Flying from country to country (attn. Natalia)

[Rheinbund]

The fate of a Chancellor and a Minister of Foreign Affairs is that he or she has to make lots of trips. Especially when they are new in the job. Minister Leverkühn already travelled to Propontis on her second day as minister. A week after having been sworn in, Chancellor Roland Rheinfeld flew to Kampheuwel for discussions with the Lady Protector of Natalia. He knew that there was a lot to discuss with her, but he hoped that he could reach agreements with her.

 

[Ebria]

Casa Azul, Florida

President Sabina Iniesta was present at the Belvedere Airport together with Prime Minister Lucas Mtoto and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sebastian Savedra. They have received the Eiffellander delegation and have driven together with them to the Casa Azul, the government palace, while the aides have set up a suite in the 5 star Hotel Leon overseeing the Granite mountains, for the Eiffellanders to spend the night. Usually, from their suite, the ocean could be seen, far away, but the hot and humid Natalian weather didn't let that really happen.

After the Eiffellanders have rested in their hotel, they were invited to have dinner with the President and the Prime Minister at Casa Azul. They were served with cream soup made of potatoes and sweetcorn with the turmeric and nutmeg giving it a strong taste for a typical Gallo-Germanian taste, but very conventional for a Himyari and with sebiche, raw fish cured in lime juice, served with a saute made of mushrooms, onions, peppers, chilies and peanuts. The portions were made small enough so that everything could be eaten and still to not feel it as being too much. Beverage wise, on the table were two bottles of wine, a sweet white wine from Villa Clara, and a dry red one from the hills around Florida and a bottle of Pisto brandy.

"Mr. Rheinfeld, I first want to congratulate you in managing to form a government so quickly and avoiding a political crisis. I wish to welcome you in Natalia, in a more... unofficial and familial way, with this dinner," she said wanting to break the ice, as the Eiffellander politicians were seated with the Chancellor in front of her and the Minister of Foreign Affairs in front of PM Luke Mtoto.

 

[Rheinbund]

Casa Azul, Florida

Now it became clear what a disadvantage the old tradition to make the Minister of Foreign Affairs Vice-Chancellor as well had been. In those days, the Chancellor and the Minister of Foreign Affairs could never have travelled together, because then the replacer of the Chancellor was away as well. Now the Chancellor and the Minister of Foreign Affairs could represent the country together.

"Thank you Mrs. President, for the hospitality and the compliment," Chancellor Rheinfeld said. "Though I have to mention that the speed behind the formation of the new government was not only my merit. It was the wish of all coalition parties, as well as the governments of Retalia, Helgoland and Rügen, to finalise the negotiations as soon as possible, so that we can develop and conduct new policies as soon as possible."

The traditional kitchen of Eiffelland and German-Speaking Retalia used quite a lot spices, but different ones than the Natalian kitchen. Especially less sharp ones. But Retalia contained a large population of Tiburians, who shared their culture, and their kitchen, with Lars. Additional to that, the many Long Sea islands had quite some culinary influences from Pelasgia. During the last six decades, this had led to quite a lot of influence to and fro. As a result, Rheinfeld and Leverkühn were not completely unused to sharply spiced food. The dishes served by President Iniesta were new to them, and they enjoyed them very much. They only drank a glass of white wine with the fish though, because Gallogermanians didn't like the combination of red wine and fish. Furthermore, Eiffellandians were generally less alcoholtolerant than other Europeans, meaning that alcohol had a sooner impact on them than on other Europeans. Chancellor Roland Rheinfeld and Minister Julia Leverkühn wanted to remain clear, so they sticked to one glass of wine each.

 

[Ebria]

"The people of Eiffelland should be happy with such a generation of politicians. I do understand thee problems that arise from simply existing near imperialist nations, as you know, Natalia was an Aurarian colony, but after the republican revolution, both us and them consider ourselves as being sister republics," she said as she was eating the sebiche.

"You know that we have discussed before about Occitania and Justosian influence in it. Considering that Natalia has little to no influence in Gallo-Germania, especially in Occitania. Eiffelland should try to prop up its game in supporting Occitania to win back the influence lost by their alliance with Justosia. Serenierre has already set up a development plan for Eastern Occitania, I would recommend something similar coming from Eiffelland, for Western Occitania. Even if it was barely hit during the war and it might feel a bit like a bribe, I want to make sure that you understand the danger posed by the regime in Avalon and how important is for the Occitans too to see that their real friend is Trier, not some deep south reactionary semi-sociopathic regime," she said as a glass of wine was poured in front of her.

 

[Rheinbund]

"We are doing our best. That is the only thing we can do," Chancellor Rheinfeld said. "And indeed. Justosia. I really don't understand why King Carlos Francisco opened up his country from isolation; he seems to hate 90% of the world anyway. He really wasted a good chance for his country with his irrational and impulsive foreign politics. He is friendly towards Eiffelland-Retalia, but you don't need enemies any more with such kind of friends. We tried to influence him, but failed."

He took a sip of his glass of wine, while Minister Leverkühn continued talking.

"Our current policy towards Justosia is to prevent the relations from becoming bad; however, we strongly disagree with the foreign politics of that country. We certainly don't agree with Justosia's hostile behaviour towards Auraria, the Northern Cooperative Union, Pelasgia and your country. It is also a negative surprise to us that Eastern-Occitania aligned itself with Justosia. We already made our thoughts regarding Justosia clear to the government of Eastern-Occitania. Unfortunately, that did not lead to Occitania reconsidering its stance towards Justosia. It is also our idea to put a development plan in place for Eastern-Occitania in the hope to weaken that country's ties with Justosia, but there is another sensitive topic that pushes Occitania into the arms of Justosia. That topic is Brecosta. It is also our opinion that colonialism did more harm than good. Neither Eiffelland nor Retalia ever had colonies. However, we also see that Occitania is very attached to Brecosta. The more pressure is put on Occitania to give that island independence, the harsher Occitania will try to keep it. The country already lost two-thirds of its main territory; loosing Brecosta as well is too much to swallow at this moment. The fear to lose Brecosta as well is also a reason why Occitania aligned itself with Justosia," she said. She took a sip of water, while Chancellor Rheinfeld continued.

"I don't know your opinion on Brecosta. We do know that every attempt to weaken the ties between Occitania and Justosia will fail if Occitania fears the loss of Brecosta. If it is your goal that Brecosta becomes independent, we have to find a compromise that is palatable to everyone. And we have to prevent Brecosta from becoming a second Loago," he said.