A Visit To The Islands

[Anglyn]

Butuan City,
Butuan

Noah Singh Burns has been the been the Secretary for Eastern Ocean Region Relations for ten years. Having been actually born in Bombaim, Khalistan, his father being a executive with the Bombaim Trading Company and his mother a Khalistani that worked for the company, it was natural that joining the Foreign Office, he would gravitate towards the department that responsibility was the maintainance of relations with the Eastern Ocean Region. It is also, as Butuan is being look on as important to Mayaland foreign policy, he again was selected to lead a diplomatic and trade delegation to the island nation so as to strengthen the ties that were made well over a century and a half ago.

Having arrived in Butuan City and met with the Mayaland High Commissionor, Burns contacts the Butuan government to notify them of his arrival.

 

[Butuan]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Butuan City, Butuan.

Rajkumar Salamat Lakandula was glad he had changed his plans to fly to Ludenwych as he was notified Secretary Burns was in Butuan City and was wanting to meet. Though he had wanted to visit the capital of Mayaland, perhaps now it would be on pleasure rather than business. Salamat quickly replied to the message and made ready for a meeting with the Mayaland delegation.

 

[Anglyn]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Butuan City, Butuan.

Noah Burns arrived at the Butuan Foreign Ministry, along with his delegation, as scheduled. After exchanging the normal greeting, Burns quickly got down to business with the Foreign Minister.

"Prince Salamat, as you know, international affairs have been getting a little crazy as of late. The situation in Batavie has been getting hot enough to melt the ice in the Nordique Ocean, not to mention places like Ratomkira and Wazistan. It is times like this that His Majesty wishes to reaffirm ties and alliances with those nations friendly with Mayaland, especially those that Mayaland has enjoyed a long and prosperous relation with. His Majesty has sent me here to renew the commitment that has been the basis of relations between Mayaland and Butuan for a hundred and fifty years."

 

[Butuan]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Butuan City, Butuan

"There is nothing more we in Butuan wishes than to maintain the close and friendly relations we have with the Mayaland Kingdom, except to make that relationship even better. My father...I mean, the Rajah, does see the world as does your own King and that this is a time that friendships must be nurished and not taken for granted. It is therefore His Royal Highness' desire to see more trade between our countries and, due to international tensions, more cooperation between our militaries, which might even mean a greater Mayaland military presence in and around Butuan."

 

[Anglyn]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Butuan City, Butuan

Burns almost smiles at Prince Salamat, the man knows that Butuan is a key factor in Mayaland's defence strategy, as it has always has been, as it lays on the sea routes between the Mayaland west coast and the Kingdom's interests in Khalistan. Ever since the first time a Mayaland frigate dropped anchor in a Butuan harbour, the crown has had a military interest in the islands. Even in the Great War, the Implarian Fleet made its home between Bombaim and Butuan. Though it never had an interest in turning the islands into colonies, the Crown wanted it to be Mayaland that forever possessed the islander's hearts and minds.

"I assure you both trade and military cooperation is something Mayaland desires, and an increase in one would likely mean an increase in the other. With that being said, I would like to start out with the subject of a military matter, the renewal of leases and even the negotiation of new ones with the possible expansion of Mayaland's military committment here in Butuan."

 

[Butuan]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Butuan City, Butuan

"I am glad you are willing to commit more military resources to Butuan, but what my government would like is that the Mayaland government to transfer its naval operations to Subric on the west coast and away from Kabite in Maynilad Bay, returning Kabite back to Butuan. In exchange, your government may expand its naval facilities already at Subric to suit its puposes."

 

[Anglyn]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Butuan City, Butuan

"I blieve that such an arangement is acceptable providing that equipment at Kabite is purchased by the Butuan government and that the lease on Subric be renewed to the full duration. Additionally, the lease payments of Subric will not increase untill such time that operations there reach the same level as both Kabite and Subric combined do now, and that the payment then does not excede that which the combined payments of both bases do now."

 

[Butuan]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Butuan City, Butuan

Salamat thinks about the proposal for a moment. Though the communities around Maynilad Bay will loose the incomes that the Mayalnaders provide by their presence at Kabite, the increased commerce that the additional space will provide should compensate while the increase of Mayaland presence at Subric will be a boon to the economies there, and the government of Butuan will still receive the same amount of payment as it did with both bases. It should be a win-win for both Butuan and Mayaland.

"Yes. Mr. Burns. I think we can agree to that."

 

[Anglyn]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Butuan City, Butuan

Though Burns, and he suspected that the Royal Navy did also, would have perferred to have kept Kabite as well as expanded Subric, it may be for the best the way it has turned out.

"Shall we talk some about trade, now?"

 

[Butuan]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Butuan City, Butuan

"Yes. Lets. Though there has been Mayaland companies doing business here for a great deal of time, I am hoping that we can bring more of that business here, especially in tourism, but other fields as well. Though companies such as Conrad Hotels have established themselves here and Mayaland Airlines has regular routes to Butuan, we would like to make our islands more attractive to Mayaland tourist and will therefore offer tax incentives to Mayalanders who to invest in out tourism industry."

 

[Anglyn]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Butuan City, Butuan

"I am sure many Mayalanders would jump at the chance to invest in Butuan tourism, especially if there is tax breaks involved. I think even individuals would invest, such as those wishing to build an island vacation retreat here or even those that just want to start a small business that would cater to the Mayaland tourist."

 

[Butuan]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Butuan City, Butuan

The thought of Mayaland well-to-do building vacation homes is agreeable to Salamat, though they would be given some tax breaks to build in Butuan, the revenue could still be impressive.

"I can agree to that. I would also would like to try and entice Mayaland cruise companies to come to Butuan also. Cunard would be quite welcomed."

 

[Anglyn]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Butuan City, Butuan

"Though I can't speak for individual companies, I can say that if there is the prospect of profit to be had, I am sure Cunard would be happy to conduct business here in Butuan."

 

[Butuan]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Butuan City, Butuan

"Well then, I guess we will need to see to it that there will be profit."

 

[Butuan]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Butuan City, Butuan

"Mr. Burns, I hope you don't mind, but there is something additional I would like to ask you, it is a combination of business and defence. Butuan, as an island nation, is not needing large land, or particularly advanced weapons systems, but we are in need of systems that are simple to maintain with large amounts of spare part in stockpile. Mayaland has an advance military, but I am sure you also have, purhaps in storeage, older, but servicable equipment that Butauan could purchase at a substantial discount. In addition, would it be possible to build factories here in Butuan to produce additional parts, or even the ability to upgrade the equipment, for us as well as other nations that still operate that equipment. If this is possible, would there be any objection from His Majesty's Mayaland government?"

 

[Anglyn]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Butuan City, Butuan

"Older but servicable equipment. That can definately be arranged through the Defence Ministry. This is something the Defence Ministry along with Mayaland's arms manufacturers, is developing extended life program for what would be considered older, even obsolete, equipment, allowing such equipment to remain useful. It will also allow nations such as yours to use such equipment which includes that which you already possess, which is sufficiant for the job at hand instead of using more advanced weaponry that is far more expensive to replace and to maintain. Is that something you are thinking of?"

 

[Butuan]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Butuan City, Butuan

"It is exactly what I was thinking. Though we will of course still look to purchase more modern systems, the ability to use and maintain equipment our military has long used and is comfortable with is something that we do desire. If we are allowed by your government to set up such a program here in Butuan in partnership with Mayaland companies would be helpful to both our military and our economy."

 

[Anglyn]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Butuan City, Butuan

"I do think such a partnership could be arranged. Mayaland compnaies may even find it more cost effective to transfer much of the production to places like Butuan rather than continue in Mayaland allowing production of newer equipment to be expanded at the homeland factories."

 

[Butuan]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Butuan City, Butuan

"Then it is agreed, certain equipment that Butuan's military needs and is already equiped with will be produced here in Butuan, though it will be depending on the how negotiations turn out with the respective Mayaland companies."

 

[Anglyn]

"The respective companies will of course will have to be informed and deals will have to be made by them, but I don't see the Mayaland government will have any objection."