The Sangatha

“That concludes the voting period. With 5 votes in the affirmative and one abstaination, the proposal is passed pending the assent of His Majesty.

I thank you all again for meeting on such short notice, and to all who have pledged support, your help will not be forgotten.

This meeting is adjurned. Mr. Barak, Madam Azad, could you please stay behind. There is something I wish to discuss with you in private. Thank you.”
 
"Of course." Roshni replied, following Alexandro. "What might that be?"
 
C O M P L A I N T



From: The Imperial Goyanean Federation --- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
To: The Syrixian Commonwealth; Specifically: Syrixia, Iraelia, Benolia, Demescia, and Thenaca.
Regarding: The Recently Passed Ereion Resolution.



The Imperial Goyanean Federation is filing an official complaint with the Syrixian Commonwealth, specifically the nations mentioned above, for agreeing to and passing a resolution which allows the Syrixian Commonwealth to engage in arrests and prosecutions of foreigners in waters not pertaining to any member nation of the Commonwealth.

Almost every clause of the Ereion resolution mentions piracy “off the coast of Ereion.” The Syrixian commonwealth member states have no jurisdiction in any of these waters. The resolution calls for “on States to favourably consider the prosecution of suspected, and imprisonment of convicted, pirates apprehended off the coast of Ereion.” Not only does this include the kidnapping of pirates in waters not owned by any member state, but also calls for their arrest and prosecution. When in the modern era has a sovereign nation’s law ever applied to a place not their own.

We find the Ereion Resolution in serious need of revision and amending. While Goyanes does advocate for use of force in the need of defense of property and life, we do not advocate for the extension of national law to areas in which they cannot apply. Goyanes is allied with many Commonwealth members, however we will not tolerate the overextension of the Commonwealth members’ law to places where it has no right to be.

We hope this complaint is recieved and responded to.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ken Lorge (St.)




 
Message - Public:
FIHVQ34.png


Following the passage of the Ereion Resolution by the Commonwealth Council the resolution was presented to Congress for ratification. The motion subsequently failed, due to the presence of a certain phrase in numerous passages that had startling connotations. For example:

"Calls upon Member States and other States or organizations cooperating with the Commonwealth in the fight against piracy off the coast of Ereion to further increase their coordination to effectively deter, prevent and respond to pirate attacks"

This wording implies that piracy may be stopped by forces from Commonwealth nations in international or Ereionese waters, neither of which any member of the Commonwealth has the right to do so within. We regret that this important point eluded the knowledge of the representatives, and are deeply disappointed.

The Empire therefore calls for an immediate reconvention of the Council to amend the Resolution to remove and replace this inflammatory language before irreversible damage can be dealt. We also make a solemn pledge that no Imperial forces sent to the Levantine region will be deployed for the purposes of stopping piracy within waters where they have no right to do so.

We urge all other members of the Commonwealth who have decided to participate in the Resolution to join us in this promise, and to convene as soon as possible to amend the Resolution accordingly.

Sincerely,
Rahul Khanna
Secretary of State of the Syrixian Empire






 
"I softly disagree with any amendment at all," Locan said briskly, slamming his fist on a surface. "If we simply defend against them, it's the same thing as tolerance. With the vessels those pirates are hulking, rivaling even the Qyysesa back at home, I'm wondering how long this ping-pong would last.

"The only way to truly deter the pirates is to hit them at their home. It is the only way to make sure that these villains never threaten Benolia again. Ereion is too in shambles to handle them themselves and, frankly, I don't see any more effective alternative."
 
“While there are many in Benolia who share your sentiments, a full scale attack in Ereion is simply out of the question. We are completely unequipped to handle that scale of operation, nor could we be sure that the situation in Ereion would be able to be resolved should the faction groups be defeated. It is of course our hope that Ereion return to the ranks of the stable, democratic nations of Eras. Unfortunately, I cannot see that happening any time soon.”
 
Nicoli pondered Madam Azad’s question for a moment. After the events of the morning, he knew this will likely be his final Council session. “Let’s end it on a high note,” he thought.

“Apologies, Ma’am. I seem to have forgot what it was I wanted to say. Mr. Barak, Madam Azad, sorry to take up your time. Good day.”

He left the meeting room and walked the grand halls of the palace for the last time, happy to have garnered a victory for his nation.




Letter:
Esteemed Councillors,

It is with great regret that I must announce my resignation as Commonwealth Councillor, effective immediately. This decision was made for a variety of personal reasons that I will not go into here. I wish to wholeheartedly apologize to any representatives I offended at the most recent session of the Council, namely Councillor Edrik Vants and the rest of the Ausalgothan delegation. My intentions were never to sow dividion, but my actions and words were inapropriate and rude. For that, I am deeply sorry.

I wish to extend to my former colleagues the best of wishes in their future endeavors. Continue always in your noble fight for peace and justice across Eras, and never deviate from the values upon which this great alliance was formed.

Yours,

Alexander Nicoli​
 
Imber Barak rubbed his temple as he lit the desk lamp in his office in his Pataliputra apartment. The various Commonwealth representatives had all retired to their various abodes, but action needed to be taken.

He started up the secure video chat, contacting the other representatives from the Commonwealth, who had previously been informed that a special session was needed.

"Greetings" he began with a weary smile.
"I'm sorry for the late night conference call, but we need to sort out an oversight in our resolution concerning Benolia and Ereion. Simply put? We need to amend the passed resolution to remove the references to Ereion and international waters. We need to make it clear that our actions will purely be in the defence of Benolia and that we will not be seizing and arresting pirates beyond our jurisdiction."
 
Good evening, Your Excellency. I have met many of you during my time as assistant to Mr. Nicoli, but allow me to introduce myself. My name is Tasia Athanasiou, the newly appointed Councillor from Benolia. I can say on behalf of my government that we will pursue a prompt solution to this discrepancy and accept any amendments to the resolution that may arise from this meeting.

The way I see it, this is pretty strait forward. We want to ensure that the resolution cannot be used to justify defying Ereion’s territorial waters. I was briefed about the situation about an hour ago and drafted this amended proposal that should clear up any discrepancies.” She reads the proposal alloud to the Councillors on call, highlighting the parts that have been changed or removed:

Amended Proposal:
The Commonwealth Council,

Continuing to be concerned by the growing threat that piracy and armed robbery at sea against vessels pose to the situation in Ereion and other States in the region, as well as to international navigation, the safety of commercial maritime routes and the safety of seafarers and other persons, and also concerned by the increased level of violence employed by pirates and persons involved in armed robbery in the international waters off the coast of Ereion,

Emphasizing the importance of finding a comprehensive solution to the problem of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the international waters off the coast of Ereion,

Recognizing the sovereignty of Ereion over its territorial waters in the Strait of Levantine, without regard to the status of the de jure governing entity that exists or may exist within Ereion, and demands Member States refrain from activities that may violate this sovereignty,

Calls upon Member States that have the capacity to do so, to take part in the fight against piracy and armed robbery in the international waters off the coast of Ereion, in particular by deploying naval vessels, arms and military aircraft and through seizures and disposition of boats, vessels, arms and other related equipment used in the commission of piracy and armed robbery in the international waters off the coast of Ereion, or for which there are reasonable grounds for suspecting such use,

Calls upon Member States and other States or organizations cooperating with the Commonwealth in the fight against piracy in the international waters off the coast of Ereion to further increase their coordination to effectively deter, prevent and respond to pirate attacks,

Commending those Member States that have amended their domestic law in order to criminalize piracy and facilitate the prosecution of suspected pirates in their national courts, and stressing the need for Member States to continue their efforts in this regard,

Urges all Member States, especially States in the region, to criminalize piracy under their domestic law, emphasizing the importance of criminalizing incitement, facilitation, conspiracy and attempts to commit acts of piracy;

Recognizes that piracy is a crime subject to universal jurisdiction and in that regard reiterates its call on States to favourably consider the prosecution of suspected, and imprisonment of convicted, pirates apprehended in the international waters off the coast of Ereion,

Underlines the need to investigate and prosecute those who illicitly finance, plan, organize, or unlawfully profit from pirate attacks, recognizing that individuals and entities who incite or intentionally facilitate an act of piracy are themselves engaging in piracy,

Invites Member States to examine their domestic legal frameworks for detention at sea of suspected pirates to ensure that their laws provide reasonable procedures, and also invites States to examine domestic procedures for the preservation of evidence that may be used in criminal proceedings to ensure the admissibility of such evidence,

Underlines the importance of continuing to enhance the collection, preservation and transmission to competent authorities of evidence of acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the international waters off the coast of Ereion, and welcomes work of industry groups to assist in providing guidance to seafarers on preservation of crime scenes following acts of piracy, noting the importance for the successful prosecution of acts of piracy of enabling seafarers to give evidence in criminal proceedings,

Urges Member States to share evidence and information for anti-piracy law enforcement purposes with a view to ensuring effective prosecution of suspected, and imprisonment of convicted, pirates,

And urges both State and non-State actors affected by piracy, most notably the international shipping community, to provide support for the above-mentioned judicial and detention-related projects.
 
Thorbjörg Vlekk? nervously walked forward to speak.

"While I agree with Locan that it would be best if we were to do a full out attack on these pirates, I must agree with Benolia that this would simply be unfeasible at this time. Therefore, I motion to my fellow councillors that we bring this proposal to a vote as soon as we can to start eliminating this threat."
 
"I agree with Mr. Vlekke, and second his motion." Roshni chimed in. "However, I think the proposal we should specifically vote on is the one that clearly mentions 'Benolian waters' rather than just the 'waters off the coast of Benolia.' This language is more specific and more definitive, and it also means the same thing as is implied by the latter proposal- all of which ensures less risk of reprisal by the international community."
 
"I agree," Roshni chimed in, "this situation is very straightforward, but I don't think your proposal solves it completely. The coasts of Ereion are still frequently mentioned. On that note, the Empire has its own proposal that I'd like to present for consideration."

Proposal:
The Commonwealth Council,

Continuing to be concerned by the growing threat that piracy and armed robbery at sea against vessels pose to the situation in Ereion and other States in the region, as well as to international navigation, the safety of commercial maritime routes and the safety of seafarers and other persons, and also concerned by the increased level of violence employed by pirates and persons involved in armed robbery in the international waters off the coast of Ereion and the threat this poses to the waters of the Benolian Republic, a Commonwealth member state;

Emphasizing the importance of ensuring that the piracy and armed robbery at sea in the international waters and off the coast of Ereion does not threaten the Benolian Republic;

Recognizing the sovereignty of Ereion over its territorial waters in the Strait of Levantine, with regard to the status of the de jure governing entity that exists or may exist within Ereion, and requesting that Member States refrain from activities that may violate this sovereignty;

Calls upon Member States that have the capacity to do so, to take part in the fight against piracy and armed robbery within Benolian waters, in particular by deploying naval vessels, arms and military aircraft and through seizures and disposition of boats, vessels, arms and other related equipment used in the commission of piracy and armed robbery within Benolian waters, or for which there are reasonable grounds for suspecting such use;

Calls upon Member States and other States or organizations cooperating with the Commonwealth in the fight against piracy in Benolian waters to further increase their coordination to effectively deter, prevent and respond to pirate attacks;

Commending those Member States that have amended their domestic law in order to criminalize piracy and facilitate the prosecution of suspected pirates in their national courts, and stressing the need for Member States to continue their efforts in this regard;

Urges all Member States, especially States in the region, to criminalize piracy under their domestic law, emphasizing the importance of criminalizing incitement, facilitation, conspiracy and attempts to commit acts of piracy;

Recognizes that piracy is a crime subject to universal jurisdiction and in that regard reiterates its call on States to favourably consider the prosecution of suspected, and imprisonment of convicted, pirates apprehended in Benolian waters;

Underlines the need to investigate and prosecute those who illicitly finance, plan, organize, or unlawfully profit from pirate attacks, recognizing that individuals and entities who incite or intentionally facilitate an act of piracy are themselves engaging in piracy,

Invites Member States to examine their domestic legal frameworks for detention at sea of suspected pirates to ensure that their laws provide reasonable procedures, and also invites States to examine domestic procedures for the preservation of evidence that may be used in criminal proceedings to ensure the admissibility of such evidence;

Underlines the importance of continuing to enhance the collection, preservation and transmission to competent authorities of evidence of acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea in Benolian waters, and welcomes work of industry groups to assist in providing guidance to seafarers on preservation of crime scenes following acts of piracy, noting the importance for the successful prosecution of acts of piracy of enabling seafarers to give evidence in criminal proceedings;

Urges Member States to share evidence and information for anti-piracy law enforcement purposes with a view to ensuring effective prosecution of suspected, and imprisonment of convicted, pirates;

And urges both State and non-State actors affected by piracy, most notably the international shipping community, to provide support for the above-mentioned judicial and detention-related projects.
 
“Madam Azad, this proposal would obviously limit our anti-piracy efforts to Benolian territorial waters. These Ereionese pirates opperate well outside of Benolian waters in order to avaid detection by our patrol boats, so this would render our efforts pointless. If the wording is a problem, than simply replace ‘international waters off the coast of Ereion’ with ‘international waters off the coast of Benolia’.”
 
"It would." Roshni replied. "But as Mr. Barak noted, the coalition established by the Ereion Resolution is purely for the defense of Benolia. This is simply the best we can do, and it will still decrease the threat of piracy."

Roshni then, very discreetly, sent a secure text to Tasia:
Secure Text:
EXPAND YOUR WATERS.
 
Azad’s message intrigued the Councillor. Looking up from her phone, she says, “If I may, there is another idea that has been floating around. It may seem rather unconventional, but hear me out. Benolia can simply extend its claimed territorial waters farther into the Strait, cutting off the pirates supply of ships by giving Commonwealth vessels indisputable jurisdiction to arrest within our main shipping routes. This hasn’t yet received any official support within the government, but I will talk to MPs when I get back to the Isles.

Here, give me a sec.” She types away on her laptop for a while. “There, this should clear everything up.” She reads her amended proposal:

Amended Proposal:
The Commonwealth Council,

Continuing to be concerned by the growing threat that piracy and armed robbery at sea against vessels pose to Benolia and other States in the region, as well as to international navigation, the safety of commercial maritime routes and the safety of seafarers and other persons, and also concerned by the increased level of violence employed by pirates and persons involved in armed robbery in the waters off the coast of Benolia,

Emphasizing the importance of finding a comprehensive solution to the problem of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the waters off the coast of Benolia,

Recognizing the sovereignty of Ereion over its territorial waters in the Strait of Levantine, without regard to the status of the de jure governing entity that exists or may exist within Ereion, and demands Member States refrain from activities that may violate this sovereignty,

Calls upon Member States that have the capacity to do so, to take part in the fight against piracy and armed robbery in the waters off the coast of Benolia, in particular by deploying naval vessels, arms and military aircraft and through seizures and disposition of boats, vessels, arms and other related equipment used in the commission of piracy and armed robbery in the waters off the coast of Benolia, or for which there are reasonable grounds for suspecting such use,

Calls upon Member States and other States or organizations cooperating with the Commonwealth in the fight against piracy in the waters off the coast of Benolia to further increase their coordination to effectively deter, prevent and respond to pirate attacks,

Commending those Member States that have amended their domestic law in order to criminalize piracy and facilitate the prosecution of suspected pirates in their national courts, and stressing the need for Member States to continue their efforts in this regard,

Urges all Member States, especially States in the region, to criminalize piracy under their domestic law, emphasizing the importance of criminalizing incitement, facilitation, conspiracy and attempts to commit acts of piracy;

Recognizes that piracy is a crime subject to universal jurisdiction and in that regard reiterates its call on States to favourably consider the prosecution of suspected, and imprisonment of convicted, pirates apprehended in the waters off the coast of Benolia,

Underlines the need to investigate and prosecute those who illicitly finance, plan, organize, or unlawfully profit from pirate attacks, recognizing that individuals and entities who incite or intentionally facilitate an act of piracy are themselves engaging in piracy,

Invites Member States to examine their domestic legal frameworks for detention at sea of suspected pirates to ensure that their laws provide reasonable procedures, and also invites States to examine domestic procedures for the preservation of evidence that may be used in criminal proceedings to ensure the admissibility of such evidence,

Underlines the importance of continuing to enhance the collection, preservation and transmission to competent authorities of evidence of acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the waters off the coast of Benolia, and welcomes work of industry groups to assist in providing guidance to seafarers on preservation of crime scenes following acts of piracy, noting the importance for the successful prosecution of acts of piracy of enabling seafarers to give evidence in criminal proceedings,

Urges Member States to share evidence and information for anti-piracy law enforcement purposes with a view to ensuring effective prosecution of suspected, and imprisonment of convicted, pirates,

And urges both State and non-State actors affected by piracy, most notably the international shipping community, to provide support for the above-mentioned judicial and detention-related projects.
 
Thorbjörg Vlekk?, now more confident, stood up to speak.

"I agree with Ms. Azad that we should clarify this part of the proposal, as dealing with things that are none of our business could have severe consequences."
 
“I agree with Madam Azad, and motion the new proposal to vote. Mr. Barak, I will email you the text as it stands. With Madam Azad’s suggestion, the proposal would read as follows:

Proposal:
The Commonwealth Council,

Continues to be concerned by the growing threat that piracy and armed robbery at sea against vessels pose to Benolia and other States in the region, as well as to international navigation, the safety of commercial maritime routes and the safety of seafarers and other persons, and also concerned by the increased level of violence employed by pirates and persons involved in armed robbery in the territorial waters of Benolia,

Emphasizes the importance of finding a comprehensive solution to the problem of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the territorial waters of Benolia,

Recognizes the sovereignty of Ereion over its territorial waters in the Strait of Levantine, without regard to the status of the de jure governing entity that exists or may exist within Ereion, and requests Member States refrain from activities that may violate this sovereignty,

Calls upon Member States that have the capacity to do so, to take part in the fight against piracy and armed robbery in the territorial waters of Benolia, in particular by deploying naval vessels, arms and military aircraft and through seizures and disposition of boats, vessels, arms and other related equipment used in the commission of piracy and armed robbery in the territorial waters of Benolia, or for which there are reasonable grounds for suspecting such use,

Calls upon Member States and other States or organizations cooperating with the Commonwealth in the fight against piracy in the territorial waters of Benolia to further increase their coordination to effectively deter, prevent and respond to pirate attacks,

Commends those Member States that have amended their domestic law in order to criminalize piracy and facilitate the prosecution of suspected pirates in their national courts, and stressing the need for Member States to continue their efforts in this regard,

Urges all Member States, especially States in the region, to criminalize piracy under their domestic law, emphasizing the importance of criminalizing incitement, facilitation, conspiracy and attempts to commit acts of piracy;

Recognizes that piracy is a crime subject to universal jurisdiction and in that regard reiterates its call on States to favourably consider the prosecution of suspected, and imprisonment of convicted, pirates apprehended in the territorial waters of Benolia,

Underlines the need to investigate and prosecute those who illicitly finance, plan, organize, or unlawfully profit from pirate attacks, recognizing that individuals and entities who incite or intentionally facilitate an act of piracy are themselves engaging in piracy,

Invites Member States to examine their domestic legal frameworks for detention at sea of suspected pirates to ensure that their laws provide reasonable procedures, and also invites States to examine domestic procedures for the preservation of evidence that may be used in criminal proceedings to ensure the admissibility of such evidence,

Underlines the importance of continuing to enhance the collection, preservation and transmission to competent authorities of evidence of acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the territorial waters of Benolia, and welcomes work of industry groups to assist in providing guidance to seafarers on preservation of crime scenes following acts of piracy, noting the importance for the successful prosecution of acts of piracy of enabling seafarers to give evidence in criminal proceedings,

Urges Member States to share evidence and information for anti-piracy law enforcement purposes with a view to ensuring effective prosecution of suspected, and imprisonment of convicted, pirates,

And urges both State and non-State actors affected by piracy, most notably the international shipping community, to provide support for the above-mentioned judicial and detention-related projects.
 
Thorbjörg Vlekk? stepped forward.

"I will third this proposal. It looks fine in its current form and it's important that we expedite getting this passed to ensure our safety and security."
 
Barak nodded. "Then we'll move to a vote."

Code:
[b]Nation:[/b]
[b]Approve the new proposal as presented by the Benolian delegation[/b] <YES> <NO> <ABSTAIN>
 
Nation: Syrixian Empire
Approve the new proposal as presented by the Benolian delegation <YES>
 
Nation: Iraelia
Approve the new proposal as presented by the Benolian delegation <YES>
 
Nation: Norour
Approve the new proposal as presented by the Benolian delegation <YES>
 
"It's unanimous then" Barak concluded.
"The amended resolution is passed. Thank you for your time at this late hour, delegates. I hope to reconvene at a more opportune hour."

With that he ended the secured video conference call.
 
[img=200,200]http://i.imgur.com/VvqwkYU.png[/img]​

To His Majesty of Syrixia,

The Jewel of Guslantis formally requests her entry into the Commonwealth. We see great opportunity and goodwill for the Syrixians living in Guslantis, and we hope that we can contribute toward the prosperity of this Commonwealth and its nations.

Sincerely,

Queen Leah
 
letter:
[img=120,120]https://i.imgur.com/xRYzGRQ.png[/img]​

Minister Lorge,

I am writing to inform you that the members of the Syrixian Commonwealth Council have read your concerns regarding the Ereion resolution. We thank you for bringing the issue to our attention. I can assure you that the Council re-convened to amend the offending resolution so that it addressed all concerns raised by the Goyanean government.


Respectfully,
Imber Barak
Acting Secretary-General of the Syrixian Commonwealth​

letter:
[img=120,120]https://i.imgur.com/xRYzGRQ.png[/img]​

Esteemed representatives of the Commonwealth,

The Kingdom of Guslantis has indicated a desire to join our ranks. This application is valid, as the Kingdom has historical and cultural ties to our family of nations. I am therefore calling on the Commonwealth Council to convene to discuss the application of the Kingdom of Guslantis.


Respectfully,
Imber Barak
Acting Secretary-General of the Syrixian Commonwealth​
 
Message:
[img=200,200]https://i.imgur.com/sjPImkB.png[/img]​

Honorable Members of the Commonwealth:

Pursuant to Commonwealth international law as mandated by the Charter, I hereby recognize and approve the petition of Acting Secretary-General Barak. A meeting of the Council may be scheduled at his discretion.

[img=250,64]https://i.imgur.com/sgKfHdT.png[/img]
His Imperial Majesty, Rajesh III
Head of the Commonwealth


 
Roshni sat down, as the meeting began.

"If I may, Mr. Secretary-General, an opening statement." she calmly stated, before continuing.

"As you may know, the history of Guslantis is a storied one, especially recently. The eastern half of Guslantis was once the colony of Attarahanda, centered in the city after which it was named, which was founded for the purpose of trading with the Guslants to the west and the Malorians and Himikans to the east. The colony was later purchased by Guslantis, but to this day, the city remains the focal point of the Imperial culture in the country."

"Guslantis proper, in more recent years, has experienced great suffering, with the Kingdom under Her Majesty, Leah the First and her Chancellor, Alicia Burns, coming under assault from the terrorist group known as the Krieg Clan, which wreaked great havoc on the country. Through this hardship, the Empire was there for the Guslant nation and all its people, regardless of ethnicity, and we are honored to call Guslantis a close ally."

"With all this being said, the Empire was very happy to receive a message from the Guslants wishing to join the Commonwealth. We hope that this Council accepts Guslantis into its ranks with speed and kindness."
 
“Mr. Secretary-General, if you’ll allow me the floor for a moment. I must agree with my Syrixian colleague. There is no doubt that our allies and friends in Guslantis will be a tremendous addition to the ranks of the Commonwealth. With that, I motion the admittance of Guslantis to vote.”
 
Thorbjörg Vlekk? stepped forward.

"I believe that accepting Guslantis into the Commonwealth would be an important step in our advancement as an organization. Their historical ties with the Syrixian Empire and their willingness to help in times of need is remarkable. This organization needs members like Guslantis who are willing to provide aid to other nations in trouble."
 
Locan: "Guslantis has been both an economic and cultural ally of ours, and to deny them, especially with their apparent ties to the Syrixian Empire, would be a disservice to both of our states."
 
"With that we move on to a vote. Please cast your ballots."

Code:
[b]Nation:[/b]
[b]Admit Guslantis to the Syrixian Commonwealth[/b] <YES> <NO> <ABSTAIN>
 
Nation: Syrixian Empire
Admit Guslantis to the Syrixian Commonwealth <YES>
 
Back
Top