La Croix de Lorraine

[Lorraine]

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MONTELIMAR/LUSITANIA TENSIONS EFFECT SOISSONS​

Soissons - As the relations between the Kingdom of Montelimar and the Lustanian Union continue to be tense concerning the increased security initiated by the Montelimarians along the shared border, the effect is being felt in Lorraine, especially in the County of Soissons. Due to Lorraine's long alliance with Montelimar as well as the fact that Soissons is geographically seperated from the rest of the kingdom, the government in Metz is concerned that any trouble that may occur between the Montelimar and Lusitania, may spill over into Soissons, and as such, the Prefect of Soissons has been instructed to institute measures to increase vigilance along the borders as well as maintaining civil tranquility. No additional forces have been ordered to Soissons at the time of this story.

ROYAL COURT TO RECEIVE PAPAL NUNTIUS
The Very Reverend Christovao Cedreiro appointed as the Papal representaive to Lorraine.
AMX-60 ADOPTED AS NEW MBT
The new AMX-60 MBT will start replacing the AMX-30B as Royal Army's frontline tank by end of year.
DASSAULT ANNOUNCES PRODUCTION TO START ON RAFALE
New fighter will enter service with air force.

 

[Lorraine]

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KING AND FIRST MINISTER IN PARIS
Meeting of francophone leaders convened.
FLU OUTBREAK IN PAPAL STATES
Several confirmed cases has Lorraine health agencies placed on alert
NAVY TAKES DELIVERY FROM VFS
Royal Navy to operate vessels constructed by Franken shipyards.
LORRAINE AND MONTELIMAR AEROSPACE COMPANIES IN TALKS
Aérospatiale proposed as name of possible new aviation consortium.

 

[Lorraine]

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-BUSINESS SECTION-​

ECONOMIC TROUBLES IN MARQUETTE MAY HAVE OPERTUNITIES FOR INVESTMENT​

METZ - Though word of Marquette debt and the fall of the Joliet on the international exchange, especially against the Lorrainian Franc, has scared some investors to look elsewhere, some investment firms in Lorraine have indicated their desire to take advantage of the situation and take the chance the Marquette government's recovery plans will be successful and invest in the hopes of substantial returns. As an indication of faith in the Marqette enonomy, a joint venture between the Banque de Lorraine and the Banque d'investissement de Champlain, a Marquette Venture Fund has been established for those investors willing to take the risk in Marquette.

Ministry of Finance Estimates 2.1% GDP 4th Quarter Growth
Though modest, gain shows a strengthening of Lorraine economy over third quarter.
Christmas Sales 1.6% Higher Than Last Year
Holiday Air Travel Up 3% Over Previous Year

 

[Lorraine]

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TERRORISM IN MARQETTE TIGHTEN SECURITY IN LORRAINE
AUVERGNE FEELING PRESSURE​

VICHY - The provincial government here in Vichy has found that Auvergne is no longer in a enviable position. The province is no longer situated between two properous, peaceful and friendly nations but instead is now caught between Marquette, a nation suffering from both economic woes and the violence of terrorism to the south and east, and Belmont, a nation reacting to that situation with drastic measures and closed borders to the north and west, and at the same time must rely on both to acquire the goods and services needed to survive and even to just have access to the rest of Lorraine.

Though Metz has declared that the borders of Lorraine will remain open with Marquette, security at those borders have been ordered tightened, this has caused the Prefect of Auvergne, Michel DeSalle, has requested that additional manpower be provided due to the fact that the police forces of Auvergne are not properly equiped to handle such a mission, as the province's borders have always had few restrictions on travel to and from its neighbors. In response, His Majesty, King Charles V, has ordered fifteen hundred gendarmes to reenforce the provincial forces. Though Lorraine, as well as other countries, mosty members of the EDF, have offered assitance, it appears unlikely that, at least for the near future, the situation in Marquette will get any better, and therefore neither will in get better in Auvergne.

 

[Serenierre]

Foreign Office

The Belmontien border with Lorraine's exclave is open and supplies shall continue to come from Belmont to Lorraine's exclave.

 

[Lorraine]

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:!:LORRAINE SENDS SUPPORT TO AQUITANIA
As soon as the report of the Freiheit attack on Aquatania reach Metz, the military high command was ordered to provide a plan to send support to Lorraine's beleaguered ally. His Majesty, King Charels V sees it "as the duty of Lorraine to aid our friends in whatever capacity we can as soon as we can." Though in what form that aid would be was not specified it would seem that for the moment it will be in the form of medical and logistics as a spokemen for the military explains.

"As Lorraine's airlift and sealift capabilities are limited, it has been determined that the best way to aid Aquatania is this war is in a purely support role"..."medical supplies and personnel along with other essential needs to aid in the defence [of Aquatania] are being loaded aboard ships and planes..."

It appears that, though Aquatania has many allies, that at least as far as Lorraine is concerned, it will have to rely more on it own combat resources and those of it closer, geographically, allies to defeat their old Great War enemy.

:!:GOVERNMENT DOES NOT RECOGNIZE JURZAN
Though HM government does not recognize the State of Jurzan, it also does not condoned the the intervention of any of the neighboring states. Asked if Lorraine supports the Secuity Council Resolution 13, a spokesman of the First Minister only said, "No comment!"

 

[Lorraine]

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:!:KING WILL ATTEND FUNERAL OF POPE
As Lorraine mourns over the passing of the beloved Holy Father, His Majesty, Charles V is traveling to Dominici to attend the funeral of His Holiness, Pope Marcus Clemens II.

:!:AID ARRIVES IN BORDEU
Ships carrying medical and other humanitarian personnel and supplies, has arrived in Bordeu, the capital of Aquitania. The supplies, though originally earmarked to aid Aquitanians suffering from the Freiheit invasion will likely also go to the Otchi and Freiheiter civilians that have also suffered.

:!:FULANISTAN MAY WITHDRAW FROM JURZAN
Though there has been no indication that the government of Fulanistan recognizes the Jurzan regime, the country's Supreme Court has declaed the intervention as unconstitutional and directing the nation's congress to withdraw its forces back home. President Shahadi hs aresigned over the matter.

:!:GOVERNMENT OF DANMARK CURTAILS UNIONS POWERS
In an effort to, as some liberals are saying, "muzzle trade unions", the government of Danmark has passed legislation designed to limit the ability of trade unions to strike. The new law now makes it illegal for union leaders to call a strike without vote by the union's rank and file.

BELMONT/VANGALA RELATIONS HEATED OVER N.RATOMKIRA ISSUE

 

[Lorraine]

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VIVIENT LONGTEMPS SA SAINTETÉ, STEPHANUS IV

A collective cheer went up around the world when the white smoke was seen telling all that a new Pope had been selected. Church bells rang and people prayed as all celebrated for the news of a new Supreme Pontiff and leader of the Catholic Church and the Papal States. Though all new there was a new Pope, none knew except those in the conclave knew who he was and a noticible hush and a sense of anticipation was felt as all waited for the first appearance of His Holiness and the revealing of who would lead all of the One True Faith. A great ovation went up as Alexander Renard of Aquitania, now Pope Stephanus IV, appeared on the balcony and once he gave his first blessing as Pope all knew it has been a great day for Christendom

 

[Lorraine]

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COMMERCE CONTROLLER-GENERAL ARRIVES IN AQUITANIA
BORDÉU, Aquitania - Nicolas Desmarets, Controller-General of Commerce arrived today in Bordéu to meet with Aquitania's Secretary of Agriculture. Though no official announcement has been made concerning the purpose of the meeting, anonomous source say that due to some questionable foreign policy decisions and some diplomatic faux pas by the government of Belmont, the government in Metz has started looking for new sources of essential agricultural products.

BELMONT'S CROWN PRINCE NEWEST TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST EDF
PARIS - The latest in the anti-EDF rhetoric coming out of Belmont has come from the Crown Prince himself. HRH Prince Nicolas, during a speech given at the Royal Military Academy at Bibentois, said that "involvement with the EDF had been a mistake and showed that Belmont stood to lose more rather than gain from the association" echoes that of the nationalist politicians in Paris. Though it is true that Belmontians attempted to push the EDF in certain directions that the organization was resistant to go, it should also be pointed out that Belmont was never forced to join and that by joining the EDF, Paris tried to reap the benefits of being in the EDF while avoiding any of the duties and responsibilities of full membership.

It is the opinion of many in Lorraine that it was actually the EDF that suffered in its association with Belmont and that the alliance is now better off now without the whining from Paris.

4 QUESTIONED IN TAX EVASION SCANDAL
METZ — Police officers investigating allegations of tax evasion and illegal political donations by the heiress to the L’Oréo cookie fortune, Liliane Barlingcourt, detained her financiaa manager, her former tax lawyer, a property manager and her close companion, a celebrity photographer, for questioning on Thursday.

The scandal has even touched the leadership of the PRL, (Parti pour la Républicanisation de Lorraine), after news emerged of tapes made secretly by Mme. Barlingcourt's former butler that suggested efforts to evade taxes, and after a former accountant for her said that envelopes of cash for the 2007 parliamentary campaign had been given to Éric Woden, the treasurer of the PRL.

Mr. Woden and lawyers for Mme. Barlingcourt have denied any wrongdoing. But Mr. Woden, at the urging of party chairman Henri Coleville, has said he will resign as party treasurer at the end of this month. Mr. Woden's wife, Florence, has quit her job as a financial adviser to Mme. Barlingcourt.
The four people detained Thursday were being questioned at the Metz office of the financial crimes unit and could be held for up to 48 hours before the police must decide whether to press charges. They are Mme. Barlingcourt's financial adviser, Robert de Mornay; her former tax lawyer, Fabrice Garand; the celebrity photographer François Barrock; and Carlos Vejarano, the manager of an Makai Island estate that the tapes suggest Mme. Barlingcourt owns as a tax dodge and gave to Mr. Barrock. The tapes also indicate that Mme. Barlingcourt approved moving more than $100 million into Danzig bank accounts to avoid Lorrainian taxes.

The complicated scandal began with a lawsuit by Mme. Barlingcourt's estranged daughter, Françoise Barlingcourt-Devrie, accusing Mr. Barrock of manipulating her mother, 87, into giving him gifts and annuities worth more than 1 billion. Mme. Barlingcourt-Devrie has asked a judge to declare her mother incompetent to manage her fortune, estimated at more than 20 billion, while Mme. Barlingcourt has criticized her daughter’s “vile doggedness” in a recent television interview.

At this point, the police have opened three investigations. Mme. Barlingcourt said that her records would be open for the police and that she had ordered an “independent audit.” The police have also searched the houses and offices of Mme. Barlingcourt, M. de Mornay and Mr. Barrock.

 

[Serenierre]

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October 1, 2010​

To say that the EDF is better off without Belmont is a great folly made by the Lorrainese press. But if the EDF and its members wish to think that they are better off now, they are free to do so. Of course, with the severely weakened economy of Marquette, the security of Franken, Wiese and the western members compromised and the political lethargy plaguing many capitals in the Francophone bloc, yes, it is surely the EDF that is better off without Belmont.

Furthermore, we are happy that the EDF attitude towards Belmont has come to light and the world can see how the Kingdom's concerns were treated. To say that while attempting to lodge complaints Paris was "whining", we ask how any decent person can say that lodging complaints against Marquen based terrorism which killed 212 people in Belmont in March 2010 is whining? When the embargo was placed upon us by the Talemantine Empire, not a single protest was issued by any EDF member, who technically were our allies at the moment.

In our association with the EDF we have learnt of its effect on memberstates, slowly, we see, each state lose its individual status as a sovereign nation and become more and more an instrument of Nürnberg. It is for this reason that Belmont can not associate with the alliance. We are a people proud of our nation and its heritage.

Thomas Vavasseur
Secretary of the Foreign Office,
The Kingdom of Belmont
​

OOC: While the opposition politicians are called Nationalistes, they are not actually nationalists, they are just called that because they are in the Coalition Nationale. Its just the conservative faction of Belmontien politics.

 

[Josepania]

Office of the Imperial Chancellor to His Imperial Tiburan Majesty

While the Holy Tiburan Empire regrets that the Kingdom of Belmont had to find out this truth the hard way, they at least now know that the European Defense Organization is not the paragon of virtuous alliances they claim, openly or subtly, to be. But rather than submit to their all-consuming will, the Belmontien have the courage to reject the tendrils of EDF scheming and apathy on the international stage, and for that, we applaud them.

Sincerely,
Giuseppe Emmanuel
Imperial Chancellor to His Imperial Tiburan Majesty

 

[Lorraine]

Secretariate of State for Foreign Affairs

Does the government of Belmont consider the words in a news article as the official policy of the government of Lorraine? Does the government of Belmont also consider a Metz newspaper the official media organ of the EDF? It is strange that the government of Belmont has constantly reminded the world that the Belmontian media is free to print what it deems newsworthy but it should not be considered a reflection of Belmontian government policies, it is just a shame that the government of Belmont cannot extend that same coutesy to other governments concerning their country's media.

As for Lorraine's official policy towards Belmont, HM government now has new things to consider.

Charles Colbert, Marquis de Croissy
Secrétaire d'Etat aux Affaires Etrangères

 

[Serenierre]

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October 1, 2010​

As for Lorraine's official policy towards Belmont, HM government now has new things to consider.

This line in the statement issued by my Lorrainese counterpart can be, if I'm not mistaken, be taken as a lightly veiled threat against the Kingdom of Belmont and its Realms. And since, at present, it is only my presumption that this is a veiled threat, I demand the Government of Lorraine to provide an appropriate answer which may clear the matter. I require that the response comes within 24 hours.

And to answer my counterpart's questions, in Belmont there is a vibrant and thriving media, many viewpoints are expressed and there are, counting television and radio news channels, newspapers and blogs and websites, over 1000 news outlets in Belmont. Lorraine on the other hand has just one major media outlet. It is perfectly acceptable to assume that the sole major media outlet in the country might also be government owned or at least purporting government views.

Truly,

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Jean-Jacques Villevan
The Minister of Foreign Affairs,
The Kingdom of Belmont.
​

 

[Lorraine]

Secretariate of State for Foreign Affairs

HM government will put in terms the Bolmontian Minister of Foreign Affairs can understand, that if the Kingdom of Lorraine wished to threaten the Kingdom of Belmont, it wouldn't be veiled. While the Belmontian Foreign Minister may presume that the policy statement was a veiled threat, the Minister's paranoid response and ultimatum can and will be considered an unveiled one.

As for Lorraine's official policy towards Belmont, HM government now has even newer things to consider.

Charles Colbert, Marquis de Croissy
Secrétaire d'Etat aux Affaires Etrangères

 

[Großlausitz]

Das Auswärtige Amt

Whereas the issue is a grave one for both sides, it is not prudent to descend to hurling insults at each other. The Belmontien paranoia is hardly justified It would best we reviewed issues in a calm way.

 

[Danmark]

Foreign Office

We urge both of our near neighbours to try to find common ground and to find a peaceful way out of this dispute.

 

[Serenierre]

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October 2, 2010​

Though the response to my original statement came within twenty minutes, the statement by my counterpart has not succeeded in clearing the implications of the first statement and have only made matters worse. And yet again, the Lorrainese government has chosen to not answer properly.

The imperative lies now with the Government of Belmont to decide what must be done about bilateral relations between The Kingdom of Belmont and the Kingdom of Lorraine.

Truly,

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Jean-Jacques Villevan
The Minister of Foreign Affairs,
The Kingdom of Belmont.
​

 

[Rheinbund]

Aussenministerium
Trier, Eiffelland

Too much caution can turn your fear into a self-fulfilling prophecy. We are very worried about the current dispute between the government of Belmont and the government of our ally Lorraine. Also we urge both sides to find a peaceful way to get out of this dispute.

Rudolph Kögler, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Vice-Chancellor

 

[Lorraine]

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BELMONT FOREIGN OFFICE DOES 180 CONCERNING GALLIA POLICY​

METZ - As the relations between the Kingdom of Belmont and the rest of Gallia headed for what some predicted to be a meltdown, the Belmontian Foreign Office has once again been shaken-up. With the resignation of Villevan and the appointment of Alexandre Renaudière as Foreign Minister, it seems that Premier Martinique's is attempting to a turn around Belmont's policies, at least those concerning its Gallian neighbors. Though still trying to lay the blame of much the troubles on the media and the EDF for the knee-jerk reaction of the Villevan Foreign Office, it will be a wait and see on whether the latest Foreign Minister can repair the damage done by his predecessor.

POPE OFFERS OLIVE BRANCH TO OLTREMARE

JURZAN LEAVES SEEDTO

BURGESIAN GOVERNMENT CLAIMS MINE DISASTER A HOAX

 

[Serenierre]

Foreign Office

We would like to correct the Lorrainese publication. No 180 degree turn has taken place. We still would like a solid answer to the original request placed by FM Villevan.