of our economies, creating a new system that truly embodies the ideals of our nations. Cooperation, not competition; people, not profits; prosperity, not exploitation. Only when our international policies are as just as our domestic policies can we say that we have fulfilled the promise of equality.

Ottasam Kihl
Under Minister of Politics
SeOCC

The Xikuangese don't seem to do anything but that it should involve tea, and there are a number of individuals stationed around the hall whose sole purpose it appears to be to keep the delegates well supplied with it, or their beverage of choice. The native delegation take their seats last, scattered about the table as opportunity presents itself, one among them remaining standing. She is a tiny woman, jet black hair pulled back in a severe bun, simply and soberly attired. This is Dr. Xu Xian, the Elected, Chair of the Elected General Council of Xikuang.

Dr. Xu looks around the room, meeting the eyes of each of the delegates, and bows respectfully before speaking. One would not have expected such a tetchy thing as she to be possessed of such a commanding voice, but she is.

"Friends, comrades, welcome to the Fourth International Conference of Anti-Capitalist Economies. I now call this conference in session."

"We all of us live in a world dominated by capitalism; a world wherein the pursuit of profit has been elevated to the highest of goals, the moral responsibility we all share to secure and safeguard the well-being of our fellow people insofar as we are able forgotten in favour of the pursuit of gain, sublimated to the inflation of the wealth of the wealthy at the expense of the impoverished. We come together condemning that state of affairs. We come together affirming that as economic activity is a social phenomenon, its practise must be accompanied by sound ethical sensibility, on the same or on a greater level of scale. We come together in the knowledge that a prosperous economic system, both profitable and socially responsible, is not only possible, but economically preferable. For some nations here represented, it is already a reality at home. But, increasingly, we must look beyond home. We must endeavour to help nations struggling to achieve what we have already achieved, and we must provide a global alternative to nations which might otherwise enter into exploitative international relations. For we know that the wealth of a nation is measured not by some abstract GDP index, but by the condition of its poorest citizen, and it is this we collectively seek to better, at home, and abroad."

Dr. Xu sits, and Councillor Kham-- who has found himself to the right of Comrade Kivi Ekki Paatenainen, and is somewhat overshadowed-- continues.

"The first Conference of Anti-Capitalist Economies, called by and held in Celdonia, met so that anti-capitalist nations might share ideas, experiences, and strategies. A great deal has grown out of that initial conference. The Coalition of Anti-Capitalist Economies (http://invisionfree.com/forums/CACE/index.php) was formed then, and the CACE has served as a resource for anti-capitalist and socialist activity ever since. As a result of that first and subsequent conferences, global anti-capitalist networking has become better integrated, more successful, and more accessible than ever before. We here will continue this most important work, in the hope of improving what has already been done, and of innovating where there is the possibility. You all should have copies of the Conference Agenda before you; if you don't have one, just indicate to one of the stewards or refer to the overhead display. We have received some feedback already and anticipate additions. Does anyone have any items they wish to bring to the floor? You are, of course, welcome to bring things up later, but for the sake of order it would be nice to have notes."

aaaand Friday night BUMP.

Stephanie turned to Mr. Bergstedt. "Yes it was hard to get up this morning with the bells. We Kerlans are naturally late-risers. It was hard to get up one of the assistants. We almost had to tear down the wall to wake him, but I don't think the Xiuangese would of liked that." She scaned him and noticed that he was wearing a military uniform. It was odd since not many delegates were wearing one. "So I see that you are wearing a military uniform. Do all Rigan officals wear one? Kinda tells you guys are ultra-militaristic." She looked at him for the answer and then suddenly hears Dr. Xu speaking. "Well I think that conference has begin so I am gonno find my delegation and sit down. It was nice meeting you." With that said, Stephanie finds the rest of the Kerlan delgation. It was odd not having arranged seating. This is not what they would do. Of course they did seat down next to each other.

First, I thank my colleagues from Xikuang for their hospitality and look forward to a landmark conference with all in attendance. That said, I must relay an unforunate message from Mr. Edmund 'Gorilla' O'Toole, the head of the NSPER, namely the withdrawal of their request to create a general economic analysis framework based on their work. The NSPER team is still hard at work on this question, but has recently joined the Global Unified Statistics and Trade Organization to head a bureau based on adapting existing economic frameworks to fit non-capitalist economies. We look forward to the seeing the finished product, which perhaps Mr. O'Toole will be able to preview before this conference is over.

That said, I will begin by speaking of the IFTA. The IFTA is not an anti-capitalist organization; in practice a bulk of its membership is either non-capitalist or leans heavily in that direction, but at its core the IFTA is founded on market principles and capitalist trade institutions. The IFTA is a material based treaty, designed to protect basic principles of humanity from erosion through international trade, thus enabling nations to maintain standards and benefit from economic ties with other nations.

The IFTA is a transitionary tool; an study released quite some time ago showed that capitalist IFTA signatories saw their policies slowly morph towards the policies of non-capitalist signatories, which demonstrates not so much that the IFTA is creating political change, but rather than businesses and governments were adapting to a new mode of profitability. Just as business models changed when neo-liberalism replaced Keynesianism, the IFTA rewards nations who protect workers' rights, and thus it is no surprise that market based institutions respond accordingly.

The IFTA is an option for nations who wish to maintain trade based economies but do not wish to subject themselves to an exploitative core-periphery system, or compete against sweat shop based economies. It is important that attendees of this conference and IFTA signatories alike not only present the IFTA to nations struggling between the need for trade and the need to protect their citizens, but also to confront and defeat the idiotic proganda against fair trade initiatives. In their bluster and babble, neo-liberals hope to distract governments from the IFTA's proven track record of economic improvement for members as well as their own desire to plunder the riches of unprotected markets. If we surrender the floor, though, nations looking for a way out of exploitative trade relations will hear only one voice, see only one option, and be decieved that there is no alternative.

Our action in this matter is one of the utmust importance; it is imperative the ground lost to talking heads who see no need to attach truth to their statements be retaken, and with haste. For while a lie can make it around the world before the truth can get its boots on, the truth can trip the lie if it knows where to stick it's foot.

Ottasam Kihl
Under Minister of Politics
SeOCC

"So I see that you are wearing a military uniform. Do all Rigan officals wear one? Kinda tells you guys are ultra-militaristic."

"It also tells us that we're a disciplined people not afraid to act" - The old dislike for the Kerlans was hard to wash away but the anger went away just as quickly as it had appeared.

"Well I think that conference has begin so I am gonno find my delegation and sit down. It was nice meeting you."

"Same to you" - Mr. Bergstedt and his secretary walked into the hall were the EGC usually essemble. He takes a quick look over the hall and quite quickly sees the SeOCC delegate. He walks over to them, they shake hand and Mr. Bergstedt decides to sit next to the long-time ally rather than amongst former foes.

Councillor Zhe nods towards Under Minister Kihl. "Indeed, and the facts speak the truth very well, if one may argue ostensibly. I might note that membership in the IFTA is of particular benefit to developing nations, which are always the ones to suffer from fundamentally exploitative trade relations. The IFTA provides a competitive trade environment, but one regulated to ensure that the basic rights of the labour force are respected, and that their needs are met, enabling nations to stabilise, develop and advance their economies through international trade, without fear either of exploitation of their own workers, or of purchasing sweatshop goods abroad. Securing mutually profitable international trade relations is a sure step towards economic growth, and indeed since the IFTA was formed we have seen significant positive development in member nations. Neither has this been restricted to developing economies, but stronger economies have benefited as well."

The Paristani delegation sat patiently waiting for the conference to begin.


ooc: it might be difficult for me to spend too much time on this over the weekend--I've just discovered my car is leaking oil, so I have to take it in...plus I'm working a lot...and I have lots of other RL stuff to take care of. Blah. But I'll do my best. :-)

ooc: seeing I've done the sign up by TG, i'll just get an introductory RP underway.

ic: Micheal looked around, the delegation had taken off for the event as soon as they heard about it. The long flight to the conference for the delegaion of 2 women and 2 men took a lot out of them but as the plane landed on the tarmac of the local airport they were quickly shuffled into their ministerial verchiles. Without their own military convoy the Belmorians felt a bit unsafe so a sigh of relief was given as the car reached the conference centre.

Showing the gaurds their passess the delegation creat in where an official lead them to their seats. James noticed that the man speaking looked Seoccian, talking about his disaproval of the IFTA. The delegation were feeling the jetlag and knew concentration would be tough on this first day.

Having taken their seats next to the Cirdani contingent, The two senior Shiree whisper Clan dialect quietly into headsets throughout the opening speeches while Masaai Hooley wears a worried expression and tries to follow the proceedings while keeping an eye out for the missing Luigi Gogglez. Verity Fruitful spends a few moments confering quietly with the adjacent members of the Praesidium in the lull after Councillor Zhe finishes speaking. Magic Hooley Snr. and Verity Fruitful have been careful not to show too much disrespect to the speakers, but it is clear they are agitated - Herald Fruitful sports an excited flush to her cheeks, and after sharing words with the Cirdanis, Magic Hooley awaits the next speaker with his hands held together in front of him, wearing a broad grin.

...Seoccian, talking about his disaproval of the IFTA...

ooc: the SeOCC underminister likes the IFTA...

ooc: the SeOCC underminister likes the IFTA...
ooc: See what jetlag can do to you

Having been persuaded by an aide to abandon the bathrobe in favour of a rollneck and suit pants, Minister Nibbling wanders into the conference hall, a vast sheaf of folders under one arm and a scarcely smaller mug of ginseng tea in the other. Glancing around for fellow Alcaerans, she spots the Paristani, smiles girlishly in recognition and then curls up in a nearby chair.

Representatives of various Ministries arrange themselves around her; Elsepeth rummages in a pocket, extracts a Ministry of Being Nice crest and sets it up on the desk among the scattered folders.

http://diden.net/~maga/images/donecrests/nice.jpg

OOC: Is too late for me to join the conference?
I hope not. I'd hate to miss it.

ooc: The Belmore Family: it's probably the thin air. Have some tea. It will do you good.

Hell Bovines: we've been keeping some bovine-porportioned chairs just in case a HB delegation should arrive, and a supply of lowland clover is on standby. Your delegates are very welcome.

ic:

A nearby steward makes a note of Elspeth R. Nibbling's tea preferences, and notes a request for a pot of the native Panh T'qai, a particularly warming and invigorating ginseng-ginger-cardamom-capsicum brew he suspects she might find interesting.

Rosa Almeida has been listenign with a broad grin on her face. Always nice to start conferences on a happy note; what wise folks these Xikuangese agenda-makers are.

"The International Fair Tarde Agreement," she says, holding each syllable on her tongue like a piece of hard candy. "Really, it's quite a wonderful thing, isn't it? We look at the IFTA as a way to promote economic growth and mutual prosperity, while avoiding the costs in exploitation of working people inherent in the classical capitalist economic growth model. It's also been a way for my country to strengthen its ties of trade and friendship with countries like Hell Bovines and Watfordshire, without sacrificing existing ties to non-signatories. Tanah Burung, while not a member of the CACE, is a good case study of how IFTA helps developing countries. Our economy has soared from developing all the way up to powerhouse since we signed the IFTA. I really can't speak too highly of this trade agreement as a flexible tool for mutual prosperity."

OOC: yay! Hide the meat, fellows, the cows are coming! :D

IC: "Late. Why?, Why is our country always late?", Foreign minister Saturnino Vacuno asked himself as he and the rest of the bovine delegation got out of the government blimp "Condor 02".
"It's gotta be this darn blimps. A bird flies faster than them", replied Glurg Coincollector, the economics minister, after hearing Vacuno's mumbling.
But luckily the trip to the conference room was a fast one for the 7 bovines.

Some minutes later the doors of the conference room opened and the 5 bovine delegates, escorted by two members of the secretive Elite Duchian Guard, entered the room. After the special chairs were brought for them, they sat in a table in the peripheries of the room. Dr. Vacuno scanned the conference room and the people in it. "It is great to see so many friendly nations", he thought to himself, as he eated the fresh country hay and made an effort to hear what other delegates were saying.

OCC: I saw Xikuang's message in the regional forum for the Proletariat Coalition in which he said we could just show up and I would be very much pleased if I could take part. Does that offer still stand?

Despite all of Connors subtle hinting and Ridgeman’s overt complaining, Deines didn’t seem to realize that he was unwelcome at the Shieldian table. Instead, he quickly took the best seat and proceeded to investigate all the bells and whistles. The cellular phone had vanished into his coat. The two men had just enough time to order tea - “regular, with as much sugar as you care and Gallagan leaf if you have it” - before there was the sharp screech of feedback which Deines had somehow managed to generate.

“Don’t you think you ought to just order him back to his room?” asked Connors, exasperated by Ridgeman’s subordinate. He simultaneously spoke and tried to shrink down in his seat as dozens of curious eyes turned towards the Iansislean table.

“I can try - erm, Deines?”

“Yes, citizen?”

“Go back to your room.”

“No, thank you, citizen. I’m not tired, though it’s nice of you to think of me. What do you fancy this button does?”

“I tried,” said Ridgeman to Connors, who was groaning.

“Never mind - there’s Dr Xu; I reckon she intends a speech.”

Connors and Ridgeman listened politely, applauding where everyone else did, and even Deines managed not to make a complete ass out of himself.

As Rosa Almeida was speaking, Ridgeman leaned over to Connors and whispered, “Sure have a lot of ways of saying nothing, don’t they?”

“Welcome to international diplomacy,” replied Connors with a slight smirk. “The goal is to say nothing more controversial than the person before you. Why, do you care to make a speech, citizen?”

“No - no! I’ll survive, thank you.“

They applauded for Almeida’s speech before Deines started incessantly tugging at Ridgeman’s shirt sleeve.

“Look, citizen! Hell Bovines! Six - no, seven! - of them!”

“Do stop staring!” snapped Connors. “These are our co-delegates, not some circus amusement!” But even he couldn’t help but marvel at the sentient cows as they walked in.

“D’ya think we’ll be able to speak, after the conference?” asked Deines excitedly. “Y’know, I’ve been brushing up on my Spanish lately - maybe they’d like to hear it. Hola, señor bovine, ¿como estas? - wouldn’t they love it?”

“As someone who has been to the Golden Quarry, Deines, I can assure you that you’ve the most terrible accent I’ve ever heard,” grumbled Ridgeman, who was still in a foul temper. “Now, eyes forward and mouth closed before you cause us any more embarrassment than you all ready have.”

One of the heretofore deftly unobtrusive furniture technicians responsible for replacing the human-sized chairs with ones more suited to Bovinian specifications uttered an involuntary alarmed 'Ack!' and dropped a chair with a thud at the sudden shrieking of feedback resulting from Deines's interminable fiddling. Councillor Zhe visibly winced, and Kham gestured discreetly to someone on the balcony, who turned down the gain on the Iansislean's microphone. Or perhaps disabled it entirely; judging from the looks on Connors's and Ridgeman's faces, Khitai suspected they wouldn't mind.

ooc: Danarkadia, certainly! There are seats available at the main table or you can take to the wings. Feel free to RP your arrival or just jump in. That goes for other recently regionally invited nations as well.

Alkatiri glanced over at the kerfuffle in the Iansisle delegation. That did not appear to be the Lord High Admiral, the Earl of Peasantkille, the Honourable, Third of That Ilk. In fact, it looked like a commoner. If only he still had spies in Iansisle, maybe they could have told him what was going on in the Shield. Meanwhile, he sat back, satisfied that Tanah Burung had gone on record without committing itself, in any way, regarding any matter of substance whatsoever.

Almeida scribbled out a note to the Bovine foreign minister. "Dear Saturnino, what a pleasure to see you so soon after seeing the Duque himself! I've just come across the tastiest recipe for tofu tahini wafers, i'll be sure and send it along."

ooc: ummm, just curious as to if it is too late for a laid back country to get involved... we tend to get mail a little slow around here but it gets around none the less... so could we still play along???

ooc: need to pay attention to the other posts a little more... as we say better late than not even trying... wait is that it... whatever...

ic: You could hear the flip flops coming down the corridor and the humming to some kind of music, almost out of key but at least sounding decent, sometimes...

"CUZ I'M DROWNING IN YOU!!! YEAH YEAH!!"

swings the door open at the same time as the feedback strikes like lightning through his headphones,

"AWWW, SHIT!!!" Economist John Frill yelled at the top of his lungs from the back... "Ummm, Hey everyone how we all doin' today... sorry for the, uhhh, expletive back there, just scared shitless by that shrill screeching... fuck, i mean hey sorry, i'll just sit down back here."

drops his walkman with an audible thud and mumbles more choice expletives and takes a seat at the back table, picks up his walkman and puts it, as well as his folder down and opens up to the first page... thinks to himself... "Maybe no one noticed me as usual... i'll just sit quietly back here and pay attention and go home with some good info for the High Councilor... i just gotta stay awake... i gotta quit bar hopping on business trips..."

OOC: Thanks, Xikuang, couldn't ask for a more gracious host.

IC: The Danarkadian delegation arrived after a quick trip from the hotel. The had been in Lhijir for some time, in order to acclimatize to the unfamiliar altitude as well as hone their skills in a language that was not theirs. The three members of the delegation, two middle-aged men and a stunning young woman, dressed similarly in the dark earth-tone suits of woven hemp, leather boots and overcoats in the style of their nation, entered the cavernous lobby of the Conference Halls. After a quick and friendly coversation with one of the Xikuangese citizens in the registration desks, the oldest of the three, a member of the Foreign Affairs Union and a man who has been living in Xikuang for some years, led his fellow Danarkadians to their seats at the main table in the Conference Halls. Their nametags read thus:

"Icarus Thelema: Foreign Affairs Union, Economics and Trade Division"
"Kamal Amen-Ra: Representative of the Federation for Economic Development and Coordination, member of the Supreme Council"
"Anastasia Bjornsdottir: Federation of Economic Development and Coordination, Institute for Macroeconomic Studies"

Danarkadians have no notion of power, being an essentially anarchistic society, organizing their labor into unions, syndicates and federations of both. There being no power, there is no such thing as rank, but rather authority is derived from one's wisdom in one's field and ability to build consensus among fellow syndics. These traits tended to earn one elected positions to representing others at the higher levels of coordination, such as at the federation level, or, in the case of one delegate, the highest level of coordination in Danarkadia, the Supreme Council. The delegates in attendance were therefore not powerful people, but they were some of the best in their field and crucial to Danarkadia's macro-economic organization.
They took their seats, chatted with other delegates in Xikuangese, or to each other in their native tongue, and began to jot down notes on tablet computers while pouring over the schedule of events and gaining new contact information.

Meanwhile, many millions in Danarkadia were watching the live feed from the conference on the national data-net. Many felt it was a shining moment for their nation and looked forward to watching their brothers and sisters in attendance represent their nation.

Bump for the anarchist syndicates

A palpable silence falls over the room at Mr. Frill's somewhat unsubtle arrival and continues as the economist takes his seat at the back, no one being quite sure how to respond. Eventually, Councillor Xiang breaks it.

"We're all quite well, sir, thank you. Welcome-- it's good to see you." He refers to a document in front of him, working out who the new arrival must be. "But to return to the topic at hand-- I believe my colleague Zhe has some data to present?"

Someone who appears to be able to move completely silently appears at Mr. Frill's side and asks if he would perhaps care for tea or coffee or something else maybe?

"Ah, yes, I do." Councillor Zhe returns his attention from wherever he had misplaced it to the table, pressing a few keys on a laptop computer and bringing up a graphic on the large screen at the end of the room, visible to all delegates.

"These data have been collected by the Erikson Archetypal Tendency and Metamorphosis Examination firm in Galdago. This graph represents a comparison between IFTA member nations with regard to their ranking for fastest economic growth. As you can see, over half of the IFTA as a whole are ranked above average, with a full 36% in the top tenth percentile for economic growth."

http://www.ucs.louisiana.edu/~lst4606/ns/Galdago/ecgrowthchart.gif

"If you compare these figures with an tracking of economic rankings of member nations over time, you'll find this hardly surprising. Economic rankings of member nations have been fairly consistently on the rise. This analysis comes from the Not Bored! Economists and Accountants Collective in Free Soviets."

http://img49.exs.cx/img49/9933/IFTAaug.png

"Finally, if you compare that with an analysis of the economic rankings for anticapitalist nations generally, this is particularly impressive. This is based on a comparison of nations in the Anticapitalist Alliance and The Proletariat Coalition, both of substantial membership, and which we take to be a fair representative sampling of anticapitalist and socialist economies. This too comes from the Not Bored! Collective."

http://img49.exs.cx/img49/3757/ACATPC.png

"As you can see, while anticapitalist and socialist nations tend to average low to fair economic rankings with a significant number of imploded and basket case economies, IFTA signatory nations on the whole are doing very well indeed and experiencing overall economic growth. This information serves to illustrate that not only is the IFTA ideologically sound, but that it has produced concrete economic benefits for its signatories."

ooc: Danarkadia, since your delegates have been here a few days, shall we just assume you've been here all the while?

Nirgal glanced at Bill Fort as Councillor Zhe unveiled the economic data. Bill's countenance was growing ever more gloomy as the evidence of IFTA's economic benefits was displayed.

Nirgal leaned over and whispered, "So, what UN category is our economy at the moment?"

Bill's frown deepened. "Imploded. Our recovery appears to have come to a grinding halt."

"Oh. Oh, dear. Are you still going to present our objections to IFTA to the conference?"

"Ah, well... probably, yes. However..." His voice trailed off as he looked around the conference hall, taking in the rapt expressions of many delegates. He shook his head and allowed himself a wry smile. "However, I suspect we may find ourselves laughed out of the conference."

"Hmm. Well, let's wait ad see what else they have to say, yes?"

Bill nodded unhappily and they returned their attention to the presentation.

Economic Liason Raspail was furiously writing down notes about the economic statistics of IFTA nations. He was pleased to find New Paristan right in the middle of things, with a "fair" economy. New Paristan had been having major economic troubles in the first 15 years after the Revolution. Transitioning from capitalism to socialism wasn't easy.

Now, however, he was pleased to note that New Paristan's economy was finally beginning to stabilize. The shelves of grocery co-ops around the country were filling up with goods. Productivity was up. New Paristan's Social Employment Program was giving people jobs all over the country working on infrastructure--building roads, railways, housing and public buildings. Job training programs were springing up like weeds. All of these factors resulted in a large drop in unemployment--from 15% to 9% in the last two years. Overall wages were rising and what little gap remained between the poorest and richest citizens was rapidly closing.

Finally, he thought, we can start imposing the Maximum Wage rule...

...then he stopped. Wait, I don't have a job anymore. The MED doesn't exist anymore. It will have to be up to the workers' councils to decide that.

He bit his lip in frustration. It was too soon to dissolve the Ministry for Economic Democracy. He had tried to tell PM Chartres that before he left for 4CACE. He thought he had gotten his point across.

He refocused on what the speaker was saying. He would have to talk to PM Chartres when he returned to Montmartre.

OOC: That's cool for me, Xikuang. Let's assume my delegates have been in attendance.

IC: All three delegates carefully observed the charts and grafts presented by Councillor Zhe. Though the overall data was promising, there was one bit of information that bothered the three. They whispered to each other in their native tongue.

Icarus asks them, "It worries me that, according to the last graph on ACA and TPC economic brackets, the numbers are greater at the lower end. What does this tell us? What do you think, Kamal?"
"I think a bell-curve would be much more indicative of the success of non-capitalist nations. Many heavily capitalist nations tend to have higher performing economies, though at the expense of many of their own people."
Anastasia had been quite. She was young yet and was in attendance because her work in macroeconomic theory was becoming one of the most significant contributions to the field in Danarkadia in a decade. After listening to her older companions, she whispered to the two of them: "That is the conventional wisdom, isn't it? That in order to insure the equitable distribution of material wealth or that it serves the whole, we must accept a less productive economic situation. And vice versa...if we want a more productive economy, we have to let it be run by self-interested profiteers. We must learn how to reconcile the two."
"And what do you propose we do?", replied Icarus.
"I'm not sure yet, but I think between everyone here, we could come up with something. We have to if we want to prove ourselves as a viable alternative to capitalism."

The three then returned their attention to the presentation, jotting notes, sending instant messages and reviewing their files on their tablet computers. All of them thought, however, that some new information is produced at this conference. They were all aware of the recent downgrade in Danarkadia's own economy and something needed to be done.

Elsepeth R. Nibbling rises, a little unsteadily.

"I'd just like to underline a couple of the successes of IFTA that have been only briefly touched upon. Yes, the economic success of the Agreement has been significant - flying (in a highly gratifying manner, I might add) in the face of free-market dogmas. But to confine its success to this is to do it disservice.

"First of all, I'd like to point out that despite being a largely isolationist bloc, the IFTA has managed to avoid homogenising its individual economies to an incredible degree. Although some nations have held a more significant economic position within the IFTA by dint of economic muscle, and its member nations are for the most part closely economically involved with each other, we have not seen a single economic paradigm dominate. Vastly differing economic models - conventional communists, the technocracy of SeOCC, ParEcon's participatory economicsm, unplanned soviets, our own 'tranquil economy' model - all operate within the same system; there are nations that hold more economic influence, true, but there is none of the economic imperialism that a sceptic might expect of any trade bloc. We have achieved this because the spirit of IFTA is not about cultural-economic hegemony; it is about trade that benefits all parties involved.

"Secondly, I would like to point out that the rise of IFTA economies has been twinned with strong results in the reduction of income disparity. This element is crucial; without it economic growth is a victory only for a few. My own understanding of this has come from my Ministry's responsibilities: crime, the environment, health, social welfare and enfranchisement. The majority of problems in all of these areas are the result of poverty and social inequality.

Trade within IFTA has allowed us to drastically reduce both. We are able to specialise in exports that we can be effectively productive in without being robbed blind on essential imports; we have freedom from international debt; and we need not abandon our people in order to compete.

"IFTA is not perfect, and still has faults I believe we can mend. The poor performance of the ACA's economies generally is not unrelated, I believe, to its isolating of non-signatory members; non-signatories not only have to compete with unscrupulous capitalists on the world market, but also have fewer available non-capitalists to trade with. There is also a feeling among many - I do not say most - IFTA members that standards-compliant organisations in non-signatory nations should be eligible for special membership, in order to defend them from the ravages of the free market.

"There is also a need for an environmental standard in the IFTA; there is a risk that competition will move from labour standards to environmental ones in search of costs to cut. My colleagues in the Ministry of Trade and Industry are presently working on a draft, but it is a somewhat massive task and not one that can be achieved without considerable signatory interest."

As soon as she has finished speaking, Elsepeth's bright-eyed grin and model-student posture fade away; she sits down wearily and downs the remainder of her ginseng tea at a gulp.

Comrade General Paatelainen frowned a little and pursed his lips as he read and listened. Though he hadn't been able to contain a slight chuckle at the Iansislian antics, Frill's entrance, though apparently an issue of some alarm to others, did not seem to catch the Beth Gellen's attention.

The General was not an economist, and surely not fully the best choice to be attending such a conference. Some may read his deployment as somehow telling of the renewed Igovian sentiment in Beth Gellert; that of an aggressive revolution that proclaimed through knife-clenching teeth, "the enraged will inherit the earth!"

Kivi felt himself for a moment experiencing something approaching guilt as he realised what an island was The Igovian Soviet Commonwealth. An anti-capitalist nation signatory to no economic treaties and yet displaying economic growth that at last count would have placed her well inside the top five were she resident in the CACE region. Evidently others were not so lucky.

Comrade Paatelainen told himself that it was variously because the other drifters had built their revolutions too soon, without the long-evolved base that the Igovians had inherited from Prince Llewellyn and his capitalists, and because they were less favourably situated and fed-upon by capitalists. This made the General feel rather better as it renewed his desire to get back out on campaign, driving out such blockers.

Still he thought, if I'm not very careful they shall all join the IFTA and leave us a pariah!

A grunt of some sort escaped the General as he made to speak, "...We, erm, the, it is quite possible for prosperity and security to be achieved by other means, of course! We Beth Gellens have never signed nor joined a thing... but the revolution! Of course we are lucky communists, housing ourselves in a vast and diverse continent with resources at hand... we don't need to import very much... but where we have needed to? And where we could not for hostile capitalists and introspective treaties? We left it where it was, and we brought to it the revolution, as on Victoria and Salvador!"

The General's pupils were by now wildly dilated thanks to his smokey intake of minutes earlier, and he felt for the moment quite sure that the revolution could go wherever it wanted to go, winning for all of its participants all that they required. The better part of three billion Beth Gellens would probably have agreed, judging by the lack of opposition granted to the recent Igovian coup.

Minister Poulain took note of [insert proper title here] Nibbling's words and motioned to be recognized. As she spoke, her interpreter translated her words into Celdonian for the delegates.

"Comrades,

New Paristan heartily agrees with our comrade from Rehochipe. Since we signed IFTA, we have eliminated our trade deficit. We now have a good-sized trade surplus. Our citizens can now be assured that products we import are made according to fair labor standards. Our recent economic growth is due in part to our participation in IFTA.

We also agree with the need for an environmental standard. We will work with our comrades in Rehochipe and other interested nations to establish such a standard. The fatal flaw of many socialist and communist nations is that in the quest for social equality and industrial growth, environmental concerns go by the wayside. Yet a sustainable environment is crucial for every nation. And one nation's poor environmental laws can affect many nations around it.

Which is not fair. So we must have an environmental standard.

We do, however, take issue with one point made by Comrade Nibbling.

We are not in favor of granting treaty-compliant organizations special membership in IFTA if the nations in which they are based do not comply with IFTA standards. If we do that, then what is the incentive for the non-compliant nation to change its ways?

We would like, instead, to use the promise of IFTA membership to pressure these organizations to push for revolutionary social change in their own nations.

For example, would we admit a company that is 51% worker-owned, but is based in a nation that has no minimum wage laws? To do so would be a disservice to the people of that nation suffering under the repression of the capitalist regime.

If we're ever going to use IFTA to promote a global movement against capitalist oppression, then we must use it both as a carrot and as a stick. We must use it as incentive for compliant organizations to push for social change within their own nations, and we must deny membership as punishment to those organizations who are compliant but also complacent about the conditions in their nations.

We would, however, be willing to consider special membership for compliant organizations that reside in non-signatory nations whose policies comply with treaty requirements. Perhaps if enough such organizations sign, they can put collective pressure on the national leadership to sign the treaty."

Minister Poulain and her interpreter then sat back down.

The esteemed minister from New Paristan is quite correct; the success of the IFTA has come exactly because we have refused to compromise principles in the name of inclusiveness. The issue here is one of 'leakage,' of value created in economically just firms and nations ending in the hands of capitalists and profiteers, which results in us subsidizing their exploitation of the working class.

An example: a firm that is compliant with IFTA regulations in a capitalist country buys buys components from an IFTA signatory. Where will they sell those goods? Where will their workers spend their salaries? Who do they pay their taxes to? And so on. While it may seem compassionless to refuse to extend trade priviledges to compliant firms in non-compliant countries, we must face some hard realities about the consquences of such an action.

First, it will resurrect the race to the bottom. While compliant firms would have to meet IFTA standards, the standard of living in most IFTA nations will be markedly higher than in a comprable capitalist country. Thus, wages, while they will qualify as living wages, will be lower than those in other IFTA nations. This unfairly advantages compliant firms in non-compliant firms, and removes any motivation for those firms to seek political change to bring their government into the IFTA.

Second, it will be a one way relationship. While we could do business with compliant firms, we will not able to sell to the people of that nation. This immediately creates at least a small scale trade deficeit, one in which we are sending value to those firms, and thus to the capitalist society they exist within, while recieving no value in return. How many IFTA countries could absorb that loss without damaging their own economies? It is surprising how easily an entire economy can be damaged by small mistakes; entire continents have seen their economies and currencies plummet in value because a few bad loans were made by a few banks.

Third, we will be subsidizing the maintenance of a capitalist society. The ultimate end of capitalism will come as the result of a massive overproduction crisis, one in which the working class can no longer afford to buy the products they make, which will lower profits, lead to the firing of workers, lowering total buying power, thus repeating the cycle. By allowing compliant firms to trade with IFTA signatories we are creating a class of workers who are recession proof, who earn more than other workers and gain their income from forign firms who pay above market value for goods. Such an arrangement begs to be exploited, as capitalists will find they have thousands, if not millions of workers total, who will have money no matter how hard they squeeze the working class in general. Such an outcome is hardly in line with the principles of the IFTA.

Finally, we must approach this as an issue of priorities. Nations protest that the IFTA limits who they can trade with, even though the IFTA offers over a hundred billion potential consumers across the trade bloc. Are your nation's priorities to preserve trade relations with nations that will not agree to the terms of the IFTA, who will not support workers rights through it, or to ensure that their workers will never be asked to give up basic principles of humanity in the name of keeping their firm afloat? Yes, transitions are slow and difficult, but for those that truly wish them to happen they will.

Take the nation of Milesia for instance. Over the past several years their government has undertaken massive projects of reform and restructuring, and yet within the last week they have joined the Coalition of Anti Capitalist Economies, completing the change from a capitalist nation to a non-market and just economy. If your are willing, changes are possible. The IFTA played no small part in that change, by guaranteeing Milesia a stable trade bloc they could enter to when they completed their reforms; had the IFTA allowed compliant firms to trade with signatories, what motivation would there have been for Milesia to complete their economc transformation?

We need not sacrifice our principles in the name of expedience; there are better solutions to supporting compliant firms than allowing them entry into the IFTA, and if we are truly devoted to such an end our efforts are better spent seeking those new solutions than sabotaging our current successes.

Ottasam Kihl
Under Minster of Politics
SeOCC

The big Beth Gellen couldn't help uttering another, "Hm!" after Khil's words. It seemed to him -and slightly surprised him as a self-confident sceptic of all else- that the Seocc had bothered to think about more than the one desired result of their actions, which was encouraging to the General so used to balancing the military with the political, the domestic with the international, and more. Still, in a context that he could understand, Kivi was eventually to conclude that this was small-time. He was an Igovian, and above all else was not willing to wait a second longer than was required on the most fundamental of levels, which he saw to be the creation of a basic modern infrastructure in a nation and the opening of a significant portion of the population to the idea of change. He couldn't see the Nicobarese opening any part of their economy to the Igovians, and was more interested in backing rebels in North Andaman.
Perhaps he was right after all in thinking it best to leave the foundations to the men of treaties, while The Commonwealth thrust its revolutionary bayonet on the ground floor.

(OOC: Excuse my frequent bursts of self-interested nonsense, followed by long periods of silence, I like to reply to things simply to make them stick in my own mind when I'm afraid that they will otherwise be thrown-up with so much booze.)

Nirgal had watched the rise and fall of Bill's mood with concern. The old economist had even allowed himself a smile as Ms Nibbling delicately addressed the aspects of IFTA that prevented Ecopoeia from signing. However, the subsequent rebuttals from Minister Poulain and Under-Minister Kihl had eradicated all trace of his pleasure. Nirgal nudged him again.

"Are you going to speak? If so, when?"

"Hmm. I don't know. The problem is that we've been through this before with IFTA and the ACA. I doubt we have any chance of getting an amendment. Besides, it is decent treaty. It just happens to screw us and allow very little leeway for non-state actors."

"Where does this leave us?"

"The exceptions we've been granted should be enough for now but they won't last indefinitely. When they expire... ach, we're in deep trouble if we lose that trade, especially with East Hackney. We may have to resort to underhand measures."

Nirgal raised his eyebrows at this. "Like what?"

"Like encouraging the black market." He shrugged and reached under his glasses to rub his eyes. Nirgal was suddenly all too aware of Bill's advanced years.

Oh, dear...

Councillor Kham speaks. "Under Minister Kihl and Honourable Comrade Poulain have expressed our position well. If, indeed, a nation's legislation make that nation fully compliant with the IFTA, then there is really no economic disadvantage to their becoming signatories. The desire to keep existing trade relations with non-signatory nations is a powerful argument against signing, it is true, but it is also a powerful argument for those very non-signatory nations to become compliant themselves, and as more nations sign, the argument gains in strength. Should previously non-compliant nations bring themselves in alignment with IFTA regulations, previously existing trade relations painlessly could be restored, but very probably under significantly better conditions, and with the advantage of an assured large and fair international market.

"This is really what the IFTA should be aimed towards accomplishing: widening the international market, bringing more nations into the treaty, and extending the trade benefits already experienced by so many signatories. It is to address the concerns expressed by Mr. Thelema: ultimately, we hope to bring economies in poor condition, which number so highly in socialist alliances like the Anticapitalist Alliance and The Proletariat Coalition, into the treaty, giving them the opportunity for development without fear of exploitative trade relations with unscrupulous corporations."

Commissioner Taqkhla stops fiddling with her teaspoon and pipes up. "We do of course recognise that it is often difficult for nations, owing to complicated trade entanglements, geographical location, or any number of factors, to extricate themselves from existing trade with non-compliant nations. Now that we have seen what the IFTA can do, my committee wishes to bring to the table the possibility that a fund be created within the IFTA, designated to relieve such nations and to ease their transition into a new international market."

An IFTA aid fund is either unnecessary beauracracy or a half measure. If it's purpose is merely to provide whatever economic resources new signatories are in need of, then why tangle a simple process with an added level of complication? Let individual nations with surpluses, of which there are many within the IFTA, undertake their own projects. Certainly we have seen several nations, mine included, are quite adept as doing just this.

However, if the intent is to in fact enter these nations into a global system then a development fund does not go far enough. Where will these nations sell their goods? If we supply them with money they will just have to turn around and spend it on material goods from IFTA nations, which then further moves their nation into the periphery. However, if there were a global coordinating body as was proposed in my introductory paper, new IFTA signatories could immediately receive capital goods to create products in demand in other signatory nations, while at the same time benefiting from the economies of scale that come with specialization, both in their own production and in the decreased cost of buying goods from other countries.

Ottasam Kihl
Under Minister of Politics
SeOCC

Verity Fruitful rises to speak.

"The Shiree know only too well the benefits of IFTA membership and I would like to underline the argument against granting exceptions for trade with non-compliant nations.

We view the agreement as a seal of approval. Basic rights of working folk underpinning a standard of quality and safety that is, in our experience unsurpassed. By holding true to these simple principles and by striving for ever higher standards of manufacturing relating to the welfare of our peoples and the environmental impact, we hope to provide a foundation for support and trade which should prove an inspiration and a goal to workers as yet shackled by exploitative employers.

If I may echo Under-Minister Kihl's statement, it is only by co-operation rather than competition that such standards will be achievable and maintainable.

Since the IFTA came into being, the list of signatories grows ever longer and the potential for inefficient decisions is multiplied. While the notion that every UN memberstate should be IFTA compliant may remain a far-off fantasy for now, it is only through co-ordination of our collective efforts that our standards will continue to inspire."

Verity and Magic Hooley Snr. share a broad smile before the Herald continues.

"The Shiree fully support the call for a 'planning board', or other international institution for the coordination of supply and demand of signatory nations, and due to most recent changes to our domestic political canvas, that I can make this statement - with the full backing of the Shiree Council.

The success of our endeavours thus far is clear. It is now time to move forward and take what the capitalists... the slaveowners think of as a 'game' to the next level".

Verity sits, to enthusiastic applause from her Shriee compañeros.

Sikander woke with a guilty start as, beside him, Comrade Albert rose to speak.
Marx, how long was I out for? Hope no-one noticed...
He glanced up at the press gallery and noticed gloomily that his partner Kalpurna was glaring down at him disapprovingly. She broke her gaze to jot something on her notepad and she broke into a grin as her editor whispered some wisecrack in her ear.
How does she do it? Neither of them had slept at all last night, and Sikander was feeling like reheated death while Kalpurna, fresh-faced and sparkling-eyed, looked every inch the professional journalist.
It was a far cry from last night, when Sikander had reeled home just before dawn to find Kalpurna waiting to deliver a torrent of abuse on his multiple failures as a boyfriend. The blazing row had lasted right through the dawn cacophony and on past the start of the conference, and he was starting to feel the strain.
As Albert shuffled his notes and cleared his throat nervously, Sikander looked round and caught the eye of Charlotte, who flashed him a conspiratorial smile. The black pall seemed to lift for just a moment.

Nirgal didn't know whether to laugh or cry. That Watfordshire's isolationist spell was over - such wonderful news! Yet, cruelly, in that same speech came all but confirmation that the Shiree would not support an Ecopoeian bid to reform IFTA.

"I think you have to speak, Bill."

"Yes, I think so too. But let's wait a little longer, let the matter run its course before we dive in."

Nirgal sighed softly. He looked to his left, where Nadia was shaking her head and absently rubbing the nub of what was once her little finger. To her left, Charlotte was grimacing, a light sheen on her pale forehead betraying her lingering self-inflicted illness. Her gaze wandered over to the Hackney delegation and a brief smile flickered across her features. Some feedback screeched from an unknown microphone and she winced. Nirgal looked away.

Such high spirits we had last night. Talk about being brought back to earth with a bump...

Entirely oblivious to his assistant's fidgetings, Albert at last arranged his notes, spectacles and brimming coffee cup to his satisfaction and drew a deep breath.

"Comrades, we wish to second Rehochipe's statement as to the necessity of introducing an IFTA environmental standard. It is, in our view, as essential to preventing the exploitation of workers as any minimum wage or restriction on working time.

"We are in the business of preventing the theft of value, are we not? Well, is not environmental destruction another method by which corporations steal value from the people?

"As our comrades so rightly pointed out, if we prevent employers from profiting by exploitation of labour then they will seek other routes to a quick buck.

"And does not every worker have the right to a decent environment? Does he or she not have the right to breathe clean air free of carcinogens? To drink water free of weedkillers, heavy metals and industrial run-off? Are these rights not as basic to a healthy existence as a good wage and tolerable hours?

"This issue transcends national boundaries. Pollution in West Hackney may kill workers in Rehochipe, while the coastal towns of Sophista could be swamped if East Hackney is reckless in its CO2 emissions.

"Comrades, the destruction of the environment by industry is a theft of value not only from every worker now living but from every worker who ever will live. Simply because we cannot readily put a price on the worth of a rainforest, of a glacier, of a sparkling freshwater lake, is no reason to deny this and channel all our efforts into mundane concerns of stocks, shares and wages."

Albert shuffled his notes once more and took his seat.

the Shiree contingent utter a series of low moans in approval of the Hackneyites words. While one of the Military Dancers scribbles frantically in a notebook.

(ooc: any delegations who wish to rank up for the group photo - please get your DETAILED character descriptions to Watfordshire with maximum haste... if X could provide in depth description of the conference hall, that'd be gradely)

The black clouds hanging over the Ecopoeian were rent asunder by glorious, streaming sunlight. Comrade Albert's speech was as music to the Ecopoeians' ears. For a short while, other problems just melted away.

"The Shiree fully support the call for a 'planning board', or other international institution for the coordination of supply and demand of signatory nations, and due to most recent changes to our domestic political canvas, that I can make this statement - with the full backing of the Shiree Council.

One of the MoE henchmen sent with SeOCC's delegation choked audibly on a cup of tea as the notoriously fickle Shiree Heralds dealt another swift kick to the preconcpetions about their nation.

ooc: re: Watfordshire's "group photo" post. For those who are interested, you may find a photo of Minister for International Affairs Amelie Poulain here:

http://www.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0211915/Ss/0211915/s_1105_32.jpg?path=gallery&path_key=0211915

As Verity declared support for a trade and production board, Rosa Almeida fell off her chair in surprise.

"It's not time for that agenda item yet," Alkatiri sniffed, disapprovingly, under his breath. The he stood and addressed the environmental issue.

"We certainly concur with the desire for a greener trade bloc," he said. "Yet i am not certain that environmental standards should be introduced to an agreement meant to include as many countries as possible in a zone free from the exploitation of working people. My government would give trade preference to states with good ecological records, but we do not feel it is the time for a blanket environmental standard for the whole of IFTA. In the future, yes, but not while the IFTA is still expanding into areas subject to sweatshop labour."

Delegate pix:
http://www.etan.org/et2003/images/alkmeg.jpg

"I understand the concerns of the delegate from Tanah Burung," Minister Nibbling added, "and while I believe it is eminently possible for a developing nation to improve its economy while maintaining close concerns for the environment, I'm all too aware that this requires concerted effort, and may not be applicable to nations brought into IFTA mid-development. Certainly, we don't want to scare off any more nations than we are already. The standard we've been suggesting is entirely opt-in - not even conferring Trade Primacy. Its purpose for now is simply to let governments and individuals within IFTA know the environmental credentials of what they're buying, and enabling them to make choices based upon that. Certainly, we wouldn't demand nationwide compliance or none at all; individual companies or branches of industry of noncompliant nations would be eligible for compliant status.

"As far as a 'blanket' standard, we're still not sure how precise the terms of the suggested document can or should be; it seems obvious that we cannot have a million-page document of interminable precision.

"I do not forsee a time when IFTA no longer has expansion among its goals. We cannot put off any legislation because of this, or we will be putting it off until Der Angst is the sole non-signatory."

This analysis comes from the Not Bored! Economists and Accountants Collective in Free Soviets.

btw, some members of the Not Bored! Collective are in attendence, so if anyone has any questions about their data and charts, feel free to ask.

Stephanie stood up to adress the conference. "We agree with the delegate of East Hackney. The world is being polluated and nobody is stopping the capitalist from exploiting nature. We must make sure that does not happen now and in the future." A round of applause was heard and being stasified, Stephanie sat down back.

Bill watched, confused, as Nirgal scurried over to the East Hackney delegation. Some heated discussion followed, then Nirgal made his way back to his chair.

"What was that about?"

Nirgal sighed. "Drop it, Bill. They won't support us."

"Oh." The elderly economics advisor sagged a little and dropped his papers on the floor. Nirgal leaned over to Nadia and Charlotte to deliver the news.

Daniel de Valera, Caselonia's Foreign Minister, rose from his seat after being recognized. He glanced at the highly-excitable Dr. Hasso von Keldermann, the Economic Affairs Minister, before beginning to speak, giving him a look that seemed to say, "Wait your turn, old boy. You'll have plenty of time to speak."

"While I think it is safe to say that all of us recognize the importance of implementing proactive, progressive environmental policies it is, unfortunately, not something which is easily legislated.

"Nations in varying forms of development often cannot spare the expense necessary to sponsor impact studies, exhaustive testing procedures on new products, and other things either taken for granted or simply factored in, without sacrificing serious economic strength. Many nations in CACE are comfortable with low-tier economic ratings; many others are not.

"Caselonia has proven itself to have one of the fastest growing economies in the world. It has also proven time and again to exhibit a high level of environmental awareness and preservation. But to legislate such a level of awareness and preservation is, in the opinion of this delegate, folly.

"Most signatory nations simply are not ready for even more stringent legislation placing further requirements and restrictions on membership requirements. Were an internationalist organization set up within CACE to fund these environmental programs within the Coalition, it would, perhaps, be possible. But to be perfectly frank, I am not sure how much of a foreign aid burden this would place on Caselonia and other top-tier economic powers.

"We are not concerned with being stingy with our foreign aid dollars, but they currently flow out of Caselonia at an unprecedented rate, to an unprecedented number of nations and programs. Too much more could cause serious economic difficulties for us domestically. And I say to the delegate from Kerla - Yes, the world is being polluted and capitalist nations are the largest group of perpetrators - so why would further legislation within CACE have any effect whatsoever on capitalist polluters?"

"Thank you, that is all I have for now."

He retook his seat and leaned over to Comrade Doctor von Keldermann, whispering, "It will be your turn soon enough...let's see what these green fundies have to say about this."

Magic Hooley Snr. raises tatooed palms in greeting to the assembled

"I'm grateful that Señor Valera recognises the importance of the issue. While the 'legislation' and the enforcement of such legislation concerning environmental standards will vary considerably between differently governed nations, surely the example set to other nations is the important part of of the standard.
You can place your £Bones on the fact that our actions are of little importance to governments who put short term profit before long term harmonious survival, but we must remember that our environmental records speak not only to the slave owners, but also to the slaves... the workers... the people who will one day take their own liberation in their hands, through the inspiration hard work and standards set by those who have gone before."

he sits and those near enough can hear him sotto voce to Verity:
"Legislature - Shmegislature.... can't these pedants just use guidelines for once? Starved of imagination, my goodness!..." before Verity shssses him with a scowl.

Magic Hooley Snr. raises tatooed palms in greeting to the assembled

"I'm grateful that Señor Valera recognises the importance of the issue. While the 'legislation' and the enforcement of such legislation concerning environmental standards will vary considerably between differently governed nations, surely the example set to other nations is the important part of of the standard.
You can place your £Bones on the fact that our actions are of little importance to governments who put short term profit before long term harmonious survival, but we must remember that our environmental records speak not only to the slave owners, but also to the slaves... the workers... the people who will one day take their own liberation in their hands, through the inspiration hard work and standards set by those who have gone before."



Minister Poulain smiled at the words of Magic Hooley Snr. She gave a brief round of applause, startling one of her aides out of what appeared to be a deep trance. He looked up, blinking, and went back to taking notes. She looked over at him and shook her head. Apparently he'd forgotten to take his meds today...

Dr. Xu clears her throat for attention.

"Fellows, if I may, the discussion has somewhat deviated; we have two topics on the floor, both of which are meritorious of our full attention. In the interests of continuity, may I suggest that we continue to discuss the introduction of an environmental standard attendant to the IFTA, following which we may return to the discussion of the creation of an international economic co-ordination body."

There is (ooc: hopefully) general assent; anyway, she hadn't phrased the proposal as if there were options. Scanning the room, her eye is caught by some gesture made by one of her countryfellows. "You have a question, Councillor?"

Recognised, Kham speaks. "I do, yes, regarding the environmental responsibility issue... if I follow correctly, I don't believe that what Minister Nibbling is proposing is a new legislature or even necessarily something that needs to be added to the IFTA document itself, but a standardised set of environmental guidelines and standards to which, signatory nations or industries within those nations may, if they wish, hold themselves, with an accompanying standard labelling scheme designed to show that certified products have been produced in a manner that meets these standards... is that correct, Minister Nibbling?"

ooc: thorough description of halls upcoming.

Minister Nibbling rises again.

"The Councillor has summed up the issue admirably. We fully recognise that many IFTA signatories, or bodies within them, may find it unfeasible to improve their economic standing while still holding themselves to stringent environmental demands. This is why we envisage the system as being strictly opt-in; no nation would be forced to comply with anything. Individual bodies within nations could become compliant while others did not. All the regulation would do is ensure that products of environmentally sound origin could be readily identified.

"Of course, compliant goods would in all likelihood have an advantage on the international market, since some governments, companies and individual consumers would have a strong preference for approved goods. This advantage would compensate compliant producers for the additional costs caused by environmentally sound production methods. Naturally, we would hope that more and more nations and organisations would take up the standard, but we certainly don't envisage forcing this on any nation."

Bowing her head for a second, she flicked through a folder. "It's very unlikely that we'll have a draft ready for this conference, but I would very much appreciate the approval and formation of a working group to get a draft to present to IFTA. Drawing up this document is going to be a challenging task, and I don't think it's in line with IFTA's democratic ideals if a single nation dictates its structure."

There is no need to present this to the IFTA at all, Minister, you do not need the IFTA's permission to enact additional legislation in your own nation. This is not the WBO, after all. No amendment is needed to create an opt-in program to ensure environmental standards in IFTA nations, simply create an agreement and a certification program that will mark products as 'green,' much in the same way that fair trade goods are packaged outside the IFTA.

Ottasam Kihl
Under Minister of Politics
SeOCC

Comrade Albert is on his feet again almost before the SeOCC delegate has closed their mouth.

"With all due respect to our CACE comrades, Minister Kihl's proposed solution is less than ideal and I find myself wondering why they are so keen to disassociate this proposal from IFTA.

"For IFTA to adopt even a voluntary standard on environmental regulation would have a number of benefits. First, as I have already explained, environmental protection is a fundamental part of workers' rights, and this should be acknowledged by IFTA.

"The Fair Trade Agreement is not just a set of regulations, it is a statement of principles. For IFTA to acknowledge, even in some voluntary fashion, the importance of environmental concerns, it will help to highlight the issue across the anticapitalist world and forward the cause of green economics even among non-IFTA members and non-signatories to the environmental standard.

"Second, quite simply, an environmental standard will be far more widely adopted if it is attached to IFTA than not. There is only so much that the government of Rehochipe can do to promote the measure alone, even with the support of enthusiastic nations such as my own. IFTA gives us an international platform from which to promote our message.

"Moreover, IFTA is an international brand of anticapitalist quality. Nations need fear no subtle small print, no concealed penalty clauses in IFTA legislation; they know that they will be signing up to a piece of well-thought-out, effective legislation.

"Be it mandatory or voluntary, we will argue in the strongest possible terms for IFTA to adopt a set of environmental standards."

The IFTA is not anti-capitalist, sir; perhaps you were too hung over to avail yourself of Under Minister Kihl's statements to that effect. The IFTA is market based, propsers on competition and certainly advantages firms that cut costs, wages and create, rather than fill, demand. Are these not the hallmarks of a capitalist consumer economy? And I do not need a lesson on what the IFTA is and isn't, since I worked with the man who drafted the original agreement. I am quite familiar with the document and the organization.

If you want to create an environmental standard within the IFTA, attach Trade Primacy to compliance. SeOCC supported granting Trade Primacy based on environmental regulations and it is Rehochipe, the nation that first lobbied for an envionrmental standard, that has repudiated that option. For what purpose? A non-binding, voluntary amendment that merely asserts that some nations within the IFTA choose to pass certain regulations is a waste of time. If you truly believe consumers will prefer goods marked as produced under 'green' conditions then let the market decide. But if we want to reward nations, to create an incentive for protecting the environment, we need to offer something better than faith in the market. This is what Trade Primacy was created for, and to fail to use it is pointless.

Either this proposal will avail itself of the powers created by the IFTA to influence economic policy and attach Trade Primacy to environmental standards or it will be an empty amendment that will, eventually, be upgraded to attach Trade Primacy. There is no reason for half measures.

Gregor Illyavich
Under Minister of Economics
SeOCC

Albert mentally kicked himself for the "anti-capitalist" slip. Damn, knew I should have paid more attention during Kihl's speech... if only the man's voice wasn't so damn monotonous... He tried to collect his wits.

"Our esteemed colleague will doubtless excuse what he has interpreted as an attempt to teach him to suck eggs; however, I would remind Comrades Kihl and Illyavich that they are not the only delegates in this hall and that not all nations are as familiar with the text of IFTA.

"But our colleagues from SeOCC insist in thinking in all-or-nothing terms. I say again: if an environmental standard is attached to IFTA, it will have more weight and be more widely adopted, regardless of whether it is made mandatory or a condition of Trade Primacy. It would be neither 'empty' nor a 'half measure' purely because it was unenforced.

"Regardless, we would support making environmental standards a condition of Trade Primacy; the Rehochipean delegation will have to explain their own reasoning for supporting the voluntary option."

If you truly believe consumers will prefer goods marked as produced under 'green' conditions then let the market decide. But if we want to reward nations, to create an incentive for protecting the environment, we need to offer something better than faith in the market.

"Under Ministers Illyavich and Kihl are correct that we wish to allow this to operate through market forces. I acknowledge that this would be decidedly ineffective within a free-market, unregulated trade setting; however, in the context of the IFTA, where many governments have high priorities on safeguarding the environment, I believe it would be widely successful.

"The purpose of this is, like IFTA's labour standards, a guarantee. A much-lauded benefit of IFTA is its squeaky-clean guarantee on products; the document contains the implicit acknowledgement that no consumer can be expected to be so well-informed about labour standards as to identify the ethical status of every product available to him. Precisely the same is true of environmental standards; even with some research, it may be impossible for a consumer in Rehochipe to compare the environmental differences between a product made in Tanah Burung to one made in Cirdanistan. Two products made in the same country would be even harder to distinguish, though significant differences might be present.

Just as it's irresponsible to have a democracy where the populace are politically naive, it's silly to expect consumer choice to operate within a market - as you have just pointed out IFTA to be - when information on goods is unavailable or difficult to immediately access.

"We have already heard reasons why such a standard should not be an absolute IFTA requirement. The reasons of my colleague Minister Kamquin Dakar for not wishing it to be structured as a Primacy condition are, I will admit, less glaringly obvious. The principal one is that it would obstruct individual companies, communes or government branches from benefiting from compliance. Primacy is run at the level of states. We would like to see compliant companies in IFTA nations that do not themselves comply benefit from this. Ideal environmental standards cannot be achieved at one leap, and we don't want nations that are working hard to improve to be ignored until every aspect of their nation is spotless."

Alkatiri and Almeida can be seen arguing in loud whispers with each other. A neighbouring delegate shushes them. Finally Alkatiri stands.

"Minister Nibbling's revised suggestion seems sensible. There is at least no harm in a voluntary environmental standard. We would support this and my colleague urges me to add that Tanah Burung will grant our own trade priority to any entity meeting the environmental standard."

Minister Poulain and her interpreter rose.

"Though the word "market" leaves a bad taste in my mouth, I am forced to acknowledge that there are those with whom we trade, as members of the IFTA, who have not completely abandoned the barbaric system of capitalism. We have, and we urge every IFTA member who has not yet established a rational, planned, democratic economy to do so with great haste. The Socialist Commonwealth of New Paristan is happy to help any nation wishing to break the chains of capitalist oppression.

As for the environmental standard, there is a problem with the word "voluntary." I am not at all convinced that the capitalist nations within the IFTA will have sufficient control over their industrial production sectors to "encourage" them to comply with "voluntary" environmental standards.

If we are to have any standards at all, they must be uniform, fair, equitable and democratically arrived at. We are in favor of creating a set of environmental standards with which all countries who are signatories must comply. These standards should be along the lines of other requirements of IFTA membership.

We must take a bold stand on the environment. Scientific studies show that if strong measures are not taken now to halt global warming and stop harmful pollutants entering our atmosphere, we could trigger a rapid, global, unstoppable chain reaction of climate change. Climatologists predict that such a change could occur over a matter of years and decades, rather than centuries and millenia as previously thought.

Think about it. We could take a bold step now to help save our children and grandchildren from a severe global climate change.

Or we could ask polluters nicely to pretty please voluntarily change their ways.

Which would you prefer?"

There seems to be the underlying assumption that environmental well-being must come at the expense of economic prosperity. This is certainly the case if we think in terms of market driven economics where prosperity is contingent on consumption, mass production, and a consequent energy gluttony. I propose that, as part of IFTA, we collaborate on a new economic paradigm. For example, one can raise the overall standard of living of their population without the widespread distribution of disposable products, home electronics, or automobiles. A similar increase in the standard of living and, more importantly, the quality of life, can be acheived by focusing on communal living. Furthermore, sectors such as manufacturing and energy production need not be supply driven equations. By allowing products to be made in easily retoolable workshops, such as bicycles, glasswares for the home, wood work for furniture, etc, not only can the community be engaged in the production of their own consumer goods, but a higher degree of efficiency can be achieved because the economy would only produce what it needed. There would be no excess. Energy supplies could likewise be decentralized by focusing on neighborhood and communal energy production. A prime example of this would be a hydrogen economy where renewables are used for the electrolysis of hydrogen. The hydrogen is then pumped throughout a pipeline distribution center to be utilized in communal fuel cells. These are only a few examples. My fundamental point is that economics and environmentalism are not mutually exclusive, but their mutual inclusion is merely a matter of engineering and ingenuity and in order to achieve the kind of flexibility in thinking that we need to alter such paradigms, we must escape the market equations for economics. In short, we must not think of environmentalism and increasing the collective good as a cost of doing business, but as its basis.

Anastasia Bjornsdottir
Federation of Economic Dev. and Coop.

predictable low moans and rumbles of approval etc. from the Shiree

Charlotte Dorsa Brevia smiled in approval at the Danarkadia speaker as she sat down.

"Nadia," she whispered, "Is it too late to bring in someone from the environment council? I've a feeling we've missed a trick here."

Nadia looked at Charlotte as one may look at a stupid child. "Ah, Ann's free but by the time she gets here we'll be talking about something else entirely. We're a long way from Ecopoeia..."

Charlotte's cheeks reddened, a remarkable feat given how green they were. "Oh. Yes. Hah, silly me. Hangover, you see. Ha."

Nadia smiled indulgently and wondered if the approval of the Burungi would be enough to swing opinion in their favour.

Ms. Bjornsdottir, your proposal is patently infeasible as you are asking us to repace industrial society, and the abudnance therein, with a subsistence economy. No excess? Where will investment come from? What of innovation, which fails more often than it succeeds? Will you create shortfalls while new methods are tested, or will you pay for those tests out of a surplus?

Moreover, your scheme for using 'retoolable' workshops prevents the use of economies of scale to produce in great amount with minimal fixed or capital costs. I doublt our Celdonian or Xikuangi counterparts will be eager to give up their automobile sectors, nor will SeOCC disband our consumer electronic firms. You have mapped out a plan for small communes, living in relative isolation, that produce for subsistence. That paradigm has come and gone, and will be utterly crushed by competition with industrial countries for the simple reason that an industrial nation can produce products for less than those geared for subsistence.

Subsistence economies are a death knell for many countries here, mine especially, since we have almost forty thousand people per square kilometer in SeOCC. Subsistence economies slow innovation, slow growth and eliminate surpluses that could be used to offset temporary points of crisis. Subsistence economies are a giant leap backwards, especially when industrialization is so readily achievable with the aid of the nations assembled here.

Ottasam Kihl
Under Minister of Politics
SeOCC

Elsepeth rises again; her knees are beginning to protest. At least the Xikuangese desks are nice and low.

She spoke in Paristani. "With respect to Mlle. Poulain, it is necessary to realise that IFTA is not CACE. It is an essential part of IFTA's aims to accomodate ethical-capitalist nations. I do not think that adding to the absolute requirements of IFTA is going to help; we are all aware how even the rather inoffensive requirements it currently carries have scared off nations like Ecopoeia and the Black New World-Enn bloc - nations firmly committed to the same ideals we hold.

IFTA alone cannot, sad to say, prevent climate change. We are not the UN; our membership is not a global majority. We can do as much as we can, but we cannot expect the impossible.

You scoff at the power of encouragement to capitalists to reform environmentally; but I ask you this. What can encourage a capitalist more than a more saleable product? This is not a 'pretty please'; this is a powerful incentive."

She paused a second to let the language centres of her brain readjust to Celdonian.

"To answer the claims of the delegate from Danarkadia: I understand and praise your vision; many aspects of it are ones I have worked to implement myself in Rehochipe, though I suspect our model is somewhat less radical than yours. But it must be understood that - just as the rights of the individual must not be overlooked in enthusiasm for communal living - we cannot impose such a system wholesale upon every signatory. The economies within IFTA are radically different, and while we can encourage this paradigm it is impossible for the IFTA to instate it."

Minister Poulain chastized herself silently for not working harder on her Celdonian studies before arriving. It was somewhat embarassing to have to bring an interpreter to a conference like this, considering her position as Minister for International Affairs. She decided she'd better make an effort anyway.

She rose and spoke in halting Celdonian,

"I thank the comrade from Rehochipe who honor us with speech in Paristani," she managed to get out. "I am learning Celdonian slowly."

She motioned to her interpreter and switched back to Paristani.

"With due respect, comrade Nibbling, I must disagree with your assessment.
People in capitalist nations are routinely deceived by corporations and corporate governments into believing this or that about a certain product. It's called advertising.

So we create an IFTA environmental standard that is "voluntary." What's to prevent a company in a capitalist nation from crafting a slick advertising campaign that implies, but does not say directly, that its products meet IFTA standards, when in fact they do not? Would this not defeat the very purpose for which the environmental standard was created?

Moreover, if we make the standard voluntary, then we run into the same kind of problem that we would if we were to grant "special membership" to compliant organizations based in noncompliant nations. Let's say one company in a country meets IFTA environmental standards, but the rest of the companies in the country do not. We grant special membership to that company. Because they're in a capitalist country and not bound by any trade treaties, the other companies can go elsewhere to do business, and in the process shove the compliant company out of the market. The compliant company, being limited to trading with IFTA nations while its competitors are not so limited, is put at a distinct disadvantage.

Ok, maybe we can reach a compromise.

Let's say we make two standards. Let's say we make a bare-bones minimum environmental standard, and we make that mandatory.

On top of that, we could add more stringent standards and make those voluntary, and establish some kind of incentive for countries to do that.

The key though is that we have to keep this on a state level. We cannot reward companies, even good companies, if they demonstrate apathy toward changing the economic circumstances of a non-compliant nation. The only way to use IFTA to its full power is to force companies who want to be part of it but reside in non-compliant nations to fight for social change within their nation."

She and her interpreter sat down again. Economic Liaison Raspail gave her the thumbs-up, and then whacked one of his aides on the head who had fallen asleep in his chair. The aide awoke with a start, blinked, looked around and apologized to the delegation. Minister Poulain and Economic Liason Raspail glared at him.

"I think Minister Poulain has not quite understood what we meant when we said that individual companies should be rewarded for environmental compliance," Elsepeth replied, not bothering to stand up. "I don't intend to conflate this with the issue of IFTA permeability. What we intended was to allow approval of environmentally-compliant companies - or communes, soviets, co-operatives - which operate in IFTA-signatory nations that have not chosen to instate full, nationwide compliance.

"As for misleading advertising, there are - at least in nations labour-conscious enough to sign IFTA - courts for that sort of thing. However, I like the suggestion of a bare-bones minimum for IFTA signatories in principle, though this would rely on our finding something acceptably brief and mild."

In response to Rehochipe, we do not propose the abandonment of industrialization or technological advancement. We simply ponder if these ideas cannot be reconsidered within a different framework. For example, certain critical services cannot be provided for a nation without mass production. Where would our own Defense Forces be if not for the mass production of arms and armament? Impotent and ill-equipped. More importantly, our pre-fabricated construction compotents, machinery, and electronics. Industrialization need not be abandoned because there are some items that will always be in demand. Danarkadia, for example, will always have need of basic manufactured commodities such as fiber optic cabling, steel beams, permacrete, copper tubing, etc. We exist in a technological, industrial society, but where ours differs is in its collective organization. There is no need for personal comuputers and electronics when these come standard in every dormitory. There is no need for every household to have a refrigeration unit when we eat in communal kitchens. There is no need for every household to have machines for washing when we have communal laundromats. There is no need for every household to have an automobile when there is mass trasportation. There isn't even a need for every household to have a house when we live in dormitories. When so much is provided for collectively, there is little need for the individual to accumulate material goods, other then a few items such as clothing, items of personal significance, etc.

As such, we have manufacturing, where we create those things needed to build the dormitories, kitchens, laundromats, maglevs, and the optronic infrastructure of our national DataNet. And then there is artifice...the production of things of human value. Clothing, produced in small batches for the local dormitories...and tailored for the individual. Tools, customized for the individual's profession. Glasswares, personal items for the individual blown and crafted as it has been for millenia. Metal products hand cast and forged between the hammer and anvil. We exist in this dichotomy. We mass produce only that which is necessary to guarantee our 650 million citizens a quality standard of life. The rest we make. As such, we are efficient in maintaining our standard of living, and thus more environmentally sustainable, but we do not forget how to make something and do not forget the value of working with other human beings.

Perhaps our system is not for all, nor are we proposing that it ought to be. But merely that the thoughts behind it can be applied to create an economy that is more sustainable and in which we are not dehumanized from our creations, but at the same time still capable of enjoying the trappings of a technologically advanced industrial production system. We do not intend our model as an example of a perfect society, but merely a lesson in the effectiveness of discarding market paradigms for economic production.

Icarus Thelema, on behalf of the Danarkadian Delegation

"As a demonstration of an alternative to the industrial capitalist paradigm, we laud your system," Elsepeth says, wishing that she'd taken rather more of a back seat in the debate until her stomach settled down. "What it is important to realise is that any paradigm shift - particularly in economics - does not come overnight, and if forced will collapse. Furthermore, there is among the populations of most states a decided fear of, and resistance to, major changes in social structure. While it is good that many IFTA nations do not have market-driven economic models, it is unreasonable to expect new signatories, particularly capitalist ones, to do so. Such an expectation would be a very strong deterrent to IFTA membership."

Dr. Hasso von Keldermann, Minister of Economic Affairs, rose from his seat with an effort. Taking one last drag off of his ever-present cigarette, he stepped up to the microphone.

"Comrade Thelema, I applaud Danarkadia's efforts at providing a substantial quality of life for its citizens, but I must address several key points, if I may," he began, gesturing with his cigarette like a pointer.

"While such a nigh-subsistence economic platform may work for some, it certainly cannot work for all of us. I recognize the fact that you yourself agree to that point. But where the beauty of Caselonian or 'practical' Socialism lies is in its ability to compete directly with capitalist nations! Through State, viz worker, ownership of factories, or their ownership by large trade unions, such as the New Moscow Steel Workers' Union, or the Nueva Habana Agricultural Workers' Union, mass production and staggeringly large crop yields are not available, but they are available at the highest working standards!"

Minister de Valera attempted, somewhat unsuccessfully, to avoid rolling his eyes at the charismatic, though incredibly eccentric Professor's gesticulations and level of excitement. The man was wholly dedicated to the pursuit and advancement of the Caselonian economic model, one which he had revised and pioneered to such an extent in the modern post-Revolution era that it could be said that he was the "father" of it.

"Caselonia consistently ranks very highly in international studies of economic prowess and also ranks very highly in environmental standards! These ends can be achieved by slow and steady means! They can be achieved without compromising the environment.

"After our revolution in 1915, the nation embarked on a grueling campaign of industrialization. 'It is our highest priority,' said the framers of our revolution, 'that Caselonia become industrialized, and show the world what true Socialist revolution can do!' We have remained true to that priority. Grievous abuses against the environment were committed during those trying times.

"The fascist invasion of 1933 did little to stop that. But after securing victory, we continued to advance the revolution! We continued to build a true worker's state! And after several decades it dawned on us - we are destroying our environment. What then? Great committees were formed, sweeping reforms conducted. And because we thought out our actions fully, completely, we were successful not only in preserving our environment, but in repairing damages done to it in the decades following the revolution.

"My point, comrades, is that through careful, well-planned industrial schemes, environmental protection can be realized without sacrificing expedient industrial practices, and without sacrificing crucial surpluses necessary to avoid being thrust into a trade deficit.

"Finally, comrades, I see no real problem with a voluntary, opt-in 'Green' standard, as our good friends in Rehochipe have proposed. But I must agree with my comrades in SeOCC as saying that it is naive folly to believe that the whims of the market will rocket demand for these goods to the forefront of the marketplace!

"Either way, Caselonia plans to continue wholesale down the path that has led her to such success, to such satisfaction. We would urge other nations to look to the needs of their workers first and foremost, and to stringent environmental standards second...it can all be worked out in the end. It was in Caselonia."

The professor took a final drag on his cigarette before stubbing it out and taking his seat.

"My gods, man," said de Valera, "did you really need to take all that time to say, 'It's all well and good. We did it.'? You're something else, Comrade Doctor Professor!"

"Ah, Daniel, what you fail to understand, you impertinent young scamp, is that eloquence and the art of speech is a skill I possess far beyond you," replied 'Herr Doktor' with an impish grin.

We do not seek to compete with capitalist nations, only to avoid pollution by them. Nor do we seek to compete with our fellow socialists. Our system, though fine and desirable for our needs, is understandably not for everyone. Likewise, we do trade with more capitalist societies, as we do with other archic entities for commodities that are rare or nonexistent within our own borders, as well as foreign currency to hedge against any unforeseen catastrophe. We are not stating that one system must be upheld as perfect, indeed, we believe that this is anathema and affront to the social evolution of humanity which, like any ecology, must be prepared to adapt to changing needs and circumstances.

However, certain standards must be upheld as this is the basis for any social order. What principles do we maintain? What goals do we seek to achieve and what rights upheld? If we feel we must compromise on our principles in order to seek greater material wealth, then we will do without and see one another through. On the other hand, if our trade system would be seen as universally profitable, both materially and socially, by more capitalist societies that may not share our love of environmental stewardship or respect for the working masses, then perhaps we ought to set certain standards so that they would adopt them in order to be attracted to these principles.

The point to be understood here is that trade is not the ends and standards on environment and labor a means, but that the two can reinforce each other in the right kind of system. If these standards are made voluntary, what incentive is there for capitalist regimes to adopt them? If they are made mandatory, what incentive is there for capitalist regimes to join so that they might adopt our principles? Call us gadflys, but all we are stating is that if we construct a model based on the philosophy of the market, incentives and profits, then what sort of foundation is this for a socialist framework?

We have a few options: First, we can allow capitalist regimes to enter into trade with us if they meet minimum requirements. Second, we can impose higher standards, make strict trade decisions and insure that we look good enough as an option so that capitalist nations will WANT to change such that we would allow them entry. Third, and this is what we propose, we trade freely for now, but aggressively so, later using the economic clout to bargain for better conditions. In short, if economics are the basis for political reform, then we must be willing to use our economic affiliations as a political lever, to obtain change, without allowing ourselves to be changed or wooed by the extravagance of the market. But we must be vigilant in our upholding of our principles, we must be stalward in our approach, and we must be ever on the lookout for the changes in our own economies that could result if we are to create this sort of international, socialist-capitalist hybrid.

And finally, we must ask ourselves if it is worth the effort; if the dangers to us outweigh the potential benefits for the people we deal with.

Icarus Thelema
Delegate of Danarkadia

It seems, sir, that the platform you have just laid out is the IFTA as it already exists, which is rather ironic, because if confronted with large scale indstrialized nations to trade with, your subsistence based economy would soon buckle under the weight of cheaply made foreign goods.

As for the rest of it, you are dealing in abstract ideology rather than material reality, which makes for a poor basis for planning. A more thorough analysis of historical and material conditions confronting modern non-capitalist nations will surely help you make inform policy decisions in the future. As it stands now, You are dealing with the question of what we should do, rather than what we can and must do, which is appreciably different. And I know at least this much, what we must not do is weaken our economies by bickering over semantics and ideology when there are actual issues to be confronted.

Ottasam Kihl
Under Minister of Politics
SeOCC

After a quick, muttered discussion with the other Ecopoeians, Nirgal stood and spoke in clear Celdonian.

"Friends, I suspect the views I am to express will not be popular with many delegates here, yet I feel that they ought to be heard. My compatriots and I share the belief that not only is the environment a crucial factor in our lives and economies, it is of paramount importance, even above considerations of workers' conditions.

Ecopoeia would enthusiastically sign up to some form of international environmental legislation that allowed for non-IFTA participation. It would be merely a statement of principle for us, for it changes nothing with regards to IFTA. Those of you who have signed the treaty will still be unable to trade with us. Those who elect not to sign IFTA but do support the environmental legislation will find in us a faithful friend."

Nirgal glanced meaningully at the Danarkadian delegation. There was a pause as he exchanged glances with his compatriots. Nadia nodded, almost imperceptibly. His features took on a distressed expression, as if what he had to say next pained him.

"I should clarify Ecopoeia's position with respect to IFTA, as hinted at by Ms Nibbling. Our reasons for not signing the treaty may be regarded as philosophical. We have no problems with compliance, plus the economic costs of sacrificing certain of our current trading partners are easily compensated for by the availability of new partners within IFTA. No, we will not sign for the simple reason that we believe the virtue of knowing that all of our goods and products will be fairly traded is not sufficient compensation for the knowledge that we have abandoned those who need our support in nations that do not adhere to IFTA's guidelines. I will not go further for I do not wish to provoke enmity between us here today. Suffice to say that we respect the decisions taken by IFTA and CACE signatories but we have no desire to follow in their footsteps."

He sat down wearily, feeling unable to look anyone in the eye.

"No enmity could be generated by such a statement of choice, Nirgal Sailin." Councillor Xiang uses the Xikuangese form of respectful address, unsure of the Ecopoeian Speaker for Agriculture's correct title. "We recognise that for Ecopoeia, there is both benefit to be had in joining the IFTA, and benefit to be had by continued trade with those who, as you say, need Ecopoeia's help. It was foreseen as inevitable that the IFTA would create these kinds of tensions. But tensions induce change. It is our hope that, eventually, we may be able to bring Ecopoeia and her trade partners all under the treaty, in a condition that you all find agreeable."

Councillor Zhe addresses the conference more widely. "Delegate Thelema has stated that Danarkadia does not wish to compete with capitalist nations. That is well and good. We, however, do, and we wish to do so by following one of their own guidelines: providing products that people want. Our industries continually pour resources into innovation and product improvement, in the belief that people, given a viable choice, will choose a superior product. That is how the market works. But there are many aspects to 'superior'. As it happens, we will only sell to nations wherein worker's rights are respected, and who have shown this commitment by signing the IFTA. If a non-signatory nation wants our automobiles so badly they'll pay 1000% what we can get on the IFTA market, too bad for them-- we'd rather trade for IFTA coconuts. If they really want our trade, they'll start respecting people's lives and become signatories. It's not every nation's way, but we hope to serve the IFTA in this respect.

"Environmental responsibility is another aspect of product superiority, prioritised very highly in Xikuang, as it is in many IFTA signatory nations. I see no reason why the adoption of a standard product labelling system to enable buyers to choose green products would not serve as good market incentive. Many nations and industries within IFTA already select for environmental responsibility. This would only make their work easier, and could help provide a trade environment within IFTA for nations, or for individual companies of signatory nations, which, like Ecopoeia, place paramount importance upon protection of the environment.

"What I believe we must not do is to try to make the IFTA into something it is not. I think we are all agreed that the IFTA must not dictate to its signatories socio-political orientations or methodologies, market organisations or whatever. We are, as Minister Nibbling has pointed out, an extremely diverse lot. This is a good thing, and we should not seek to change it.

"What we should be considering now is whether the market incentive that would be provided by a standardised system of certification of products meeting a certain level of environmental responsibility is sufficient, or whether a minimal level of commitment to the protection of the environment should be introduced. Xikuang would certainly support the former proposition, but that latter is somewhat more difficult."

Zhe sits, suddenly reaslising that he has gone on far too long.

Still seated, Nirgal smiled at Councillors Xiang and Zhe.

"For the record, Councillor Xiang, I am happy to be addressed as Nirgal, or Speaker, or Speaker Nirgal - whichever you prefer. We don't particularly stand on ceremony in Ecopoeia. With regards to your kind words, though we may have qualms about the methods being employed by IFTA nations, we still count ourselves most fortunate to have you all as our allies and friends.

I am most encouraged to hear Councillor Zhe speak not just of nations but of companies with respect to environmental standards and accreditations. I think it's safe to say that Ecopoeia would be very supportive of the initiatives you suggest."

"It is clear that opinion as to our strategy is divided. I think it is fair to say, that Watfordshire will be grateful in the current environment to trade with any nations who fulfill the requirements of the IFTA as it stands.

While the cliffs crumble and forests are culled, the importance of this issue will only increase however, and the Shiree should like to see the requirement of environmental standards included in the Agreement itself at the earliest opportunity."

Magic Hooley Snr. nods to the Ecopoeians and Danarkadians before sitting.

Stephanie stands up again. "In the Socialist Union of Kerla, the enviornment is an imporant part of our country. We make sure that we do not harm it. There should be a requirement that the enviornment is protected in all countries. Maybe we should have an UN resolution." Stephanie then takes a little breather. "What we need is a quality enviornment were all can enjoy and future generations can enjoy. That is what people should expect from all governments."

youse guys sure right a lot

"I can understand the fear that market forces cannot be trusted to ensure environmentally friendly industry," said Elsepeth. "I believe, however, that context is vital here.

"Let me give you an example. Muslims are required by their religion to eat only certain kinds of meat, prepared in certain ways, as well as other dietary restrictions. Most of you will be aware that food that conforms with this is called halal; I stress the definition because it's essential to my point to recognise that halal is basically a voluntary industry standard.

Argument by analogy was a Rehochipean mainstay. Elsepeth warmed to her theme, suppressing the urge to gesture in dramatic fashion.

"In a country with a negligible Islamic population, halal food will not command great popularity; the regulations will make it uncompetitive. In a country with a significant minority of Muslims, it will become a speciality mark. A few specialist producers will supply it to a small market (strict Muslims), and those products that happen to conform with it anyway will note that they are halal in order to increase their potential consumers; overall, however, most producers will ignore the standard if it is too expensive to implement.

"But in a nation where Muslims occupy the majority, virtually every supplier of food must be halal, or go out of business. If an Islamic nation needs to import a shipment of food, it will ensure that is halal first. If a retailer sells food that isn't halal under the pretense that it is, he will be in very serious trouble indeed - all this without the need to pass a regulation banning non-halal foods. There is no need to make it illegal for a non-Muslim to buy a beer or a bacon sandwich, though he may have trouble finding one."

She suppressed a smirk at the involuntary wincing from the Hackneyite delegation. "Switch halal for environmentally-friendly. Observe the environmental policy of a handful of IFTA signatories, selected by whatever system you think best. Of the three sorts of market I have just described, which do you think best represents the international IFTA market?"

Magic Hooley Snr. finishes prodding at his laptop and glances up with suprise at his surroundings, as if he had been somewhere else entirely and whispers to Verity 'What was the middle one?'

Kamal Amen-Ra stands to speak in his peculiarly regal way. The Danarkadians have a funny way of taking turns speaking. He smiles graciously at the delegates of Watfordshire and Ecopoeia, and bows gracefully to the delegates from Rehochipe.

"Councillor Xiang has narrowed our options to but two. Will the market incentive of belonging to a trade bloc composed of conscientious consumers be enough to insure environmental stewardship or should we ask for broader regulatory measures? The same question could also apply to labor laws. Here are our thoughts, and we promise this time they will not be merely rhetorical.

The market incentive would fail if a less scrupulous producer chooses to undercut his more ethically bound rivals. Though we would all like to believe that our citizens would choose the green labelled products over a similar, perhaps cheaper, but more destructive product. Indeed, the success of green products in the IFTA is incentive enough. However, knowing that such a system would leave a market mechanism as the only check against irresponsible manufacturing, we must consider the historic failure of the Market to provide a socially responsible outcome without some external pressure. For example, few nations would have minimu wage laws, working hour limits, overtime rules, and occupational safety and health standards if not for the labor movements of the 20th century. In this case, it was a non-market mechanism, namely the labor movements, later acting through the authority of government, which imposed these regulations on the market and now the market operates within these rules. As fine a thing as it would be to operate with only this market mechanism, there is no reason to believe that a system fundamentally based on greed and material accumulation could effectively govern itself for the greater good.

As such, at the risk of lessening ourselves in the eyes of our most gracious hosts, Councillors Xiang and Zhe, as well as all the wonderful people of Xikuang, we believe that the market must be given guidelines, imposed by a higher authority representing the social whole, within which to operate. We therefore respectfully request the adoption by all IFTA signatories of universal guidelines on environmental and labor standards, enforced by impartial oversight and operating with mechanisms where environmental and labor groups can effectively bring governments and private businesses to court for violations of said guidelines.

Having said that, we will respect and abide by the consensus of this conference, whatever it may be, as we believe there is a great deal of authority in these halls, and many of our Brothers and Sisters are represented, in spirit if not in person."

With that, Kamal sat, patted his brow with a handkerchief, and took a long, deep drink from a glass of water, trying to steady his hands while seemingly unaware of the hearty pat on the back from Icarus, the kind marking an old friendship. Icarus and Anastasia smiled at each other, somewhat amused...Kamal always got nervous in public.

Praesident Saluki listened carefully through the other speeches, nodding at the Rehochipean intervention but frowning at the Danarkanadian's conclusion.
Aïsha will murder me if i don't speak up against this.

He took the stand, looked around the conference hall once, and started up.

" The protection of the environment must be of primordial importance; that is something with which we can all agree. And it is true, also, that the market is not to be trusted; if we believed the 'invisible hand' to be a force for good, then we would not be seated here. Yet, within the IFTA, the same 'invisible hand' is already shackled, if only in order to abide by the treaty's requirements. Most nations already have some sort of an environmental standard in place; most consumers are educated in the consequences of their choices. It is true that this is not uniform; it is true that some nations do not already protect the environment, it is true that in some the environment is not mentioned in education, but as Minister Nibbling pointed out, it will be easyer for them to simply follow the trend. At the end of the day, an IFTA standard will only be a divisive matter, a clash between differing points of view on the best, technical, manner of protecting the environment. Some groups will want nuclear energy banned, others will claim beef farming is an inefficient and environmentally damaging way of raising food, others yet will insist that hydrogen exctraction on a mass scale is to damaging to be tolerated; entire nations will find themselves with their backs to the wall, defending their economic lifelines. We will either chase many out our ranks, or have to bow to the slightest concerns of each and every member, and in so doing detsroy any effect the standard might of had. No, it is better to leave to each state the duty of chosing what they can or cannot accept; an exclusive trade bloc must be large in order to survive, and division over a technical matter is the worst thing that could happen to us."

"President Saluki is quite correct: this is a technical matter," said Rosa Almeida. "Another technical issue is that there are many IFTA nations not represented here that should be consulted if any binding changes are being proposed. Let me remind you all that the IFTA includes capitalist states who would not be welcomed here, yet they have a right to speak to this point. Anything else i say is only to underline the excellent points made by others. We have already stated that green products will be given preference by our country, which has extremely strong environmental legislation in place. I know there are other countries here who are only too eager to do the same. Meeting the voluntary environmental standards proposed would certainly be a competitive advantage. Imposing mandatory requirements at this stage would hurt the IFTA capacity to continue expanding."

"My colleague representative Almeida is quite correct." Xu answers. "Any binding change to be introduced to the IFTA Charter must certainly be discussed and voted upon by the IFTA signatory body, as would the adoption of a standard product labelling system, though I anticipate that such an introduction would meet with little enough objection. But my Cirdani colleague speaks truly when he says that different nations will wish, or be able, to enact different policies with regard to environmental protection. I wholeheartedly concur. However, it is not necessary that a binding environmental clause should obligate nations to certain methods of environmental protection. It may only state minimalistic requirements that could be reached by any number of methodologies: reduction in consumption of non-renewable energies; reduction of harmful emissions; protection of a certain amount of wild space where possible, for example.

"Indeed, it seems to me that we might separate the proposal into two distinct initiatives. One would be the adoption of a labelling system indicating a product manufacturer's compliance with a certain level of ecological responsibility; the second is the proposal that a binding clause should be added to the Agreement requiring signatories to conform to a certain level of environmental responsibility. To the first suggestion, I have heard no objections from anyone present, and I therefore suggest that it would be appropriate for those who have been working on drafting that proposal to submit it, as soon as it is ready, for the IFTA signatory body to discuss. If we are all agreed upon that, we may confine discussion to the second proposal. Are there any objections?"

Albert nods his brusque assent while beside him Sikander merely nods in dreamless sleep.

Minister Poulain rises.

"The comrade delegate from Xikuang has made a sensible proposal, and New Paristan moves to adopt it. Namely, we make a two-part motion: one, that we begin substantive work on an environmental product labelling system; and two, that we begin work on drafting a binding environmental regulation clause for the IFTA itself."

Approval from the Danarkadian delegation at Councillor Xu's proposal: "An excellent solution to this dillemma," came the response from Kamal. "It is true that methodology matters little, so long as the desired affect is achieved."

The intention of this delegation is most admirable, though I believe it is misled. The only true means of destroying capitalism is to conquer the nations in which it thrives and ferret it out the venomous state-enemies known as ‘corporations’!

Mine is a nation of widespread happiness and government satisfaction. These treacherous "democracies" claim these things cannot exist in a dictatorship. Wattiland is the least politically free in the entire world, yet we still rank in the top hundred for health, happiness and quality of environment. Who would resist such rule? No one I say!

In time, the world will be mine! Enemies of Watti WILL DIE! All will know the benevolence of Bohast Watti!!

Stephanie stands up and then speaks again "The Socialist Union of Kerla has no problems with that. We agree with our comrades in Xikuang. We are willing to adapt that. However I think we should have aleast incentives to have an ecolgical economy."

ooc: W, descriptions away! I got fed up trying to describe the Hall in minute detail so I broke out my cheat codes and modelled it in The Sims. These pictures are kind of big, so if you're interested, go here, (http://s2.invisionfree.com/OnlyThroughOpenDoors/index.php?showtopic=16) and if you couldn't care less or can't be bothered, no worries. If you're on dialup, it might be well for you to decide you can't be bothered. This page will take ages to load.

ic:

"Very well then." Dr. Xu says. "Let us now turn to the question of the inclusion of a binding clause committing IFTA nations to a minimum of environemental responsibility, to be presented as a proposal to the IFTA Signatory Body."

"If I may address that point, Chair?" Kham speaks, and Xu nods for him to continue.

"We all know that trade, in and of itself, is not bound to any ethic or any imperative other than profiting the traders. That is the problem with unregulated free trade: while traders may endeavour only to purchase ethically produced goods, trade routes become so long and complex that a single unscrupulous deal inevitably means that for somebody, usually for a great many disadvantaged, disenfranchised, voiceless somebodies, these trade routes end in blood, sweat, and tears. That is why we have the IFTA: to ensure that no matter how complex and interwoven our own trade routes may become, no one shall suffer to profit another. We do this because we affirm that the ethical imperative to protect the well being of the people is higher than the imperative to profit economically. In short, we attach our trade practises to a certain ethical imperative, sublimating pursuit of profit to it.

"But there are other ethical imperatives that it could be argued are just as important as the protection of worker's rights, as some here have argued is the protection of the environment. And it is true that the wanton destruction of the environment in the pursuit of profit is a growing cause of suffering that will only get worse if it unchecked. There is certainly abundant reason in adopting a binding agreement upon a certain degree of environmental responsibility. Protection of worker's well-being is an obvious moral imperative for a trade agreement, as it is the value produced by their labour that ultimately is traded, but the protection of the environment equally ought not to be overlooked. But we must ask ourselves how much we wish one trade agreement to do? We must assess the risk that, if we overmuch bloat the IFTA with restrictions and binding clauses, the sheer complexity of the document will drive people away. To that end, may I venture a proposal.

"I propose that a separate agreement be drafted, detailing a minimum level of environmental responsibility binding signatories, and binding signatories to trade only with other signatories, just as the IFTA binds us to internal trade, and that this agreement be made open to IFTA signatories as well as non-signatory nations. This would not change trade restrictions that maintain the integrity of the IFTA itself-- IFTA-signatory nations choosing to sign would still be obligated to trade only with other IFTA nations, but at that point, only IFTA signatories which are also signatories of the environmental protection agreement. Obviously this will have to be done very carefully and the requirements imposed be very widely attainable if it is to work, but the agreement would have application and value outwith the IFTA, and might be worth doing for that reason alone."

With respect, drafting a seperate agreement will create strong divisions between nations as they are classified into blocs of nations who have signed the same treaties. IFTA nations that do not sign this environmental agreement will end up trading with other exclusively IFTA signatories; signatories of the environmental agreement will trade only with signatories of that agreement. Those nations which sign both the IFTA and the environmental agreement would then have to seek permission from the IFTA to trade with non-IFTA environmental agreement signatories, and vice versa. To trade with a nation that has signed neither document you would need permission of both bodies.

This is simply too bureaucratic to be adopted. The end result will be a limiting of potential trade partners, a measure that will ultimately hurt the economic appeal of the IFTA or this new agreement as well as our economies.

A more straightforward proposal is simply to recognize that a basic human need is an environment that can support life, and thus grant Trade Primacy status to nations who meet certain environmental regulations. However, if this is the case we will find that the IFTA now favors developed, post-industrial economies over less economically developed nations. SeOCC, for instance, has virtually no heavy industry in our nation, and already complies with the highest standards regarding chemical and industrial waste since we produce so little of it. A nation still emerging from the process of industrialization will be faced with tremendous costs if they are expected to live up to SeOCC's environmental standards simply to start on an equal footing when seeking buyers within the IFTA.

Councillor Kham is correct that these standards must be widely attainable, but more importantly, they must recognize basic economic facts about the nations we wish to sign the IFTA, specifically periphery nations seeking an out from an exploitative global market. Sometimes the clearing of old growth is necessary when you do not have the money or capital to build a one hundred story arcology, or a two kilometer wide hydroponic facility. We cannot penalize those nations which are only doing which all developed economies have done in the past.

Therefore, we propose these amendments first and foremost be integrated into the IFTA, that they grant Trade Primacy, and that they be health based standards rather than ideological platforms from which political factions can lambast economic policies they find distasteful. Air quality, water quality, erosion, maintenence of bio diversity, these issues are universal and nations can easily enact laws to respect these principles without sabotaging their own economic growth. They embody the national responsibility of nations to protect our global commons, and thus represent an important step towards ensuring a healthy planet for generations to come.

Ottasam Kihl
Under Minister of Politics
SeOCC

"Yours are excellent points regarding the creation of divisions and favouring post-industrial economies, Mr. Kihl, of which I was not entirely unaware. I'd hoped to address that in specifying that suggested standards should be attainable for industrial or industrialising nations, but clearly I show myself up as not being an economist. I agree that the adoption of environmental standards across the board would be preferable. I am inclined to accept your proposal."

A Military Dancer moved slowly around the room as the delegates spoke, doing a fairly good job of 'not annoying people' with a kind of athletic nonchalence... sinewy legs under a light cotton sarong distracted Rosa Almeida more than once, as she consulted Mari, and as the assembled took a quick break, for a cup of chai, the odd wizz, and a poot; Rosa took the liberty of opening up one of the scanners at the edge of the room, and casting a cheeky glance at the first page of the Shiree's sketchbook.

Danarkadian Delegates (http://www.benovision.co.uk/NS/Danarkadian-Delegates.jpg)

ooc: nice work on the hall X - you rock my tiny, obsessive, schitzophrenic little world.

The People's Republic of Nolandia welcomes all discussions to help humanity thwart the evils of capitalism. We'll bring the beer.

OOC: Woot to Watfordshire's schizophrenic world and the bitchin' halls rendition by Xikuang! And uncannily awesome job on the sketch, Wat...that's pretty much exactly how I imagined them.

IC: A question for the delegates from Seocc and Xikuang: are the across-the-board environmental guidelines to be decided in this forum or will this be done at a later date?

Anastasia Bjornsdottir
Danarkadian Delegation

ooc: Cheers, W! Always happy to rock something when there's a picture in it or two.

ic: Councillor Zhe answers Delegate Bjornsdottir. "I believe that is a question best put to Minister Nibbling. I understand that something is being drafted in Rehochipe?"

Albert glances down at his dozing colleague and raises a hand to catch the attention of the chair.
"Comrades, I move that we adjourn for the day and return to this subject tomorrow morning. It's been a most fruitful discussion, but we all need some time to consider the issues raised here."

Foreign minister Saturnino Vacuno decided to speak. Taking a smoke from his wooden pipe, the large humanoid cow said:
"As a country that greatly values enviromental protection, Hell Bovines would surely welcome any clause to the IFTA regarding enviromental concerns. However, we agree with our colleagues in SeOCC.
If an enviromental clause is added, it should be regarding health issues and not economic policies. Otherwise, developing nations will find themselves at a disadvantage against their more developed partners."
He sat down again, and wrote back a note to Rosa Bi Bere:
"Dear Rosa,
A pleasure to see you after so long. I'll be glad to have those recipes, thanks!
I hope things are going well in your country, though rumours seem to indicate otherwise. In any case, should Tanah Burung require help, it can always find a friendly hoof in Hell Bovines."
-Saturnino

Stephanie was about to stand up then Jake grabbed her arm. "Let me take care of this" he said. "Alright" she grumbled as he stood up.

"We would have to agree with the delegate from Seocc. That would be more wiser and less beaurcratic. We say that the IFTA should be amended that all signatories respect the envionment. This way we do not put too much burden on countries. We also feel that it should include both health and economic issues."

"We would appear to be in general agreement." Dr. Xu says, at the same time glancing up to note the time. "If there are no objections, then may we consider it decided that a clause introducing a standard of environmental responsibility shall be drafted and presented to the IFTA Signatory Body; that this shall be a health based standard; and that nations enacting legislation to meet this standard shall be granted trade primacy.

"Following that, and my esteemed colleague's suggestion," she nods towards Albert, "I should like to suggest we adjourn for the day. We may return tomorrow morning to discuss the creation of a global trade co-ordination body.

"Are there any objections?"

Magic Hooley Snr. gives a wry smile to Mme. Fruitful.

"I'm sure there'll be some objections to a global trade co-ordination body... but not it would appear from our own council..."

"He's talking about objecting to a break, dearest. Let's get some dinner.. come on, you can work your magic on the Danarkadian Delegation, while we're about it"

Charlotte leaned back in her chair and stretched, her arms in an attempt to vanquish the last vestiges of fatigue from her body. She turned to Nadia.

"So, what now?"

"I think it would be good if we could liaise with some of the other delegates, promote relations and so on. You know, the usual diplomatic schmoozing. Perhaps we could all take a different nation. One of us should approach the Danarkadians, certainly. Ah, I would like to have a word with the Shiree."

"Anything to do with that-"

"Yes." She looked around nervously. "I imagine you'd like to connect with the East Hackney delegation, hmm?"

"Uh, well-"

"Good, that's settled. I'm sure you'll do a magnificent job. Bill, you want to speak to the Danarkadians?"

"Suits me."

"Great. Nirgal?"

"Actually, I'd appreciate the opportunity to have some time to myself. Take a look at the city, speak to the inhabitants." He grinned shyly at the others.

"No problem, Nirgal. Work your charm with the Xikuangese. Charlotte, would you... oh."

Charlotte didn't need to be told twice. She was already halfway to the Hackney group. Sikander caught sight of her and beamed awkwardly but happily.

Nadia rolled her eyes and tutted disdainfully. Oh, good grief. Whose stupid idea was it to invite the rampantly hormonal?

UnderMinister Kihl, SeOCC (http://www.benovision.co.uk/NS/UMKihl.jpg)

Anastasia's moved her stylus over the electronic tablet furiously, clacking on the screens glossy polymer surface. Opening and closing windows, compiling notes, videos, pictures, audio commentary, a mass of data which she neatly bundled into a package, attached to an e-mail, and hit send, beginning its long millisecond journey over wireless networks, satellite relays, and fiber optic lines to the central computers at the Federation for Economic Development and Cooperation in Asgard, one of Danarkadia's major cities. Immediately, work began on compiling the data for national access via the Datanet. Soon, the various broadcast syndicates will begin work on their audio and video broadcasts of lengthy conversations with Danarkadia's intelligentsia on all the ramifications, past, present, and future, of the nation's role in what's developing in Xikuang.

"Well, that's that." Anastasia clicked off her tablet, folded it shut, and placed it into her briefcase. "The FEDC will compile the data and include it in tomorrow's broadcasts. This will give the all those talking heads on the airwaves something to pontificate endlessly about."

"Nothing ever got done by not talking about it first. It will be interesting to see how this changes national economic policy." Responded Kamal thoughtfully.

Icarus stood. His stomach growled loudly. "Frankly, kids, that's for the Federations to debate, the Council to decide, and the Syndicates to implement. For now, let's grab some grub and start schmoozin'...I'm famished, but dinner and diplomacy are a natural mix."

Seven of the eight native delegates rose and began milling about, exchanging pleasantries with the other delegates as the 4CACE disbanded for the evening. Councillor Kham remained at the table, typing away-- with remarkable speed for a man who barely uses his left hand for anything other than the multi-key combinations necessary for typing in Xikuangese-- on a tiny laptop computer plugged into a data feed cleverly installed on the underside of the solid wooden table. He notes Anastasia Bjornsdottir working similarly across from him, and casts her a smile, before he is interrupted by Commissioner Taqkhla.

"Having fun, Khitai?" she asked.

"Oh, yes. I think we're doing rather well. It's a good turnout, don't you think?" Councillor Kham answered without breaking his typing stride.

"It is. I'm very much looking forward to the upcoming discussion. I have high hopes for at least the beginnings of a global trade co-ordination body coming out of this conference."

"To be honest, I was hoping we would get to that today, but perhaps it's for the better if we come at it rested." He closed the laptop, unplugged the cable, and began packing it away. "I just hope everyone can keep an open mind about it."Taqkhla said. "There's such a dramatic tendency to switch off when such high-level schemes are proposed, but look at all the good it's done for us insofar as we're connected with the ACEPB. Really, it makes all the sense in the world."

"You're a perfect advocate, Ÿkheri." Kham answered, stifling a yawn. "I have every hope you will be well satisfied."

Commissioner Taqkhla beamed a bit, coiling the data cable and handing it to her colleague. Her exuberance was in marked contrast to his subdued demeanour. Kham seemed tired, and a bit strained; he rose stiffly and limped a bit as they moved off.

"You okay?"

"Leg's asleep."

"Ah. Coming to dinner?"

"Ayi, I should. I really should, shouldn't I?"

"Well, it's only reasonable for the CACE representative of the nation hosting the 4CACE to be in the hotel restaurant after the conference."

Khitai sighed. "Yes. Of course. Do me a favour: poke me if it looks like I'm going under, okay?"

Ÿkheri nodded, smiling cheerily, and they made their way to join those waiting on transport to the Sai Yilinhai.

ooc:

text in brown indicates that Xikuangese is the language spoken. For the record, Xikuang'ss delegates are:

Dr. Xu Xian, Chair of the Elected General Committee, the closest thing Xikuang has to a national leader
Kham Khitai, Elected General Councillor, Liaison to CACE
Xiang Kalsang, Elected General Councillor (EGC) and Chair of the Elected General Committee (EGCom) for International Affairs
Zhe Xexin, EGC and chair EGCom for Economic Affairs
Taqkhla Ÿkheri, EGCom Economic Affairs, representative of the ACEPB, Lhai
Province
Amung Qelinparhe, EGCom Economic Affairs
Yi'i Lhyamo, EGCom International Affairs
Qzin Sangyin, EGCom National Security

Walking out of the conference room, UM Kihl accosts the Burungi delegation and introduces himself before passing a sealed plastic folder to Alkatiri. 'Under Minister Ribaun regrets that he could not be here today,' says Kihl, 'and so I have taken the responsibility of passing this material on to you. We consider it a gesture to show our good faith.'

(ooc: by the way, for me this conference is after the invasion of my country going in in another thread. Or maybe before it. Aint fluidic time wonderful?)

"Of course i remember my pleasant chat with the Under Minister," Alkatiri said, wondering again why they had such unattractive titles in SeOCC. "I'm sorry he is absent, but i am see that you are representing your country equally well. Will you sit with me while i examine this file?"

Without waiting for an answer, Alkatiri sat down and tore open the documents eagerly.

Meanwhile, Rosa Almeida wandered off to see if she could get another look at the Shiree artist's sketchbook. "Do you know Dexter?" she asked plaintively. "You know, Dexter, from Watfordshire?"

'I would be honored, sir. Lead the way.'

“Well, this break couldn’t have come soon enough,” declared Ridgeman while he took off his glasses and wiped the sweat from his sideburns.

“I’m almost afraid to ask what you mean,” replied Connors as he gathered up his notes.

“I don’t know about you, but I had only the foggiest idea of what they were talking about. All this ‘eye-eff-tee-eh’ and all. I feel a fool being just about the only delegation without anything to add.”

“Didn’t the Republic brief you on any of this?” asked Connors caustically.

“Say, chaps, check this out!” exclaimed Deines. He had somehow contrived to make the cellular phone (which he had presumably stolen) start to belt out ‘Camptown Races.’ Either that or someone was calling it.

“After all, don’t forget that the Empire had an agreement with the IFTA, to let us trade with Tanah Burung and Hell Bovines. Don’t you remember?” continued Connors.

The blank look on Ridgeman’s face was actually quite eloquent.

“Bet my money on a bobtailed nag,” Deines was singing in a horridly off-key voice, “someone bet on the gray!”

“Maybe we can lose him on the way back to the hotel?” suggested Ridgeman as they walked out the door. “A traffic accident, say?”

“That’s downright cruel. What if he has a wife and little ones?” snorted Connors.

“Don’t see a ring,” replied Ridgeman, glancing back at Deines. “And really - do you think any woman on Earth would say ‘yes’ to him?”

Alkatiri sat, and opened the documents, nodding absently to Kihl.

(ooc: what's in the file?)

At the hotel, the delegates from Iansisle had a note waiting:

Dearest friends,

Congratulations on the inauguration of the United Kingdom. It makes me think that perhaps the time has come to increase the trade between our countries. Perhaps we might chat about this over, say, breakfast?

Rosa Almeida
People's representative for economic affairs & cooperatives
United Provinces of Tanah Burung

Meanwhile, Rosa Almeida wandered off to see if she could get another look at the Shiree artist's sketchbook. "Do you know Dexter?" she asked plaintively. "You know, Dexter, from Watfordshire?"


The Military Dancer looked up from his seated position at the computer terminal; head cocked inquisitively to one side for a moment as he took in Rosa's appearance, before he remembered his manners and stood up, both palms faced outwards. Rosa's hope of a positive response might have seemed naively optimistic to anyone familiar with the vast sprawl of jungle and wide ranging pampas that formed the Shiree's migratory playground, but there was something about the saturnine looks and long black hair, peppered with white gullfeathers, of the artist that reminded the Burung ambassador of Snr. Kanewitz.

"The Pharmacist." The Military Dancer nodded. "I have sampled some of his work - yes... but I have not met with him... yet. How do you know of this Herald?"

Charlotte Dorsa Brevia introduced herself to the East Hackney delegation, making a concerted effort to speak to Comrade Albert without glancing too much at his young colleague. William Fort took a leisurely route towards the Danarkadians, stopping to chat with milling Xikuangese along the way. Nadia reached the group from Watfordshire, smiled politely at the delegates while they chatted with other attendees and entered into conversation with one of the Military Dancers.

Nirgal stood on his own for a while, taking in the sights and sounds of the numerous fusions an clashes of cultures all around him. Finally, he left the room for his accommodation, mentally preparing for the evening ahead of him.

Foreign Minister Saturnino Vacuno streched and relaxed as soon as the break was announced.
The seven bovine delegates stood up, and looked around the room, searching for familiar faces to exchange ideas with.
"Yay! I can't wait to taste Xikuanguese rice liquor!* I've heard wonders about it.", economics minister Glurg Coincollector exclaimed.
"I'm off to the bar!"
But the clumsy minister was grabbed by Saturnino from his right horn. "You're not going anywhere! Remember the last Third World Solidarity Conference? When you got drunk and embarrased yourself? Well, that ain't happening again pal."
But his thoughts were interrupted upon seeing the Ianisleans. Saturnino realised it would be a great opportunity to chat. He had heard wonders of the new Iansislean political system and, though the events were not much clearly understood in Hell Bovines, he realised the great opportunity to increse friendship relations even more.

He walked torwards the group and introduced himself. "Dear Iansislean delegation, a pleasure to meet you. I'm Saturnino Vacuno, foreign minister of Hell Bovines and this is Glurg Coincollector, economics minister" He bowed and turned to introduce Glurg, but the economic minister had ran away to the bar after all.
Saturnino's spotted cheecks seemed to turn red for a second...
"Erm...it apears that he got lost. Well, I'm sure you will meet him later"
He again made a bow, and extended his hoof to Ridgeman.




(*Assuming this undoubtedly tasty alcoholic beverage exists!?)

(*Assuming this undoubtedly tasty alcoholic beverage exists!?)

It certainly does.
http://diden.net/~maga/images/ricewine.jpg

Image by the wonderful Rehochipe.

“How unusual,” muttered Connors upon receiving the note. “From Rosa Almeida.”

“Who?”

“One of the Tanah Burung delegates, for crying out loud! Don’t you -- never mind, let me nick that pen from you.”

Madame Almeida,

We would be honored to take breakfast with you tomorrow. Both His Majesty’s Government and that of the Republic would be honored to increase trade with Tanah Burung.

Gerald Connors
His Majesty’s Delegate to the Fourth Conference of Anti-Capitalist Economies

“Heads up!” whispered Deines in sudden excitement as Connors handed his note back to the man behind the desk. “Hell Bovines, directly ahead.”

“Do calm down, Deines,” snapped Connors. “You’re being most unpolite. If you think this will be too exciting for you to maintain proper diplomatic formalities, you can head back to the room.”

“N-no, that’s all right,” murmured Deines. Connors was content with him keeping his mouth closed, even if the Weshielder was rocking back and forth with eyes as big as dinner plates.

“Minister Vacuno,” said Ridgeman, who butchered the pronunciation while grasping the hoof with his hand in the only gesture that seemed appropriate. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Harry Ridgeman, from the Republic of Weshield. Erm, this is Gerald Connors, from the United Kingdom of the Shield, and, erm...”

Ridgeman trailed off as he remembered that he didn’t know Deines first name. He glanced blankly at Connors, who stepped up to the plate.

”This is Citizen Deines, Delegate Ridgeman’s assistant. I do hope that Minister Coincollector is all right, however; I’ve admired his work for some time.”

“Grregh,” said Deines, drooling slightly.

East Hackneyites; Comrades Albert and Sikander (http://www.benovision.co.uk/NS/Albert-Sikander.jpg)

East Hackneyites; Comrades Albert and Sikander (http://www.benovision.co.uk/NS/Albert-Sikander.jpg)

OOC: Woo! Fantastic work, O Moxious One.

"The Pharmacist." The Military Dancer nodded. "I have sampled some of his work - yes... but I have not met with him... yet. How do you know of this Herald?"

Rosa giggled. "I had occasion to taste some of his, uh ... wares when i was last in Watfordshire. Oh look, more Bovines! I must ask them to breakfast! What did you say your name was?"

Meanwhile Mari Alkatiri finished reading Under Minister Kihl's file. He raised his eyebrows at first, then scanned the rest if the documents thoughtfully. He paused briefly and then spoke. "This sounds intriguing. Let me discuss it with Ms Almeida. We should be able to give you a provisional reply in the morning."

'Of course.' Kihl stands and inclines his head towards Alkatiri. 'Mr. Representative, good day.'

"...and that's why I think we should allow the trading of stock in some of our more export-oriented syndicates on the global market." finished Kamal triumphantly.

"It would be an excellent way for their respective federations to purchase goods and services from abroad. I don't need to remind you that we're not blessed with oodles of every conceivable commodity." punctuated Anastasia.

"I dunno..." Icarus added absently "we've done good for ourselves so far." He was more of a diplomat and less of an economist, but his point was poignant and would be probably be repeated verbatim when this discussion was continued back home. Meanwhile, he spotted William Fort of Ecopoeia ambling towards him. He greeted him warmly, backed up by the beaming faces of Kamal and Anastasia, who managed to wrench themselves from their economic banter.

"Brother Fort! So happy you've come to speak with us!" Icarus proclaimed with a hearty handshake and pat on the back. "Shall we discuss greater economic cooperation between our two lands over a drink?"

While Icarus and Mr. Fort exchange banter, Anastasia went over to speak with the delegates from Watfordshire. She felt a little intimidated, knowing that they represented 2.35 billion people and she less than a third that. Still, she knew she was among friends and ventured to introduce herself personally to the delegates.