Josepania
Establishing Nation
[FORUM ROOM] Day 2
Given the tumultuous events that had transpired yesterday, it was perhaps surprising to most representatives that President José Constanza remained reserved, at least thus far, throughout the beginnings of Day Two of the Forum. After all, a man as egotistical and pompous as someone who enthusiastically carried the title El Presidente could easily be expected to thump his chest in triumph over the forces of corruption and agents of the Global Exploitation Conspiracy in Eugenia and the proclamation of a much friendlier and hopefully more responsive Socialist Republic of Zara. Yet, it was primarily because of the man sitting next to President Constanza, Foreign Minister Gabriel Morales, that the impulsive Josefino Head of State retained a polite silence.
Following a stern and mostly private rebuke by the Remi President Colombo, El Presidente had retired to his quarters to confer with his Foreign Minister about how to go forward. Unlike his boss, Minister Morales was level-headed, calculating and strategic, and he recognized that the situation was delicate at best, on a knife's edge at worst. Many of the more conservative nations present would have been willing to tolerate a bumbling, ineffective Congress of Eugenia, likely so they could manipulate the entity to their own selfish ends. But thanks to President Constanza, the situation had been complicated and a much more proactive, less compliant Socialist Zara had been born through El Presidente's demagoguery and impulsiveness, and though this was a striking victory against the Global Exploitation Conspiracy, the gains needed to be consolidated. This was where Minister Morales came in, as he always did, to put a more professional and diplomatic face to San José. It was subsequently agreed that, to reacquire some good graces of Remion and to prevent further exacerbation of a fragile situation, President Constanza would refrain once more from most public speaking and would instead leave it to his Minister to protect the progress made thus far. After all, El Presidente already achieved his victory in a trademark fashion, his immediate desires were satiated for the time being and he could resign himself to sipping coffee, observing the proceedings.
Nonetheless, he could not help but nod in obvious approval to President Colombo's accusation of hypocrisy towards Foreign Secretary Amélia Dubois regarding her refusal to recognize the Socialist Republic of Zara. The delegation of San José's distrust of Guienny's intentions at this Forum was growing with every hour that passed. Their lack of commitment to opposing Tarusan aggression was increasingly troubling, and this latest declaration to not acknowledge real progress in the region for democracy seemed to be a personal insult to President Constanza. Nonetheless, he held his tongue, sending a knowing look to President Colombo to reassure her no further trouble would come from him for the immediate future. Despite his continued conviction that his actions yesterday were completely justified, he respected the delicate situation President Colombo was in, as well as acknowledgement of her tact in keeping her rebuke private rather than public. He also was sure to express quiet approval of Eiffelland's willingness to recognize Socialist Zara as the true representatives of the Zaran people, implying he would make efforts to cooperate more closely with their intentions. Such was the nature of international diplomacy at its core.
Meanwhile, Minister Morales activated his microphone to respond. "San José expresses its severe misgivings over the current refusal, or perhaps charitably the present inability, of this body to come to a consensus regarding which successor entities shall be recognized as legitimate and which shall not from the ashes of the Pannonian region, especially given the clear differences between the openly democratic entities of Confederate Bourdignie and Socialist Zara versus the Tarusan vassal kingdoms of Csgenia and Pojazerna, as such a refusal projects inconsistency and internal division. These are weaknesses that agents of the Global Exploitation Conspiracy are eager to exploit in their quest to spread their vile oppression throughout Europe, and we must lodge a formal warning that such inconsistency must be resolved sooner rather than later. Nonetheless, out of respect towards both Dr. Schmelzer and President Colombo, we shall refrain from commenting any further on this for the immediate future in a collaborative effort to keep the discussion progressing. We do this, however, under official protest, and let such be noted for the record."
"In regards to the main topic for today's discussion at this Forum, San José supports the establishment of a strictly defensive alliance arising from this body, and agrees with President Colombo's wishes that this treaty of international military defense be simple, straightforward, and focused in its purpose. Namely, the containment of any and all aggression originating from or aligned with Tarusa, an entity that over the past few months has clearly established itself as dangerous, imperialistic, and rarely if ever receptive to diplomatic reasoning and restraint. The breaking news that it is the Tarusan Navy who was responsible for the barbaric attack on the merchant ship Oyleric and the subsequent detainment of its surviving crew over undoubtedly trumped up suspicions and charges should be reason enough to recognize that no other entity, state or non-state, is as grave a threat as is the Tsardom of Tarusa, at least none that requires such a Forum to be organized."
Minister Morales paused to look squarely and coldly at Foreign Secretary Dubois. "Make no mistake Señora Dubois, that concern over insulting the Tsar should be the very least of our concerns, as the Tsar insults all of us daily through his direction of aggression towards our peoples, our economies, and our very way of life. To dilute the scope and capabilities of this alliance leaves us vulnerable to a clear and present danger, and we in San José do not understand how certain powers do not recognize the gravity of the situation as clearly as the Remi Republic, Eiffellander Kingdom, or Ostmarker Republic among others gathered here. Even the Grand Archipelagic Republic of San José, so far removed geographically from the front lines of this battle against the forces of absolutism and corruption, recognizes this fact, which is why we are gathered here yesterday and today. At least, that was our understanding. Perhaps Guienny has a different understanding as to why we are here."
He then refocused his gaze to the group as a whole. "Regardless, again in the interest of not derailing progress, San José is open to modifying the vocabulary of such a pact so that its goals remain focused but not tunnel-visioned. For instance, regarding membership, we propose modifying Dr. Schmelzer's proposal in a way that, while its primary purpose is a strictly defensive military pact to all interested parties present in this Forum, it shall have a secondary purpose of guaranteeing and protecting the current territorial and political integrity of Bourdignie, Bécs-Altstadt, and Zara from all powers and entities who are not members of this pact. Such protection and guarantees can be extended Thalgau, should its referendum be completed on the 1st of October with no further undue interference and to the satisfaction of those assembled here, though that may require further discussion depending on the timing of the creation of this pact."
"Through this two-layered structure, San José believes that the pact shall have the flexibility of resisting all potential and hypothetical aggressive forces we have not foreseen instead of exclusively Tarusa, and committing firmly to the development and nurturing of democratic successor states to Pannonia, free from malicious interference by the forces of tyranny and exploitation. We hope that such a proposal meets the approval of all assembled here."
Minister Morales then switched his microphone off, and El Presidente continued to hold his tongue despite his visible, though mild, irritation. He was not happy with the idea of compromise, with the very idea of pragmatism trumping ideals, yet he now had a much clearer personal goal aside from the spreading of Josefino, and more specifically his, prestige. He now had a personal commitment to the protection of the spread of socialism to the Zaran people. He made a public pledge to not abandon Socialist Zara, and a private pledge to President Colombo to provide military assistance should Zaran independence be threatened once more, and those were promises President Constanza was going to keep.
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Given the tumultuous events that had transpired yesterday, it was perhaps surprising to most representatives that President José Constanza remained reserved, at least thus far, throughout the beginnings of Day Two of the Forum. After all, a man as egotistical and pompous as someone who enthusiastically carried the title El Presidente could easily be expected to thump his chest in triumph over the forces of corruption and agents of the Global Exploitation Conspiracy in Eugenia and the proclamation of a much friendlier and hopefully more responsive Socialist Republic of Zara. Yet, it was primarily because of the man sitting next to President Constanza, Foreign Minister Gabriel Morales, that the impulsive Josefino Head of State retained a polite silence.
Following a stern and mostly private rebuke by the Remi President Colombo, El Presidente had retired to his quarters to confer with his Foreign Minister about how to go forward. Unlike his boss, Minister Morales was level-headed, calculating and strategic, and he recognized that the situation was delicate at best, on a knife's edge at worst. Many of the more conservative nations present would have been willing to tolerate a bumbling, ineffective Congress of Eugenia, likely so they could manipulate the entity to their own selfish ends. But thanks to President Constanza, the situation had been complicated and a much more proactive, less compliant Socialist Zara had been born through El Presidente's demagoguery and impulsiveness, and though this was a striking victory against the Global Exploitation Conspiracy, the gains needed to be consolidated. This was where Minister Morales came in, as he always did, to put a more professional and diplomatic face to San José. It was subsequently agreed that, to reacquire some good graces of Remion and to prevent further exacerbation of a fragile situation, President Constanza would refrain once more from most public speaking and would instead leave it to his Minister to protect the progress made thus far. After all, El Presidente already achieved his victory in a trademark fashion, his immediate desires were satiated for the time being and he could resign himself to sipping coffee, observing the proceedings.
Nonetheless, he could not help but nod in obvious approval to President Colombo's accusation of hypocrisy towards Foreign Secretary Amélia Dubois regarding her refusal to recognize the Socialist Republic of Zara. The delegation of San José's distrust of Guienny's intentions at this Forum was growing with every hour that passed. Their lack of commitment to opposing Tarusan aggression was increasingly troubling, and this latest declaration to not acknowledge real progress in the region for democracy seemed to be a personal insult to President Constanza. Nonetheless, he held his tongue, sending a knowing look to President Colombo to reassure her no further trouble would come from him for the immediate future. Despite his continued conviction that his actions yesterday were completely justified, he respected the delicate situation President Colombo was in, as well as acknowledgement of her tact in keeping her rebuke private rather than public. He also was sure to express quiet approval of Eiffelland's willingness to recognize Socialist Zara as the true representatives of the Zaran people, implying he would make efforts to cooperate more closely with their intentions. Such was the nature of international diplomacy at its core.
Meanwhile, Minister Morales activated his microphone to respond. "San José expresses its severe misgivings over the current refusal, or perhaps charitably the present inability, of this body to come to a consensus regarding which successor entities shall be recognized as legitimate and which shall not from the ashes of the Pannonian region, especially given the clear differences between the openly democratic entities of Confederate Bourdignie and Socialist Zara versus the Tarusan vassal kingdoms of Csgenia and Pojazerna, as such a refusal projects inconsistency and internal division. These are weaknesses that agents of the Global Exploitation Conspiracy are eager to exploit in their quest to spread their vile oppression throughout Europe, and we must lodge a formal warning that such inconsistency must be resolved sooner rather than later. Nonetheless, out of respect towards both Dr. Schmelzer and President Colombo, we shall refrain from commenting any further on this for the immediate future in a collaborative effort to keep the discussion progressing. We do this, however, under official protest, and let such be noted for the record."
"In regards to the main topic for today's discussion at this Forum, San José supports the establishment of a strictly defensive alliance arising from this body, and agrees with President Colombo's wishes that this treaty of international military defense be simple, straightforward, and focused in its purpose. Namely, the containment of any and all aggression originating from or aligned with Tarusa, an entity that over the past few months has clearly established itself as dangerous, imperialistic, and rarely if ever receptive to diplomatic reasoning and restraint. The breaking news that it is the Tarusan Navy who was responsible for the barbaric attack on the merchant ship Oyleric and the subsequent detainment of its surviving crew over undoubtedly trumped up suspicions and charges should be reason enough to recognize that no other entity, state or non-state, is as grave a threat as is the Tsardom of Tarusa, at least none that requires such a Forum to be organized."
Minister Morales paused to look squarely and coldly at Foreign Secretary Dubois. "Make no mistake Señora Dubois, that concern over insulting the Tsar should be the very least of our concerns, as the Tsar insults all of us daily through his direction of aggression towards our peoples, our economies, and our very way of life. To dilute the scope and capabilities of this alliance leaves us vulnerable to a clear and present danger, and we in San José do not understand how certain powers do not recognize the gravity of the situation as clearly as the Remi Republic, Eiffellander Kingdom, or Ostmarker Republic among others gathered here. Even the Grand Archipelagic Republic of San José, so far removed geographically from the front lines of this battle against the forces of absolutism and corruption, recognizes this fact, which is why we are gathered here yesterday and today. At least, that was our understanding. Perhaps Guienny has a different understanding as to why we are here."
He then refocused his gaze to the group as a whole. "Regardless, again in the interest of not derailing progress, San José is open to modifying the vocabulary of such a pact so that its goals remain focused but not tunnel-visioned. For instance, regarding membership, we propose modifying Dr. Schmelzer's proposal in a way that, while its primary purpose is a strictly defensive military pact to all interested parties present in this Forum, it shall have a secondary purpose of guaranteeing and protecting the current territorial and political integrity of Bourdignie, Bécs-Altstadt, and Zara from all powers and entities who are not members of this pact. Such protection and guarantees can be extended Thalgau, should its referendum be completed on the 1st of October with no further undue interference and to the satisfaction of those assembled here, though that may require further discussion depending on the timing of the creation of this pact."
"Through this two-layered structure, San José believes that the pact shall have the flexibility of resisting all potential and hypothetical aggressive forces we have not foreseen instead of exclusively Tarusa, and committing firmly to the development and nurturing of democratic successor states to Pannonia, free from malicious interference by the forces of tyranny and exploitation. We hope that such a proposal meets the approval of all assembled here."
Minister Morales then switched his microphone off, and El Presidente continued to hold his tongue despite his visible, though mild, irritation. He was not happy with the idea of compromise, with the very idea of pragmatism trumping ideals, yet he now had a much clearer personal goal aside from the spreading of Josefino, and more specifically his, prestige. He now had a personal commitment to the protection of the spread of socialism to the Zaran people. He made a public pledge to not abandon Socialist Zara, and a private pledge to President Colombo to provide military assistance should Zaran independence be threatened once more, and those were promises President Constanza was going to keep.