A Ministerial Reception

[Confederal Republics]

Ministry of External Affairs of the Republic of Anbat
15 Square of the Anbanite Revolution, Phezzan
Phezzan Governorate, Anbat

The headquarters of the Ministry of External Affairs stood at the eastern edge of the Square of the Anbanite Revolution, and behind security gates and an armored fence designed to protect the building from terrorist incidents consisted of a main building facing the square - the three-floor Old Ministry built in the late 19th century to combine traditional Anbatine architecture with Northern European Empire style - and a deeper section of two modern office buildings built in the 1960s for the purposes of housing a growing ministerial bureucracy. Today, the Old Ministry would house a meeting between Mikheil Khoury, the Minister of External Affairs, and representatives of the Belmonti government.

In recognition of the ongoing crisis involving Belmont and the notoriously unstable Meribian government as well as the ongoing security threats that Anbat itself faced, security in the vicinity of the Ministry had been propped up by the Phezzan Police and the Republican Police. The plane carrying the Belmonti delegates would land at the Phezzan International Airport, and a limousine motorcade would transport them to the Ministry where they would be received by Minister Khoury.

In the third floor of the Old Ministry, Mikheil Khoury stood in the balcony of his office, gazing at the Square of the Anbanite Revolution on the other side of the armored glass installed on the balcony, and smoked a Tortugan Greycliff cigar. A hookah and cigar connoisseur since he'd reached adulthood, Khoury always allowed himself a calming cigar before a meeting, leaving his aides to attend to their last-minute preparative duties alone. It also allowed him a moment to go through his plans for the meeting.

Before entering the Assembly of Deputies and being appointed to the Cabinet by President Zureiq, Khoury had worked in an import-export company that operated primarily in Khalistan, Dai Viet and elsewhere in the region, and as such he'd needed to read quite a lot before getting up to speed on the Belmonti government. After all, he wasn't a professional diplomat, rather someone from Zureiq had viewed as an otherwise competent and politically reliable Progress Party loyalist. Aside from the common and stated agenda of resisting Islamist movements and very sketchy ideas about increasing foreign trade, Khoury didn't quite know what was on the Belmonti agenda.

When an aide entered the balcony to notify him that the guests had arrived and were on their way up, he finished the cigarette and went inside to receive them.

 

[Serenierre]

Ministry of External Affairs of the Republic of Anbat
15 Square of the Anbanite Revolution, Phezzan
Phezzan Governorate, Anbat

Armand M. Cadec, one of the three Deputy Foreign Ministers of Belmont, looked at his watch. He would be just on time. He looked out of the window of the limo. Security was tight, it had to be, the second highest ranking person from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was in the city to meet the Minister of External Affairs, it was quite a high level meeting. Cadec looked out and saw the venue of the meeting, The Old Ministry Building. As the car stopped in the courtyard, Cadec stepped out of the car and was greeted by a officer. After shaking his hand firmly, Cadec briskly walked into the building, following the officer.

From the inside, the building looked quite charming. It had, somehow, managed to retain a little bit of old world charm and Cadec felt as if he had been transported back to the sixties. He stepped into the elevator and the officer pressed the third floor button. A few moments later, the two men exited the tiny elevator and the officer said "Sir, the Minister's office." he said pointing to the door right in front.

Cadec walked to the door, took a deep breath and turned the doorknob. He stepped into the chamber and saw the Minister of External Affairs, Mikheil Khoury, stood in the middle of the room. Cadec extended his hand and smiled, "Minister Khoury, pleasure to meet you. I am Armand M. Cadec, Deputy Foreign Minister."​

 

[Confederal Republics]

Minister Khoury was a rarity in the political elite of Phezzan since as a young man, his father had married a black woman, and as a result Khoury had the almost black, but still recognizably Arabic facial features common to those in Southern Anbat. Otherwise he looked like a typical privileged middle-aged, with a baldening, yet bearded face and a belly slightly but evidently visible underneath his Western-style pinstripe suit.

After one of his Republican Police bodyguards had showed in Deputy Foreign Minister Cadec, Khoury thanked the bodyguard and after exchanging a handshake with Cadec motioned the Belmontien man to sit down.

"The pleasure is mine, Deputy Minister", Khoury said in Arabic after sitting down on his leather chair, briefly turning to browse a memorandum his aide had prepared on Belmont, and a young woman who had followed Cadec in from the corridor promptly translated the sentence . As he did that, two other, younger men entered the room, and Khoury after briefly glaring in their direction introduced them. "These are Fouad Abdelsalib and Yaqub al-Ghassan, my special assistants for Security and Economic Policy respectively. They will be joining the meeting. First, I shall relay the regards of President Zureiq to your head of state and to the Belmonti people as a whole. Suffice to say, His Excellency has relayed a number of instructions and wishes for me for the purposes of meeting, though first I would like to hear what the Belmonti...hmm, agenda for this meeting is."

Khoury waited for his translator to relay the sentence to Cadec.

 

[Serenierre]

"Gentlemen," Cadec acknowledged the two aides. He took a seat and said, with a smile, "You make it sound so sinister," he chuckled. "But the Belmontien agenda, as you refer to it, is to simply improve our ties; economic, diplomatic and defense. The purpose of this meeting, good sir, is to set in motion a policy or, a set of policies, which allow our nations to move ahead and progress together." He looked down at his briefcase and, then, engaged Khoury's line of sight. "Minister, from where should we begin: Economy, diplomacy or defense?"

 

[Confederal Republics]

"Heh, if so, I apologize on behalf of my translator", Khoury replied to the slight, but visible chagrin of the female translator who was relaying his Arabic sentences into French and other way around.

"What you likely are aware of is that our foreign policy relies on staying clear of both the Oikawan and Levantine power blocks. We don't want to make enemies of either, of course. We trade with both, and work together on matters of common interest, but we don't want to get committed with either group and become involved with this semblance of a cold war that has been going on since the Great War", Khoury replied, waiting for the translator before continuing, "As such, we prefer to find our political partners among non-aligned governments, states such as Belmont among others."

"As a regional power maintaining stability and peace in our area is of major concern to us and to President Zureiq, especially as the shall we say uneasy relationship between Hajr and Kediri and Wazistan affects us as well. Though confrontation is not in our interest, it's no secret that the latter two are the primary challenges to our security, Kediri as a direct neighbor and Wazistan for its government's rather dubious domestic and international record, together with the recent missile tests. The first response of any civilized state must be through diplomacy, but President Zureiq and the Cabinet also feel that we must bolster our capabilities to anticipate and react to any potential unrest. Belmont has been a reliable supplier to the Republican Army and we're interested in continuing this relationship, along with a couple of other propositions, though before that I'd be interested in hearing how Paris views the Himyar situation."

 

[Serenierre]

Cadec nodded and looked at Khoury as his host spoke. He shifted in his seat and looked at the translator, who was sitting on his right, and smiled when she finished relaying Khoury's words. Cadec smiled. Maintaining positive ties with unaligned nations, such as Anbat, had been a very important aspect of Belmontien foreign policy for decades. Belmont, seeing the explosive nature of the alliance politics dominating the world, since the Great War, had been determined to stay away from the confines of an alliance.

Cadec looked down and thought what to say. "Monsieur Khoury," he began. "For each issue we have different opinions. As you might know, there is a meeting scheduled with officials from Hajr... next month, I believe. Hajr, we feel, can be worked with... but until that meeting, I would advise you to keep your security measures as they are. We shall inform you when the talks are held and some agreement is reached." Cadec looked at the Foreign Minister and leaned forward, just lightly, and continued, "For Kediri, we are firmly behind you... they, we feel, are the biggest supporters of Islamist terrorism and Belmont supports your stand against them." His mind raced to the dossier he had read on Wazistan and their recent missile test. He frowned, slightly, and continued "Wazistan is another matter and its tricky. They are members of the LFS, so whatever you do... do it very carefully and with great care. But our opinion on the missile test is that, a nation as unstable as Wazistan should not have such an arsenal."

"On the whole, the Himyari situation... in our opinion, is still developing but we are monitoring the various nations very carefully and we plan on supporting Anbat and any other allies in the region... that is our doctrine." he leaned back. "Now Mr. Minister, what of these propositions you talk about?"

 

[Confederal Republics]

"Historically Hajr has not been as much of a concern to us as Kediri and the more remote Islamists of Wazistan have been, Deputy Minister", Khoury said in a calm, contemplative tone, "I'm certainly not a supporter of what can be considered to be a 14th century system, but the Sultanate is almost preferable to the rampant Islamism in certain other countries, though only a lesser evil."

Khoury considered himself to be a pragmaticist in that if a system could guarantee itself stable conditions and a semblance of civility to its citizens, it justified itself. Though ultimately such a system did not exist on Earth, and each had its flaws, democracy was simply not a feasible system below a certain level of cultural, economic and social advancement.

He supported President Zureiq and the National Progress Party because he believed that they could lead the country into such a situation where what Phezzan today did in Aziz and Subay and elsewhere against its worst, harshest opponents would no longer be needed, and despite religious and other differences could recognize that in comparison to Kediri and Wazistan, two nations where populism and clerical agitation had led to practical theocracy, Hajr was a lesser evil. Fundamentalist still, but at least not of the overtly militant kind.

Khoury, after a brief exchange of Arabic with Fouad Abdelsalib, his Security aide, continued, "This spread of missile technology could threaten our security unless we can develop additional countermeasures. I mentioned earlier the functional relationship between the Anbati Republican Army and Belmonti defense industry, and President Zureiq is interested in hearing what it could do to help us close this gap. Naturally, we'd repay the companies involved to the fullest, and this would improve the relations between our two states. Aside from that, Dawud Zureiq and General Bashar Zureiq, the head of our Intelligence Ministry, have both authorized me to offer co-operation of sorts between our Ministry of Intelligence and National Security and your equivalent agency when it comes to common threats. Intelligence-sharing and similar initiatives, for example."

 

[Serenierre]

Cadec thought for a moment. He felt relieved that the Anbati's didn't consider the Hajri's a major concern. There was room to improve ties there, he thought. Cadec spoke firmly, "Good, but in times such as these... we must find friends even in the darkest corners of the Earth." Cadec leaned back in his seat as Khoury talked to his assistant.

Arabic was a highly passionate language, he observed. The various twists and turns in the pronunciations had always intrigued Cadec and he had a basic grasp of the language. He caught on to a word here and there, but the two men talked far too fast for the Frenchman to understand. He smiled at the translator and the other assistant, as the two discussed the proposal. As the woman translated what the Minister said to him, he looked at the man and thought what to say. "Minister Khoury, we are very much interested in an intelligence sharing agreement. I, myself, was charged with presenting a proposal such as that but it seems I have been beaten to it." he said, smiling.

"On another note, the Ministry of Defense has asked me to convey their intention of working with your armed forces to co-develop a tank and fighter. The project will use Anbati designs and our expertise and resources to develop the two systems for use by Anbat... and maybe by ourself as well. Premier Martinique has told me to tell you, Minister Khoury, that we are ready to give Anbat - a shining light in the darkness of Himyar - all it needs for its defense."

"Mr. Khoury, what are your thoughts?"

 

[Confederal Republics]

Khoury again momentarily turned to Abdelsalib, quietly exchanging a few Arabic phrases with him, as military affairs were not his specialization with the exception of what he'd learned during his conscript service in the Air Force many years ago. Probably if al-Khoraish, the Minister of Defense, had accompanied him, the Anbatis could have put up more of a performance.

However, the Minister of Defense and the clique of career officers surrounding him had their own political designs and interests, and like everyone else over at 15 Square of the Anbati Revolution Mikheil Khoury was vigilant to the point of paranoid when it came to turf conflicts between different sections of the Anbati government. Abdelsalib wasn't career military either. Rather, he was a former analyst of the Ministry of Intelligence and National Security whom Khoury had recruited to his staff seeing that historically External Affairs and Intelligence had shared a cordial relationship and therefore an Intelligence member would be someone whom he could likely count on. Abdelsalib hadn't let down Khoury's expectations.

He allowed the aide to speak for a moment, and Abdelsalib, younger and fitter but still endowed with the same Southern features as Khoury, obliged, "Deputy Minister, my superior cannot of course give guarantees without the consent of President Zureiq, but we can state that the acquisition of a new fighter aircraft is an important long-term project for the Air Force in the interests of replacement of the Belmonti IMH-15 and F-4 fighters in our use, along with the three Tornado variations in our air force."

"Of course", Khoury interrupted, "What I mentioned earlier concerns another matter. Currently the longest-ranged ballistic missile in service of the Republican Army, the Saif-B, reaches out to 400 kilometers. The Wazi government has tested a missile with range well beyond that, and though Wazistan is not a direct threat we worry about their missile program as well as the possibility that similar missiles would be fielded by Kediri among others, which would potentially allow them to attack Anbati targets beyond the range of our weapons of revenge. Naturally, President Zureiq is concerned and would gladly request the assistance of Belmonti defense industries in helping us overcome this, both by enhancing our capabilities of defense as well as our capabilities to respond in kind.."

 

[Serenierre]

Cadec looked at the assistant as he spoke to him. The Deputy Foreign Minister's face remained blank throughout the time he was being talked to. In his twenty year long career, he had learned never to betray his emotions through his face. "Well, as I said, we are looking to help and support Anbat in combatting the threat it faces from Islamist regimes and to increase its own defense forces." Cadec stopped for a glass of water, as he drank he thought of what to say next. He put the glass down carefully and began, "The issue of the aircraft is an easy one and the Belmontien arms industry and Anbati engineers, I am sure, can come up with something in the due course of time. But this second issue you raise, about missiles... now that is a tricky one. It takes much longer to design, test and subsequently induct missiles into your force... were we having this talk, say, ten years ago... I would have supported it but, now Anbat has the misfortune of being in one of the most tense areas on the earth... it would be unwise to be left with such a limited deterrent force for long. Seeing that, we, in Paris, propose the following."

"The immediate deployment of 121 the IRBM Leonidas... the range extending from 3,500 km to 5500 km and it can carry quite a heavy conventional and nuclear warhead and has the ability to MIRV. Were the Anbati government to agree to this, the Republican Army would be able to strike targets deep into enemy territory, if it asks Paris before doing so. It'll significantly bulk up the Anbati deterrent force and would ensure that Anbat could deliver a backbreaking response to any attack. But there is a price for this." he stopped talking, looked at Khoury and intensified his gaze. People always told him that his bluish-gray eyes had an unnerving feel to them and he made full use of his intense gaze in his negotiations. "For the maintenance and various other technological related issues with the missiles, we shall need a base... preferably one with a runway... or if Anbat has no base to offer... our engineers could make one for our use. For that, all we'll need is some land to be granted for the base, which of course shall be transferred to Anbat after the Belmontien involvement ends."

 

[Confederal Republics]

A barely audible, yet in every language understandable "Hmh" was the only response that Khoury gave, followed by a glance at both of his aides, perhaps for advice. Both of the Zureiq brothers as well as General al-Khoraish, the Minister of Defense, were justifiably worried about the likelihood of an emerging Himyari arms race and eager to improve the Anbati standing among regional powers, but would be careful about the presence of foreign troops on Anbati soil.

Minister Khoury wasn't an expert in military affairs, but well aware of the facts that he'd just relayed to Cadec, that the Republican Army and the Arsenal of the Ministry of Defense already had experience in missile technology. Zureiq wanted to develop and field offensive systems capable of reaching Kediri and on the long run Wazistan in order to provide a deterrent against either power, or to allow Anbati interests to be better presented in the region. The problem wasn't that Anbat couldn't build missiles. The problem was that on an immediate level Anbat needed long-range accuracy for its attack options, though keeping the nuclear option open was also on the list despite of no Anbati politician having ever said so.

Naturally, Phezzan had prepared to offer Belmont certain things in return for their assistance in addition to regular financial compensation, but to Khoury this begun to appear disconcerting. He decided to keep on the issue.

"You will have to be precise. Alas, an interesting proposal. However, would these be Belmonti army missiles or Anbati missiles?"

 

[Serenierre]

"Well technically speaking, the missiles shall remain Belmontien... since this is just a transfer. Belmontien Strategic Forces will retain the costs of maintenance and supplementary costs while the Republican Army shall immediately get a powerful long range missile force. But this is, of course, just a simple idea at the moment that needs the higher ups to meet* and discuss the details. I am here to just inform you of what we are thinking. Minister Khoury, I have also been asked by the NDI, our arms industry, whether the Republican Army needs any new equipment."

* - We can discuss this either by PM or IM. No need to waste time Rping another meeting.

 

[Confederal Republics]

"President Zureiq and the Anbati people do value the generosity of Paris", Khoury said with a careful nod and a polite tone, one that concealed his inner uncertainty about the meeting, "However, given the present state of the Anbati military the nature of assistance that we initially were interested in asking would be that Paris clears the involvement of Belmonti technological industries in developing systems that would allow accurate aiming of a longer-ranged missile system into its targets. Naturally, their services would be duly rewarded, and so would be the services of the Belmonti state in whatever other arrangements we may decide upon."

 

[Serenierre]

"I'm not saying that we will not assist Anbat develop its own indigenous missiles... that is something we will do... what I meant was that while the missile was being developed, Belmont could lend a hand and bulk up the strategic forces of Anbat... that will give Anbat a strike capability... even on Ijad.

Mr. Khoury, missiles are not made in weeks or months... they take years to be built from start to finish. It is our hope that during that time Anbat should have some missiles to act as its deterrent force, even if they are technically still ours." Cadec said, claerly the host wasn't understanding the benefits of the plan.

 

[Confederal Republics]

Khoury suppressed a latent urge to lash out at Cadec for his impoliteness and blatant lecturing, being sure that the Belmonti felt pressured by his superiors in Paris to deliver results suitable to their agenda during this meeting. Had he been an Anbati aide of his, Khoury would have put the man back to his rightful place.

However, this was the representative of a country which Khoury believed could be an useful partner for Anbati interests, at least as long as it was not allowed to exercise an undue influence over Anbati society and culture. General al-Khoraish, the fourth most influential man in Anbati politics agreed, at least as long as one did not mention Belmont's internal politics, and Anbat's political strongman President Dawud Zureiq recognized the opinions of both.

"I shall forward this to the Presidential Palace and to Minister of Defense al-Khoraish, though at least the deployment of any foreign personnel on Anbati soil is an issue that cannot be decided on immediately. On the issue of technological assistance to our missile program as well as other matters, Minister of Defense al-Khoraish will handle this in the future", Khoury said, then briefly paused. "Alas, I have been an impolite host for not offering you any refreshment. Would you indulge in a cigar or a drink, perhaps, as we continue?"

At least, Khoury needed a glass of arak.

 

[Serenierre]

Cadec took a cigar and started speaking. "Now that we have that out of the way. Lets talk business. How may we help Anbat?"

 

[Confederal Republics]

"I am curious. What we already discussed is not business to your view?", Khoury said, covering a sarcastic undertone beneath a playful smile as he took a sip from the glass of arak that the translator had given him in the meantime. By the very least, it seemed like an erratic comment, unless it was a cultural or linguistic misunderstanding on behalf of either of the diplomats or the translator. However, he brushed it aside, and continued.

Since Anbat had opened up to foreign investment during the Zureiq Reforms, Belmont had been one of the more significant trading partners of the country. And for good reasons too, given that it was in line with established Anbati foreign policy to seek such partners primarily among neutrals and to avoid being aligned with any of the power blocks. Mikheil Khoury noted to himself that it would have been easy to accuse him of hypocrisy given his past history in trading with the East Asian Economic Compact, but those had been his younger, less insightful years. Since then Khoury believed that he'd switched rampant profiteering to slightly more conscious, but still rational, choices even if he at times wondered if that was just a way for him to justify his present brand of self-interest at work.

"Belmont is a relatively important commercial partner to the Anbati state, and the political support of Paris is considered valuable to President Zureiq, who therefore wishes to give something in return to Belmont", Khoury explained while taking another sip of the arak. The traditional Near Himyari aniseed drink passed down to his throat like a sharp blow of wind, and the invigoration allowed him to continue, "Therefore, it is in our interests to further the commercial ties between our two nations. I take it that Paris is in agreeance in this regard?"

 

[Serenierre]

"Yes, very much so. We would like to see a free trade agreement in place with Anbat at the earliest."

 

[Confederal Republics]

Mikheil Khoury nodded, and emptied his arak glass with a celebratory smile on his face. An agreement that would not only increase Belmonti investment in Anbat but also allow Anbati companies increased operations in Belmont, especially when it came to exportation of Anbati natural gas. President Zureiq was a major owner in the All-Anbati Gas Group and the Anbati National Airlines, and would likely be pleased as a treaty could potentially mean an addition to his personal wealth in addition to that of the Anbati people's.

For Khoury, all that there was in this was the appreciation that he would attain from the President as well as those in the National Progressives' inner circle who were in support of closer relations with Belmont, not to mention the addition of prestige to his office and person. His personal economic assets were elsewhere, but nevertheless Khoury made a mental note to purchase a few stocks of companies in the Phezzan Stock Exchange doing business with Belmont before the agreement would be made public by the Anbati and Belmonti officials. While he was at it, he would probably take care to inform a few of his personal friends and acquintances as well.

"I will forward all of this to the President and the Cabinet of Ministers. I would kindly ask you not to release this to the public until my office forwards you a proposal of agreements as for the portions regarding intelligence sharing, the clearing on Paris's behalf on the involvement of Belmont's military industries in our missile program as well as the free trade agreement. The other things we discussed about will be passed on to the Ministry of Defense, General al-Khoraish will therefore be responsible."

 

[Serenierre]

"Yes, so Minister, is this the end of this meeting?"