Nouvelles des Serenierre

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Guerre de Sept Jours || The History of the War
The first article in the series examines the background to the outbreak of hostilities

HELENE DE AURIGNAC || REPORT

As the anniversary of the war approaches, this series of articles shall delve into the conflict by exploring the context within which hostilities arose, the war itself, and the wider regional dimension of the aftermath of this historical conflict.

The gentle waters of the Retalian Sea, calm though they may be, are responsible for the war which changed the face of Gallo-Germanian maps.

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. The fact that Serenierre, ever since the Marxist-Sérazinist revolution of 1927, had a history of strained relations with its monarchist neighbours only added to the complexity to the issue. The 2017 claims pursued by Retalia created a situation wherein the already narrow body of water was deprived of any international waters and a small patch of maritime claims existed which were claimed by both Serenierre and Retalia. This was especially problematic for the Tiburan fishing community in Ardeche, which grew to be an emotive symbol of the dispute in Serenierre.

Soon thereafter,

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, which further escalated the situation, seeing how problematic the maritime situation already had become in the Retalian Sea.

As could be expected, the Serenien Government mounted a diplomatic campaign to get the Retalians to reorient their policy in a manner which would. In the context of this high drama, emerged the Kingdom of Occitania. The Cathar Kingdom arrived to the scene of international politics and Villesen was quick to seek a Gallian approach to countering the claims of the Government of Altburg. The diplomatic negotiations with the royal government led to

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which established opposition to the Retalian maritime claims as a major regional issue.

The diplomatic pressure led to the

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in January, where the heads of government from Villesen, Altburg, and - controversially for the time - Trier met in an attempt to resolve the dangerous tensions which the maritime dispute had led to. Following prolonged discussions and various maps being presented, the talks broke down in an impasse, after the Retalia refused to budge. The issue continued to linger in news reporting, with the Serenien Government spokesman

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" and looked to the Eiffellander Government to "

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"

The issue continued to linger on, with frequent reports in the Serenien news media of fishermen being held back from going further into the Retalian Sea. The general atmosphere of mistrust led to wild rumours and conspiracies being spread online, such as the wrong belief on part of Serenien fishermen that the Retalian Coast Guard was holding back Serenien fishing vessels. Given the incensed passions of the Ardeche fishing community, the rumours stuck. Several publications in Serenierre published such claims which were often the source of diplomatic tit for tats between the Governments of Retalia and Serenierre.

Ultimately, the situation came to a head, when quite out of the blue, in the summer of 2018,

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- the Eiffellander led alliance which existed as a direct competitor to the Serenien position on the maritime disputes in the Retalian Sea. According to sources in the Government, the reaction in Villesen to this announcement had been of utmost shock and administrative paralysis. After the Treaty of Good Neighborliness signed earlier in the year, Villesen had come to rely that its southern flank would remain free of any animosity. While hindsight is 20-20, at that point, the threat of Bourgogne loomed large to the North and the combined Eiffello-Retalian-Pelasgian alliance to the south would have fundamentally crippled Serenien defensive standing.

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and

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(June 26 to July 1, 2018) with increasingly hostile statements flying out of all capitals in the wider Gallo-Germanian region. Allies of the Trier Concord,

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s, questioned the wisdom in Occitanian membership. Even the usually compliant Retalian Government was rumoured to have

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with Trier's lack of foresight.

The seriousness of the issue continued when the

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, which were also

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. In turn, the

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all investments from the city of Ardeche, which sent the

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.

By this point, all seemed lost, as, within days, a rapid and massive invasion of the Kingdom of Occitania followed as panic had gripped Serenierre of a prospect of Eiffellander troops at it its border.

While the invasion itself will be covered by the second article in this series, one of the great mysteries from the chaos of the Seven Days War is the way in which the Serenien, Kadikistani, and Xinhese militaries were able to declare hostilities on various parts of the old Bourgogne-Trier circle of alliances and commence military operations within hours of one another. This is a great mystery, one which has ultimately yielded no answers. While rumours have existed for years that Serenierre was a secret member of the Kadikistani alliance. There are equally strong rumours that it is not. The realm of intra-Marxist diplomacy remains painfully opaque especially during the period before the Kadikistani civil disturbances. However, sources are uniform in saying that after the Seven Days War, Villesen and Ivar have almost broken ties over ideological differences.

The other great mystery is why two great allies of the Eiffellander state refrained from stepping in as fully as was expected. Bourgogne, despite engaging fully with Kadikistan over Trivodnia, only to return in a shambolic state, did not declare war on Serenierre. And the Empire of Pelasgia seemed to have forgotten it was a member of the Trier Concordat in the first place.

However, in my study of the matter, I have focused on the Burgundian decision not to pursue war with Serenierre to be more curious. And yet, after much research, the answer, which seems to be the official stance as well, according to my interviews, remains that the mutual defense treaties between Eiffelland and the former united Bourgogne were not activated since the Serenien declaration of war on Occitania specifically did not mention Eiffelland or Retalia as a target of the hostilities. After speaking with experts in international law at the Universities of Monserans and Villesen, it seems that the Serenien declaration of war was drafted in a legalistic manner designed to avoid triggering the web of treaties that defined Gallian diplomacy - something which was missing from the Ruriksgrad Pact's own declarations of war, which categorically declared war on Eiffelland.

But in revisiting the events of the period leading up to the war, it is pointedly the case that at no point did the Martinique Government elect to diplomatically resolve the matter after its rejection of terms referenced by the former Eiffellander chancellor on

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. The clashes of personality at the highest level and the high stakes involved seemed to be a self fulfilling prophecy towards war. On analyzing the reportage from the time, the impression that seems to come across is that the Villesen Government had decided fairly early on to push forward on an aggressive footing. Although, it cannot be said that if it was serious in its march to war or that it was a slippery slope of bellicosity from which Villesen was unable to turn back.

Some commentators, myself included, have viewed the entire war as avoidable since much of the paranoia in the Trier Concordat related to the rumours of Serenien membership of the Kadikistani led Ruriksgrad Pact. While, many have lauded the leadership of Premier Martinique, the inability of her government to assuage those concerns ultimately, can be said to have been responsible for creating many of the misunderstandings which led to the war. In turn, a fair degree of blameworthiness also lies at the doorstep of the Trier Concordat, which attempted to over extend its hand and seek an alliance with Occitania, by disregarding the wider geopolitical balance in the region.

However, the murky actions of several actors in the story in the lead up to the war are all mysteries that perhaps will be better explained by historians in the future and are well beyond the reach of this humble journalist.

Other news:
Ardeche youth, 17, runs away from home to elope with Friulian girl, parents in distress
Summer fruit harvests start arriving in cities across the Peninsula
Tiburan and Burgundian minority communities announce displeasure with Prior of Ardeche Cathedral
Three officials from Defense Commissariat in kick back scandal, rumors persist of scapegoating

OOC: For anyone who wants to read more, the entire scope of this roleplay was covered during the posts dated December 10, 2017 to July 1, 2018. There are a number of OOC threads and IC posts scattered around in various threads but I tried to get a fair assortment.

 

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[/div]Guerre de Sept Jours || Operation Zephyr
The second article explores the first days of the war

HELENE DE AURIGNAC || REPORT

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, the peace of Gallia was shattered as the Military of Serenierre initiated Operation Zephyr, the code name for the invasion of the Kingdom of Occitania.

The offensive commenced with a rapid strike of hundreds of cruise and anti-radiation missiles at key strategic targets across the northern and central regions of the Kingdom of Occitania, striking military installations and civilian infrastructure such as the vital bridges which covered the Aceni and Galoas Rivers, cutting the logistical system of the country into three. Subsequently, the Southern Air Command of the Serenien Air Force took to the skies and soon thereafter the 65,000 men of the IV Corps entered the Occitanian Duchy of Espidiz and Marsilia. The IX Corps and Revolutionary Guards would join the battle in their wake as reserve components.

In the days before the war, Occitanian propaganda suggested that the entire two million strong army was mobilized. However, as the Serenien military entered the battlefield, it was confronted by poorly equipped defensive measures and hasty lines of defense being dug almost as the Serenien advance overtook them. Knowing that the heavier mobilizations of the Occitan Militar would need to be deployed north, the Serenien missile strikes had made the advance for the Occitanians difficult. The Occitanian decision to evacuate the northern city of Espidiz further complicated the Occitanian deployment efforts.

The Battle of Espidiz was the first proper armed encounter between the forces of the two countries, as the garrison of the city was well supplied and supported by the long range artillery of the island citadel of Marsilia. Recognizing the prospects of a long siege slowing down the assault, a small detachment of the IV Corps was stationed to encircle the city.

The desperation of the defenders was a key ingredient to the excesses of the war. Within the first few days of the war,

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. With several Serenien soldiers reporting being fired at by some children as young as 13 by the time the campaign had reached the city of Viasinde. Moving onward, the Battle of Viasinde commenced with a massive incendiary bomb strike which is said to have turned the night sky orange. The controversial action on part of Major Henri Claude was the first major source of international condemnation against the Serenien military's campaign.

When confronted, Major Henri Claude maintains that he was only forced into ordering strategic level bombing campaigns over the city due to "the Occitanian military's disregard for the very notion of what constitutes a civilian". Requests for subsequent interviews with Major Claude have gone unanswered and this publication was served with a legal notice from him due to the potentially defamatory nature of the line of enquiry.

Following the initial blow to the Occitanian military, Eiffellander and Retalian fighters started making the long journey from their bases further afield. However, just as the war intensified, the

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its operations for the vital first phase, leaving the Eiffellander military to bear the brunt of the responsibility on its own. And while the issue was fixed fairly quickly, the militaries of the Trier Concordat were plagued with logistical issues owing to the distances involved and the generally haphazard nature of mobilization. As I stated in my first article, until the last, it is thought the Trier Concordat seemed to believe that Serenierre would not cross the threshold into open conflict.

Within the next few days, as aerial skirmishes continued, the Occitanian counter-offensive was begun in the plains between two rivers - the Aceni and the Samart. The Serenien military reports coming across Occitan Militar armoured brigades which were insignificant in the face of an overwhelming armoured assault. The combined armoured units of the IV and IX Corps were well in excess of the entire armored corps of the Occitan Militar.

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, while a pincer would emerge from the northern flank of the front and close off the rear of Occitanian positions.

In the face of overwhelming force, the majority of the Occitan Militar found itself encircled. It was at this point that several Occitanian units escaped into the Barimagne Mountains (where they continue to remain, embedded in the fortifications and fighting as insurgents). The critical Battle of Orgeaux River led by Maj. General Delacourt's armoured and mechanised units sealed the fate of the Occitanian military's conventional fighting ability. The Battle of the Orgeux River saw one of the largest confrontation of Occitanian troops and Serenien helicopter gunships and armoured components. In a bloody and brutal fight, the 12, 19, and 20 Mech. Infantry Brigades of the Serenien military captured the key objectives.

It is worth noting that the second controversy involving the Serenien military took place during the Occitanian counter-offensive. The Military of Serenierre utilized chemical agents in offensively against enemy positions. While there is no evidence that civilians were targeted, international objections and concerns have continued unabated at the lack of concern displayed by some officers, even if the targets were military specific.

Subsequent to this success, the hitherto defending units which faced the Occitanian Flonice, Lions, and Pejo Corps commenced their assault and proceeded to hem the three corps into the gap between the Aceni and Samart river. With routes to retreat closed, these three corps either surrendered or saw their personnel desert ranks and head for the mountains, where arguably the Serenien military left the defense infrastructure more or less untouched.

Given the scale of the defeat, in many respects the collapse of the Flonice, Lions, and Pejo Corps and the Battle of the Orgeaux River effectively ended the Kingdom of Occitania's control over the western half of peninsula. However, the war continued.

At the same time, as the Trier Concordat faced continued delays in deployment and the Occitan Kingdom continued to lose territory, a new phase in the hostilities opened up. The Serenien cyber warfare ability

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as Directorate 77 attacked the communications and internet infrastructure of the Trier Concordat.

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The redirection of funds, which opened a domestic investigation into the accounts of the Communist Party leadership, proved to be essentially catastrophic for international markets as stock markets were spooked by the extension of the war to the banking system of a non-participant.

As the Serenien response to the counter-offensive continued, it fired a large salvo of ballistic missiles with high explosive warheads into the Occitanian capital of Marsilia. At this stage, the Government of the Natal called on all parties to suspend hostilities and to discuss a resolution to matter at Camp Hill.

In these circumstances, the Occitanian, Eiffellander, Retalian, and Serenien delegations arrived in the Natalian capital city deep in the heart of Himyar. With the brutal intensity of the war already clear and the futility of a continued Occitanian defense before them, the Trier Concordat proceeded to approve a Natalian suggestion for a partition of Occitania. It is believed that Serenierre, itself, was certain that should the combined Eiffello-Retalian ground forces have arrived on Gallia, it would have been difficult to maintain momentum. So, in a hurry, all parties were quick to end the hostilities and resolve the matter.

When looking at the conduct of the war, there seems to be a vicious nature on display from the Serenien military. It is true that until recently, Serenierre faced a situation where it was hemmed in by regional rivals on all sides. A situation which created a mentality of failure not being an option. And that was on full display. The Trier Concordat, in turn, was plagued by strategic and tactical errors which ended up serving the interests of the Serenien Military operation.

By and large, the operation as it continued also exposed a number of failings in the Serenien military's existing doctrines, which is said to have been a very important wake up call to many sleepy planners in the General Headquarters. The Eiffellander advantages in air to air missiles was a area of particular concern. Since the end of the war, the Military of Serenierre has been working to rectify many of its own failings and to modernize itself in light of the lessons learnt in the heat of battle.

But fundamentally, the source of international objection to the Serenien conduct of war is what is the most interesting aspect for me, having now researched the matter rather extensively for this piece.

I can identify four occasions which are justifiably controversial. First, the carpet bombing of Viasinde with incendiary bombs; second, the VX nerve agent attacks in the course of the Serenien maneuvers against the Occitanian counter-offensive; third, the ballistic missile raid into Marsilia; and fourth the use of mustard gas in the last stages of the Battle of Espidiz to clean out entrenched positions. In my view, there is also a dynamic of religious discrimination which took place in some circumstances, especially the Battle of Viasinde, with a number of soldiers claiming that Major Henri Claude was engaged in religiously motivated hate speech - a claim which the Major has vociferously denied in the legal notice sent to this publication's chief editor.

Another curious unwoven thread, another mystery of the war, so to say, are the Eiffellander claims of the Serenien leadership possessing foreign accounts. In an age where a major kickbacks scandal erupted recently against the Defense Commissar (who ultimately was found innocent of any wrongdoing), perhaps civil society in Serenierre should take these claims seriously and call on the Commissariat to investigate these claims as well.

Other news:
Some Communist Party members protest outside Peninsular Report offices in Ardeche
Archbishop of Villesen in Lions with senior Friulian clerics, meditations and mass on St. Bernard continues as Pilgrimage reaches conclusion
Serenien banks to provide 18 billion livres to West Occitania, opinions in Serenierre vary
Gallian leaders meet in Friuli to discuss a range of regional issues, Premier Martinique in attendance.

OOC: I'd be much obliged if no one posts in my news while these series are being posted. I want the articles to follow one another in sequence.Also, some of the details have been added to give narrative coherence since much of the war ended up being resolved via OOC consensus.

 

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[/div]Guerre de Sept Jours || The Peace of Camp Hill
The third article reviews the immediate post-war situation on the Occitanian Peninsula

HELENE DE AURIGNAC || REPORT

After a week of intense bloodshed, Gallia stood quiet. Silent in the face of the brutality and carnage of war the ancient continent had seen for the first time in decades. And yet, as the guns fell cold and the last of the dead were buried, the daunting scale of the peace stood before the victors and losers, alike.

TREATY OF CAMP HILL​

The Treaty of Camp Hill is a historical document which fundamentally changed the Gallian status quo. The Treaty was signed by the Governments of the Kingdom of Occitania, the Kingdom of Eiffelland, the Grand Duchy of Retalia, and the République Séraziniste de Sereniérre, with the Federation of the Natal signing as the Depository.

The scheme envisaged by the Treaty established the partition of the Occitanian Peninsula with the five western duchies being ceded by the Kingdom of Occitania to the newly established Protectorate of Occitania under the suzerainty of the Serenien. The Treaty also established a 25km demilitarised zone at the new border between the two Occitanian states. The high contracting parties agreed that the Protectorate of Occitania was a sovereign territory and diplomatic recognition was established between it and the parties to the Treaty. The Kingdom of Occitania, after centuries of being ruled from the island citadel of Marsilia, also found itself lose the old royal stronghold, which was declared an international city, outside the jurisdiction of either of the two Occitanian states.

The Treaty, however, was specifically clear that both sides would not close off the new borders until the civilian population had not been settled after the displacements caused by the war, with the option available for Occitanian civilians to move to whichever side of the country they so desired before the end of the year.

SCOPE OF DESTRUCTION​

In the northern cities of Espidiz and Viasinde, where the Serenien campaign was the most aggressive, the state of affairs was dire. The two sides had destroyed the urban environment. In Espidiz which had been evacuated en masses by the Occitanian authorities, the Serenien infantry brigades were confronted with embedded soldiers which required a street by street urban warfare campaign which had left most buildings riddled with the damage of artillery bombardment and intense gunfights. According to Mme. Sophie Menard, who was a war correspondent for the Villesen Report, “There was nothing left in much of Espidiz which could qualify as a city. Mounds and mounds of rubble and craters.”

In Viasinde, which had endured the controversial firebombing, witnessed two battles: first the Serenien capture of the city and then second, the Occitanian counter-offensive. Arguably, the second Battle of Viasinde was far more brutal than the first, as the Occitan Army’s Pertu Corps was on full offensive footing in an effort to reclaim an important city at the mouth of the Aceni River. The state of fighting in both the northern cities was such that even hospitals and other vital civilian infrastructure found itself caught in between the warring forces. The city hospital in Viasinde was damaged severely in the uncontrollable fires after the incendiary bomb raid and the city’s historic Aceni High Bridge - the main link between the north and the rest of the city was destroyed by Serenien cruise missiles. The bridge had been a triumph of the Kingdom of Occitania’s modernisation drive and was a symbol of the country’s progress.

Further afield, the city of Almezde, Pertu and Callozza witnessed a number of missile strikes in the opening stages of the war, however the damage here was confined to military installations and the key transport and logistical hubs present throughout the cities. Important bridges and rail links over the River Galoas found themselves under heavy and sustained attack which continued to be the case until the end of the war so as to weaken the Occitan Militar’s logistics and support units’ ability to fight.

While the southern cities of Lions, Megadeia, and Calongo went by unscathed by the Serenien military’s operations. Although, it is rumoured that the Serenien military was in the final stages of launching an aerial assault on the island of Megadeia at the time the Treaty of Camp Hill was signed, which is why of the three southern cities, the island did receive some attention from Serenien aerial sorties. The island’s port was partially incapacitated.

PLIGHT OF THE INTERNALLY DISPLACED​

During the initial stages of the war, the Occitan Militar evacuated large numbers of civilians from the north and moved them to the central region of the country. These civilians found themselves displaced within their own country, finding refuge in hurriedly established refugee camps in cities such as Pertu and Almezde. As the war started to move further south, more civilians from even other cities started fleeing to the southern cities of Callozza and Calongo, where similar camps were established.

It is estimated by the time the Treaty was signed, easily well over a million internally displaced Occitanians were living in these settlements. According to reports published by the Serenien Red Cross Foundation, another two million or so civilians were scattered across the length of the war ravaged north, unable to find safe passage to the camps further south due to the destroyed highways and bridges. In independent reports published by various international NGOs, it was reported that the war damaged cities of Viasinde and the smaller cities in the immediate vicinity thereof were still home to a desperate number of people who were in a state of shock after the scale of the battles and eking out a miserable existence in the ruins of their homes.

The Treaty of Camp Hill, in Article 37, states that neither side of the Occitan Peninsula would close its frontier to the movement of civilian populations or hinder the transfer of prisoners of war from one side to the other. The announcement led to a massive southerly movement of the civilian population, which expected the newly imposed Serenien Protectorate to be a Catholic plot to convert and oppress the country. According to the Kingdom of Occitania, the population of the territories that now formed the Protectorate was around 25 million, however immediately following the war, a unverifiable number of West Occitanian civilians migrated to the Kingdom. The inability of the remnants of the Occitanian bureaucracy to monitor these movements remains a considerable problem, as the true scale of the outward movement from West Occitania has not truly been measured, even as the one year anniversary approaches of the conflict.

COLLAPSE OF THE OCCITANIAN ECONOMY​

For much of its history, the Kingdom of Occitania had stuck to the old ways of doing many things, the economy being one such area. While the Occitan Government had invested heavily in its military equipment, the economic framework within which it operated remained glued in the context of baronial rights, aristocratic privileges, and fief domains which saw ancient dynasties control vast tracts of lands. It is not for nothing that the major administrative divisions in the pre-war Kingdom of Occitania were duchies. So prevalent was this system that even the Occitan Militar was organised on the basis of these duchies.

Given the relative power of each of the dukes, each such duchy operated with a certain focus. The western duchies of Espdiz, Viasinde, Megadeia, Sagola, and Lions forming the agricultural heartland of the country. While the eastern duchies of Flonice and Pejo were home to the largest cities of the country and the industrial hubs. The impact of the war and the rapid changes to the demographic structure of the country saw serious upsets for the Occitanian economy.

In the west, where the fields were still served by the vassals of the great lords, large tracts of fertile land was abandoned, with the summer harvest disturbed due to the war. In several areas of the duchies of Espidiz and Viasinde, there were reports of hundreds upon hundreds of acres of fields having gone unharvested due to the mass evacuations. In a system so reliant on human labour, the evacuations and the emigration played havoc with food supplies across the two Occitanias. In the East, with food supplies already shaky, at best, the influx of the refugees was a critical concern.

Only the timely intervention of the Serenien military in the West and the Eiffellander Government in the east was an outright famine avoided. The food packets and rations that were distributed were often the only source of nutrition available to the destitute and the homeless living in refugee camps on either side of the new frontier. In the cities which had gone by unaffected by the fighting, the economic difficulties were felt as well. The old currency of the Kingdom of Occitania was rendered unusable in the west, as confidence eroded, and the interchangeability of liquid currency suddenly thrown into a grey area, as the Treaty of Camp Hill did not address this point. So, almost as soon as Serenien military units entered the major urban settlements after the Treaty was signed and the Protectorate established, a curfew was enacted across the territory to prevent the panic and concern from spreading any further than it already had.

DESPERATE CHANGE OF GUARD​

The fear of a Catholic conversion had shaken the peasantry. However, the nobles and aristocrats of the old feudal dynasties had been shaken to their core by the very notion of a Communist take over of the western half of the country. In a hurry, the old dukes and the powerful barons tied their belongings to their cars and made a run for it. As out of the seven Occitan duchies, five would be transferred to the Protectorate, the five dukes were the first to move away, the cannier ones having already done so at the very outset of tensions in June. However, the smaller titleholders and the less powerful nobles found themselves just as trapped by the logistical nightmares left in the wake of the peace. It is believed that nearly one-third of the noble class remained in Western Occitania at the end of the war.

The very day the Treaty of Camp Hill was signed, the Serenien legislature, the Commissariat of People's Deputies announced that it would establish a basic law for the functioning of the Protectorate of Occitania and provide radical transformations for the rights of the citizens. Until the enactment of the Basic Law, the Commissariat declared unilaterally that a military administration would continue over the territories ceded to the Protectorate by the Kingdom of Occitania.

Eventually, when the Basic Law was enacted in late 2018, the nobility found itself dealt a critical blow. While the Commissariat of People's Deputies allowed the institution of nobility to remain for the sake of continuity, the law instituted vast land reforms which saw feudal ancestral holdings reduced by 2/3 and distributed among the remaining peasantry which still tilled the land. The remainder of the lands were retained by the newly established Central Secretariat.

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These distant cousins, for whom the reduced feudal holdings were still far more than what they had before, were more than willing to assume the mantel.

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. The Serenien military administration

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.

THE EASTERN KINGDOM​

Before concluding, it would also be pertinent to examine the state of affairs in the now bifurcated Kingdom of Occitania, which retained control of the eastern half of the peninsula.

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and in his stead, the Government was taken over by the Duke of Flonice who orchestrated a coup and assumed control of the government and

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. He adopted the royal princesses and princes and subsequently managed to get the Duke of Pejo to swear fealty to him.

Given the fact that only two of the duchies had managed to hold control of their lands, even though the five landless dukes had successfully managed to migrate to East Occitania, they found themselves equally bound to prop the new regime.

GEOPOLITICAL ANALYSIS​

In examining the Treaty negotiations, it is clear to see that the scope of the entire agreement was to resolve a dangerous situation in a manner which was suitable to the great powers of Gallia and Germania, with Occitania along for the ride. It is quite interesting to note that the peace which was instituted by the Treaty of Camp Hill failed to address the very cause of the war: the Retalian Sea. Furthermore, the division of Occitania, short of providing an outright victory to Serenierre, served only to create another tinderbox in the region, after the Eiffellander Government decided to deploy 150,000 personnel in the now much humbled Kingdom of Occitania. In a sense, rather than simplify the situation, the Gallian scenario was complicated further still by the Natalian foray into international diplomacy.

However, even then, the scale of Serenierre's victory cannot be discounted either. Almost singlehandedly, Villesen managed to dance circles around the Trier Concordat, which eventually found itself disbanding due to the withdrawal of the Empire of Pelasgia, which quite critically, failed to step in on Eiffelland's side. Not only that, following the defeat in the war, the Grand Duchy of Retalia collapsed under the pressure of political chaos and following a referendum merged with the Kingdom of Eiffelland, thus formalizing the personal union of the crowns in a political union.

In the days since the war, not only did the southern flank of Serenierre's traditional enemies collapse, but the north, too, in a rather unpredictable manner came undone. The Grand Duchy of Bourgogne, defeated in the Germanian war against Kadikistan, was dealt a blow by the death of its Grand Duke in an accident. The crown passed to the foreign Kings of Elben and after a quick but ultimately peaceful period of political chaos, the Burgundian state came undone. The Tripartition of Bourgogne saw the Neustrian nobles and the leftist republicans break free and establish seperate nations out of the control of Chagny. Obviously, Serenierre was quick to recognize these new states and without even firing a single bullet, the great northern enemy stood defeated. It is without doubt that Serenierre now stands as the premier Gallian power - attracting with it all the potential threats that go along with that status.

However, the uneasiness of the situation with the Retalian Sea continued and only after another sudden burst of animosity between Eiffelland and Serenierre in 2019 was an agreement not signed which established the Retalian Sea covenant, whereby all the former claims of the Grand Duchy of Retalia, which were found to be excessive, were rescinded, and the Retalian Sea was by and large declared a body of international water, as had been the Serenien desire in the innocent days of the Summit in Losena. In exchange for such a concession, Premier Martinique offered a non-aggression pact to the Kingdom of Eiffelland-Retalia, which was duly signed and accepted by both countries.

The fourth and final article will focus on the reconstruction efforts and rehabilitation of West Occitania.

Other news:
Senior Communist Party leaders commend the rescission of Justosian sanctions against West Occitania
Serenien Journalists Guild backs Sophie Menard's defamation claims against Eiffellander foreign minister
President Hortefeux hosts all ambassadors at Chateau de Ferrière for garden party
West Occitania invites foreign NGOs to visit the protectorate

OOC: I'd be much obliged if no one posts in my news while these series are being posted. I want the articles to follow one another in sequence.Also, some of the details have been added to give narrative coherence since much of the war ended up being resolved via OOC consensus.

 

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[/div]Guerre de Sept Jours || Pax Serenia
The final article examines the Protectorate of Occitania under Serenien suzerainty

HELENE DE AURIGNAC || REPORT

Under the Treaty of Camp Hill, the Protectorate of Occitania was established and by the order of the Serenien legislature, the constitutional framework for the governance of the territory. Following the establishment of the Central Secretariat, the business of rebuilding the western half of the country truly commenced.

As was explored in the previous article, after the war, West Occitania stood in a devastated condition. The population was dependent on rations given by the Serenien military and the entire pace of life having been brought to a standstill due to a curfew. However, the Serenien Government realised the immediate need to get normalcy to return. One of the first things that the Martinique Government in Villesen did after the war was to pursue a policy of funding urban reconstruction projects by building large apartment blocks and new housing sectors as the old ruins were cleared out. Large infrastructural projects, quite controversially in some cases, were granted to Serenien construction firms, such as Orliac & Bonheur to rebuild the critical bridges and motorways which had been destroyed by the Serenien military campaign.

Ultimately, to hasten the speed of the reconstruction, a team of several thousand workers were imported from Ostmark to assist in the more technical reconstruction requirements in the city of Pertu and Almezde, where power plants and harbours had to be reinstalled. The international focus of the Serenien government also saw some tenders being granted to some companies from Jyskerige-Ostveg, which were tasked with construction projects in the new capital of the Protectorate, Lions.

The Serenien urban reconstruction effort has also devoted considerable means to establish modern public housing to accommodate the changing demographics of the territory. It was a rather unfortunate byproduct of the war and of Occitanian history that the job market was unable to satisfy the sudden demand increase in a number of sectors, mostly for which the local Occitan population was either unsuited for or was not enough to fill all the spots. In many cases, even unskilled labourers have been hard to find, given the massive refugee movements and the decision of many able bodied men to migrate to the East. This necessitated the Central Secretariat to issue a directive for what is considered the most liberal immigration policy anywhere in the world. Despite facing international criticism, the Central Secretariat has held firm on inviting foreigners to West Occitania.

​

The peace, however, has brought with it a strange dynamic. The Catholic hardliners in Villesen announced that the Protectorate of Occitania falling with the control of Serenierre was a sign from God of the need to purify the land. The Archbishop of Villesen was the foremost in proclaiming such an effort, which eventually led to the tone deaf Pilgrimage of St. Bernard of Villemarne, despite the initial aggressive efforts of the Martinique Government to prevent it. As the pilgrimage crossed the entire length of western Occitania and was premised on a highly controversial crusader knight, it is not hard to believe that the actions of the Archbishop of Villesen curried no favours among the local population for the Serenien military governor or for the Serenien backed Central Secretariat.

However, the Central Secretariat has been successful in keeping the narrative away from the tense issue of religion by focusing on the economic efforts being undertaken by it. Recently it was announced that the West Occitanian government had succeeded in convincing a powerful cartel of Serenien banks to extend a 6 billion euromark (18.5 billion livres) loan facility, in addition to the 8.5 billion euromarks (25.5 billion livres) extended by the Government of Serenierre. The West Occitanian Government, to its credit, has wasted no time in finding economic opportunities.

It is to be noted that special narcotics facilities established under the supervision of Serenien bio-engineers from Monserans, have succeeded in acquiring the regulatory approval from the Aurarian Government to supply high quality narcotics for the hungry market in Auraria. It is estimated that the raw export of organic narcotics such as cannabis had already commenced while synthetic narcotics would follow by the winter. The West Occitanian Government is expected to earn a sizable cash inflow through these efforts, with the goal of making Almezde a hub for narcotic tourism and production.

And yet, the situation in West Occitania cannot be said to be resolved either. While government sources remain quiet on the issue, but it remains to be the case that large tracts of the mountainous hinterlands in the protectorate are lawless and under the control of the remnants of the Occitan Militar which hid away in the Barimagne mountain range. The insurgency, which is a concerning reality, remains a low level conflict with skirmishes reported every so often among Serenien troops and through the reports issued by the European Health League (the famous NGO from Natal) and the Serenien Red Cross Society. It is feared that if the Serenien military does not launch an aggressive counter-insurgency campaign soon, the insurgency would pose a serious threat for the existence of the Protectorate of Occitania, especially as criminal gangs and Cathar extremists join the ranks of the hitherto disorganized and demoralized Occitan troops.

It remains to be seen whether the Protectorate of Occitania will be able to stand on its own feet and quell the problems it faces. And further still, it remains to be seen whether the territory will prove to be a net asset for Serenierre or a perpetual drain and flashpoint with the Kingdom of Eiffelland.

Other news:
GALLIAN LEAGUE A STEP IN THE FUTURE FOR THE REGION
Government not averse to a rapprochement with Pelasgia
Economic priorities front and center for Politburo, says spokesman
Premier Martinique’s to depart from Neustria, headed next to the Two Kingdoms

OOC: The thread is now open for comments. Thank you for indulging me for the duration of this series.

 

[Serenierre]

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[/div]Martinique in Pohjaanmaa
Premier arrives for formal talks, amid Long Sea mysteries

CHRISTOPHE LAGARDE || Report

AS PREMIER Martinique continues her diplomatic tour, she is expected to arrive tomorrow in the Commonwealth of Pohjaanmaa for an official meeting with the leadership of the Post-delegationist state. Bilateral relations in recent times have been troubled on account of the suspicious role of Pohjaanmaan submarines in the Long Sea, as witnessed during the tensions earlier this year. The Premier is expected to raise the issue of the sinking of the MS Hyacinthe, as well as to broach the issue of international maritime traffic in general. The tone of official messages from Villesen has been polite, much to the chagrin of Solis.

Other news:
AeroNord set to ink 3 billion deal with Aurarian firm for new jets
Sophie Menard: "The Sikandari emperor seems rather jovial, yet thoroughly mad"
We are shocked by the scale of allegations in Sylvania, says Govt. spokesman
790 families allocated new homes in West Occitania

 

[Serenierre]

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[/div]Premier Martinique lands in Pelasgia
Premier arrives in the former Eiffellander ally in a historic move towards rapprochement

CHRISTOPHE LAGARDE || Report

The currently ongoing diplomatic tour of Premier Martinique has brought her to the Empire of Pelasgia, a long time adversary, in a quest to normalise relations following decades of bilateral issues on account of conflicting foreign policies. The Premier's spokesman has said that the Serenien Government recognized Pelasgia as the primary regional player in North Himyari and Long Sea politics and normalisation of bilateral ties was an essential need of the hour. It is expected that Premier Martinique will broach the issue of piracy in the Long Sea, as well as the threat from rogue non-state entities engaging in such acts with impunity as well.

The Serenien government spokesman in Villesen added that he hoped that there was an equal desire in Propontis to step beyond the misunderstandings of the past and to build a mutually beneficial future for the wider Long Sea region. Furthermore, he was of the view that a stronger level of cooperation at the governmental level between the two countries would help stabilize the market and ease fears following the grave spate of pirate attacks on mercantile and military vessels in the Long Sea earlier this year.

International news:
Foreign Minister said to be in discussions with Justosian counterpart, rumours in Villesen
Troubles in Bourgogne concern Villesen, Ambassador in Neustria put on high alert
Sikandari Govt. questions downfall of Snyder administration in Sylvania
Villesen applauds Camp Hill's zero tolerance policy on poaching

 

[Pelasgia]

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Secretariat of External Affairs​

ΑΣ 2245/2019 | Δημόσιον | Κανονικόν
Propontis, 27 May 2019

To whom it may concern,

The

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welcomes Premier Martinique with open arms and hopes that her stay in comfortable is as comfortable as the reception was warm. We look forward to a profound and productive dialogue on both bilateral and regional issues, putting our common issues behind us to focus on the good of our countries, and Europe as a whole.

Signed and sealed,

Emmanouīl L. Avgīros
Secretary of External Affairs
Throne Council of Pelasgia

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[Justosia]

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Government Imperio de Justosia
Foreign Ministry
Government Quarter, Avalon
​

May 28, 2019
By Crown Authority

It is the sincerest wish of myself, my ministry, & my sovereign H.I.M. Emperor Carlos Francisco II that these talks succeed. For the betterment of our nations & all Europe. God bless you. Viva Justosia.

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Fernando Torres
Foreign Minister

 

[Serenierre]

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[/div]Colder than the winters in Camp Hill
Premier Martinique receives chilly reception in the Natal

CHRISTOPHE LAGARDE || Report

Premier Elisabeth Martinique arrived today in the famous capital of the Federation of the Natal and was quickly whisked away to the Serenien embassy. Unlike the previous stops in her tour, where the Premier was welcomed by the senior leadership, the Natalian Government has not afforded her similar protocol. Later in the day, Premier Martinique and the Serenien delegation met with the State President, Adrianne Stone, in a private meeting to discuss issues of bilateral importance.

The Natalian president is a noted critic of Serenien foreign and military policy in the wake of the Seven Days War and her election to the presidency was premised on her opposition to the Serenien campaign in Occitania. Following the initial round of meetings, Premier Martinique elected to attend the lunch hosted by the Ambassador of Serenierre in Camp Hill, where the former State President of the Natal, Rufaro Mutasa, was also in attendance. Premier Martinique and the former President are said to be on friendly terms, with their relationship going back to the start of both their first terms in 2008.

During the course of the trip, Premier Martinique is expected to sign agreements for the import of mineral resources from the Natal to Serenierre. The Serenien Government will also be exploring the possibility of creating greater links between the Chambers of Commerce of Harton and Monserans.

In other news:
Military Governor of West Occ. says: "Counterinsurgency will require assistance from Friuli"
Justosian Emperor relinquishes claims to East Occitanian regency
SRN Air Force tests new BVRAAM for fighter jets
Aérien Ardeche announces competition for light regional aircraft for its fleet

 

[Serenierre]

Other news:
King of East Occitania accused of rape, as Eiffellander Government indicates support for rival claim
Serenien Civil Aviation authorities find Eiffellander jets still unsatisfactory in safety standards
Justosian Crown Princess establishes government in exile in desperate bid for throne of East Occitania
Neustrian military officials visit Serenien Army bases for training exercises, joint exercises in the pipeline, say sources

 

[Justosia]

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Government Imperio de Justosia
Foreign Ministry
Government Quarter, Avalon
​

June 5, 2019
By Crown Authority

It would be most helpful for the betterment of our bilateral relations & continued rapprochement if the Serenierren government would chide the rampant bias of its chief news agency. This we believe is why many have in the past called it a state run news agency.

Also its fact checking. HRM Mirèo de Marsilia-Francisco I has in fact just been officially recognized as the legitimate Queen of East Occitania by our government. We expect more to follow but will move ahead regardless. Furthermore, in the current eyes generale of Europe she's the Occitan Crown Princess first. She holds dual titles royale. One cannot be 'desperate' if they are beyond confident in the righteousness of their claim. God bless you. Viva Justosia.

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Fernando Torres
Foreign Minister

 

[Serenierre]

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Government Imperio de Justosia
Foreign Ministry
Government Quarter, Avalon
​

June 5, 2019
By Crown Authority

It would be most helpful for the betterment of our bilateral relations & continued rapprochement if the Serenierren government would chide the rampant bias of its chief news agency. This we believe is why many have in the past called it a state run news agency.

Also its fact checking. HRM Mirèo de Marsilia-Francisco I has in fact just been officially recognized as the legitimate Queen of East Occitania by our government. We expect more to follow but will move ahead regardless. Furthermore, in the current eyes generale of Europe she's the Occitan Crown Princess first. She holds dual titles royale. One cannot be 'desperate' if they are beyond confident in the righteousness of their claim. God bless you. Viva Justosia.

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Fernando Torres
Foreign Minister

Free Press Association of Serenierre
The ink from the overly obnoxious signature flooded the page. We have been unable to read the contents of the letter and we have decided to offer the Justosian government no formal response. If the Justosian Government wants a response, it should refrain from making such large and unseemly signatures in letters, which bleed through the entire page.

 

[Rheinbund]

Raimer und Rathenau Flugzeugwerke
Trier, Eiffelland-Retalia

We are puzzled by the decision of the Serenien Civil Aviation Authorities to still disprove our planes for safety reasons. The safety reasons are not specified; the only objection that is phrased is a concern about our switch from military to civilian production after the war, while that concern is not backed by any kind of auditing of our facilities and production processes. We invited the Serenien Civil Aviation Authorities to our facilities to conduct an audit, but nobody came. We have shown our willingness to cooperate with the Serenien Civil Aviation Authorities and correct any problem in our processes or products that they find, but the Serenien Civil Aviation Authorities are deaf to our willingness and remain silent. We are seriously asking ourselves whether the Serenien Civil Aviation Authorities' decision to still disprove our planes is based on technical or political reasons.

 

[Serenierre]

Other news:
Premier Martinique to international press: "Serenierre is silent, not asleep."
Kadikistani Ambassador invited to Annual Dinner by President Hortefeux, despite diplomatic tensions
Supreme Court of Serenierre rules in favour of shipping companies in landmark decision
Defense Commissar Bettancourt: "The Fortress stands, ready as ever, but maturity prevails in Villesen"

 

[Serenierre]

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[/div]Archbishop of Villesen holds mass for peace
Premier Martinique and Communist Party leadership in attendance

CHRISTOPHE LAGARDE || Report

The Archbishop of Villesen has held a mass at the ancient Cathedral in hopes for a Gallian peace. The senior leadership of the Communist Party has also attended the occasion and a minute long vigil was held for the victims of the Burgundian crisis. Premier Martinique urged all participants in the conflict to end the hostile actions in the interests of humanity and international peace. The Archbishop has pledged to donate a tithe of all Church of Serenierre donations to humanitarian organisations.

In other news:
West Occitania: Cathar insurgents engaged by Military, skirmishes continue
Premier Martinique calls new Pelasgian leadership, lauds the deposition of an ancient Empire
High Court of Villesen takes suo motu notice on the determination of rights of pretender claimants to former royal titles
Villesen calls on Holy Tiburan Empire to provide voice of conscience in Burgundian crisis

 

[Serenierre]

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[/div]Villesen issues 'decisive' policy for Gallia
Premier Martinique announces military is ready but shows mature restraint

CHRISTOPHE LAGARDE || Report

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Premier Martinique in the Commissariat[/div]Breaking the silence at long last, Premier Elisabeth Martinique convened a special session of the Commissariat of People's Deputies and announced that the Republique Seraziniste was increasingly alarmed at the situation in northern Gallia. The internationalisation of the breakdown of order in the former Grand Duchy of Bourgogne is without historical example and was unacceptable.

As she spoke, Premier Martinique informed the People's Deputies that the military of Serenierre had maintained the highest level of vigilance and preparedness since the commencement of hostilities and the breakdown of order in Burgundy and that policy would remain in place. Premier Martinique further announced that the Republique Seraziniste was committed to the freedom of the seas and would ensure that all maritime traffic passing through its territories was safe. She went on to confirm that the Government of Serenierre would be providing all humanitarian aid possible for civilian relief in Bourgogne.

The Premier further announced that at the suggestion of the Government of the Socialist World Republic, due to the occupation of Bourgogne's primary port, Serenierre would allow civilian maritime trade to continue through its ports so that Bourgogne may continue to receive food supplies and other products, such as medicines and other essential non-military items.

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Naval Flotilla 65 sets off for patrol[/div]With respect to the defensive preparedness of the country, Premier Martinique stated that Serenierre would maintain a strict maritime zone east of the 10th parallel which shall be patrolled by naval and aerial assets, designed to ensure maximum maritime security for trade in the region. The Republican Navy had announced in conjunction the further establishment of three flotillas to maintain the 10th parallel policy. Premier Martinique called on the Governments of Auraria and Pelasgia to support the 10th Parallel Policy.

The Premier specifically announced that at no point would the policy involve the imposition of a blockade nor a restriction of maritime traffic. As a clarification intended squarely for the Post-Delegationist behemoths of Touyou, it seems, Premier Martinique informed the Commissariat that the presence of the Serenien Navy off the immediate maritime region of the western coast was reasonable and well within the norms of international standards. The 10th Parallel Policy was squarely designed to ensure the wider safety of the Long Sea and civilian traffic along the most important trade channel in the world.

When questioned by People's Deputies later as to what extent the Serenien Government was willing to commit to the 10th Parallel Policy, Premier Martinique stated that no option was off the table but future actions would be dependent on the factual circumstances on a case by case basis. The lukewarm response certainly left a bitter taste in the mouths of some hardcore supporters of the so-called "Lioness of Gallia".

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Some of the mobile AA radars on the northern Frontier[/div]Closer to home, the Premier announced that the ravages of Engell war on the innocent civilians of Ouistreham and Pillau were not unknown and she stated that there was no justification for such conduct and the Commissariat of People's Deputies condemned the irrational incursion into Gallia by the Engell nations, which have struck Bourgogne at a weak juncture. However, Premier Martinique insisted that Serenierre would call on all parties to issue a ceasefire and negotiate a settlement to the conflict and ensure peace comes again. Meanwhile, Premier Martinique informed the Deputies that the early warning and the strategic defense systems of the country were on the highest level possible.

M. Alexandre Renaudiere, a noted pro-Kadikistan personality in the Party, asked the Premier why the country was not fully mobilized to face the threat. Premier Martinique responded forcefully that she, along with Commissar Bettancourt and the senior military leadership were well aware of the threats posed by the foreign forces in Gallia and that the Serenien military forces were well prepared to meet any eventuality lest its restraint be tested by any rogue forces.

Premier Martinique tabled a resolution in favour of the Kadikistani led peacekeeping initiative which was resoundingly supported by the People's Deputies. However, Premier Martinique issued a sharp critique of the Ivar Government's failure to invite the Government of Serenierre to Belgarsk and questioned the invitation extended to the Kingdom of Eiffello-Retalia.

"Did we not fight a war against that horrid nation, as brother states? What logic is there in this treatment of a true brother-state which has shown its friendship on the field of battle by the spilling of blood of its young men and women?" the Premier asked thunderously. It is believed that privately the Government in Villesen has communicated to Ivar and some conciliatory tones have been expressed. It remains unknown whether the 1956 Accord between the two countries continues to exist as neither country has publicly addressed the issue. Although, a considerable gap remains between the Ruriksgrad Pact and Villesen, which stand as two opposing forces of Marxist thought. Analysts opined that the attitude from Ivar might precipitate an ideological conflict with the Leninovist philosophy and might push Serenierre closer to the Socialist World Republic.

While supporters of Premier Martinique might suggest that the policy statement is decent, her opponents have been braying at the toothless response of the Government and widely have announced that Premier Martinique has lost the cause of Gallian leadership and despite talking tough it appears that Madame Martinique is finally discovering a more pacifist side to her personality - a characteristic most unusual in the architect of the conquest of Occitania.

In other news:
Commissar Lavosnier returns from Pelasgia after short working visit
President Hortefeux calls for contact with governments of Engell states to ensure channels of communication remain open
Monserans Chamber of Commerce concerned with trends in global economy, Defense stocks UP
Eiffellander/Polesnian trade war!

 

[Pelasgia]

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Federative Republic of Pelasgia
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Public Statement​

ΑΣ 4039/2019 | Unclassified | Normal
Propontis, 19 August 2019

To whom it may concern,

The Federative Republic of Pelasgia supports the initiative of our Gallian partners to ensure that the Burgundian War does not escalate further and that the vital shipping lanes off of West Gallia remain free from any military activity. We would be more than willing to aid our partners in enforcing their policy in the Sea of Andals, to keep the shipping and tradeways which are so crucial to our economic interests in the area open.

Pelasgia remains committed to the avoidance of further belligerent escalation in Gallia, the protection of the local status quo, and the maintenance of global freedom of navigation. These are all objectives towards which we are both willing and able to make practical contributions, and we intend to do so.

Signed and sealed,

Sophokles Dragonas
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Federative Republic of Pelasgia

 

[Oneida]

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2 Multames CC | 19 August 2019​

The Honorable Elisabeth Martinique
Premier of Serenierre
The Serazinist Republic of Serenierre
Villesen, Serenierre

Dear Premier Martinique,

The current situation in Bourgogne necessitates a strong and immediate response from both Serenierre and Auraria as the final two powers of the Gallian continent. Forces, from both west across the Thaumantic, and east beyond the Germanian continent are amassing at a level unprecedented in modern history. Despite the cultural differences which have drawn the borders between Auraria, Serenierre, Bourgogne, and the others - we must now come together in order to prevent the subjugation of the continent.

The invasion of the Engells into Bourgogne, the sheer scale of it, and the commitment of the Cussian Armed Forces to the complete and utter desolation of the proud nation, should very earnestly stand as a horrific and stunning disregard for the norms of civilization and the customs of true nation-states. The genocide of Burgundian culture, to be replaced with a puppet state that engineers a Thaumantic puppet state under the control of Welmonton and in particular the warmonger First Citizen Orton cannot be allowed to persist or grow. Such a policy transcends any and all past disagreements and differences as this is now the most overt and blatant threat to the continent and the tranquility of its people.

Therefore, Auraria will not only support the Serenien initiative to protect trade routes through to the 10th Parallel, it will not only commit its own naval assets to the cause, but it will extend the enforcement zone from Serenierre through the Aurarian west coast as well.

May we stand united in this, the most unprecedented of event and threat to the identity and security of the continent.

Signed,

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Manuel Sanabria[/div]

 

[Serenierre]

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[/div]Eiffellander economy under assault
Polesnian company shakes Eiffellander automobile industry

CHRISTOPHE LAGARDE || Report

The already struggling Eiffellander economy has come under renewed assault by the ingenious minds of the Polesnian automobile manufacturer FXM which have given aging and antiquated Eiffellander companies a run for their money. With market after market falling for the charm of the Polesnian vehicles, the Eiffellander government has been firm in its accusations that FXM is involved in the violation of its trade secrets and patents.

This comes as Serenierre continues its months long objections to Eiffellander commercial aircraft, deeming them to be not satisfactory to the safety standards established by the Civil Aviation Authority.

In other news:
Premier Martinique critiques President Donna Trumm for her irresponsible comments
National Police begin assisting asylum seekers enter Serenierre
High Court of Villesen issues reminders to King of Elben to appear on August 25
High quality counterfeits of Eiffellander currency rumoured to be spreading in the market

 

[Rheinbund]

Joint statement by the Eiffelloretalian automotive industries

Mr. Lagarde's article about the Eiffelloretalian automotive industries is not completely right. First of all, we are definitely not leaning back while Voksmashin is marketing its copies. Voksmashin is being barred from exporting to Eiffelland-Retalia, and we are prosecuting against Volksmashin in each and every country where it tries to start its activities. We have already won trials against Volksmashin in several countries, leading to a prohibition to Volksmashin to market its car models in said countries. Furthermore, Volksmashin did not get the plans for all the cars from Eiffelland-Retalia. No car from EKW is affected.

OOC: For the record: I only produced the DW Solano, DW Alisio and Raimer Pamir in

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. Therefore, I think that only the plans for those cars are in the hands of Volksmashin. Or am I overlooking something?