Sea of Fire Peace Conference

[Taley]

Vesci Palace
Talemaniki​

The Vesci Palace was one of the Palaces that made up the Great Palace of Talemaniki. It was built by the first De Vesci Emperor following his victory over the usurper Phocas and later, when all the imperial palaces were joined into one to form the Great Palace Complex. Now in the Beniamino Hall the chief-of-staff of the Secretary of State was overseeing the final preparations for the meeting that would resolve the war between Altai and the Talemantine Empire. The hall itself was grandiose with rose colored marble walls hosting small naves housing marble statues of the four first De Vesci monarchs and low hanging crystal chandeliers and a marble floor with an intricate pattern in the marble called the "flower of life." The hall was the first room one would walk into to enter the Vesci Palace.

A series of tables had been arranged in the hall to accommodate the various parties to partake in the events. The head table at the side of the room leading into the gardens would be where the representatives of the privy parties of Engellex, Talemantros, Altai, and the Salvationists would be placed. There were three other tables organized in a rectangle evenly spread out from the head table where the observing delegates would be seated. Each table had a microphone placed in front of each placing. Name plates that had been hand written by the calligraphy office were placed to indicate the assigned seating arrangements that had been agreed upon the warring parties. Glass pitchers of cool water and crystal glasses were placed on the tables for the use of the delegates. Everything had been meticulously prepared; the wireless internet was up and running and the smaller rooms off of the hall had been set up with phones to allow the delegates to communicate securely with their governments.

The schedule had been set for the next two to three days to allow the conference to allow each of the issues approximately a day for negotiation. They were prepared to extend the time period if the conference needed more time, but the them would follow the discussions to Zamosk then alliance membership and then any miscellaneous provisions to be debated, and then an official signing ceremony between Talemantine and Altaic leaders. Arrangements had been made at the Zaviatti Hotel for accommodations for the visiting delegates and all was set and ready for the delegates to arrive. They would be driven to the front gates of the palace complex and lead through the grand courtyard filled with plants and trees and crisscrossed with mosaic walkways and through the glass doors etched with the imperial emblem of Beniamino I into the hall. the Chief-of-Staff watched as the first delegates arrived.

 

[Potenza]

Franco Frattini, the Potenzan Minister of Foreign Affairs, arrived with a few aides, having come under the auspices of the Talemantine Empire to observe the procedures. The minister quietly observed the lush surroundings to which they had been brought. His aides, most of whom were younger, spoke to one another excitedly about the richness of the architecture and the beautiful trees and plants. One of them was an avid history buff and was commenting on the background of various practices. Frattini briefly turned to address them, saying, "Remember, we are here to observe, so while you may speak profusely out here, do not speak until spoken to in there." With that, he turned and continued on into the palace complex.

 

[Natal]

Mikhail Pavlichenko, Altaic Ministry of Foreign affairs and his delegation were the second to arrive at the Vesci Palace. It was the first time this century an Altaic delegation comes to negotiate peace here. But it was around the forth time in the history of the two nations. And for the first time, the Talemantines were demanding the peace terms. The independence war, was one by Altaians, around seven hundred years ago, two hundred years later the Talemantines invaded and again were defeated. But seventy years ago, the balance of power began favoring the Talemantines; a second invasion of Altai during Dan Shuvalov’s regime was ended in white peace, and now, they began to see the Christian Altaians in Zamosk as a different people from the rest of Altai. This was outrageous.

As he and the delegation entered the conference room and greeted the Talemantine Chief-of-staff and Franco Frattini, the Potenzan minister.

 

[Caelia]

Polkovnik-General Ryurik Yaroshenko had come at the head of a small delegation to represent the Peoples Republic at the peace conference. The Altai war had not been a priority issue for Kyiv, but if Talemantros could secure it's right flank then was a good opportunity. Then perhaps they would be free to focus on the matters of real importance.

Unsurprisingly he had been given detailed instructions on how to represent his country. He was not to overplay Kyiv's hand. Kyiv's presence at the Peace talks were to be an affirmation of it's new role as a power in Himyar and of it's ties to Talemantros. The SDC has no particular interest in Altai and no desire to fight there, and he should not imply Kyiv would become involved should the talks break down. He was however to affirm Kyiv supported Talemantros unconditionally in it's war aims and he was not to make any interjection on Altai's behalf, no matter what the Talemantines demanded. Kyiv did have one key interest in Altai though, but it was only to be addressed openly if raised by another.

He greeted his hosts graciously and the rest politely but briefly.

He noted the fine architecture but paid it little heed, he was still distracted ruminating over the SDC's decision to go public about the Sassari project.
The timing was not ideal in his opinion (not that anyone of note cared what the senior envoy to Himyar thought) and he knew he would have much work to do when he returned to the embassy in Talemaniki. He had no doubt the General Staff would want a brief about Carentania and the SDC was surely preparing to brief him with some "guidance" to keep him on message which he would have to redact, distill and regurgitate for his senior staff so they could do the same for his junior staff and so one and so forth. Thinking about it simple peace negotiations were almost beginning to seem like a vacation for him, ha!

 

[Taley]

Secretary of State Carmine Gavallo finally arrived with his other aids to the Vesci palace and met up with Aliko Simeonescu, who would be the lead delegate from the salvationists of Zamosk, in the courtyard.

"Welcome to Talemaniki Mr. Simeonescu. I hope that today we can finally get this war to end and a free Zamosk to stand tall in the world."

"Well Mr. Gavallo I hope to see the same ends for my people. We have fought to gain our independence and now I want to secure it."

"Then let us go inside and decide its fate."

The two walked through the doors and greeted the Potenzan and Altaic Foreign Ministers. After exchanging pleasantries with the foreign representatives Carmine spoke with his chief-of-staff that had set up the room for the event. Gavallo ensured him that he would be rewarded for his efforts.

 

[Clarenthia]

Aryan Sanai felt betrayed by his comrades in the Minister of Foreign Affairs. His very presence in the nation of which Jurzanis hate the most sent a very, very mixed message about the man. He had high hopes of becoming Minister of Foreign Affairs one day, but he truly believed those ambitions were shattered.

He wasn’t picked so much because he was savvy or good with words, he was picked because he was what the Ministry believed was the perfect representation of the country. He was instructed just how to represent the Jurzan as well, he laughed at his instructions. He was told by President Nadarejshvili and Minister Tohki that “we’re doubtful that we’ll have any actual impact on what is discussed at this meeting, but it’s clear what you must do. Make sure the Talemantines are aware that should these peace talks collapse, we will do what we can to supply Altai economically and militarily and imply that we haven’t ruled out military intervention. Above all else, the Talemantines will likely make their palace look fancy, make sure no one catches you inspecting or god forbid admiring it. Remind the Talemantines of their failure to defeat us not through your words but through your actions.”

Sanai entered the palace as a cheerful man, greeting the other diplomats. He walked up to the Talemantine Commander-in-Chief, shook his hand and just smiled, saying no words. He then walked up to Secretary of State Carmine Gavallo, shook his hand and said “It truly is pleasing that our nations met to discuss peace rather than on the battlefield with intent to kill. Perhaps meetings like these can become the norm.”

 

[Thaumantica]

Content with his seating and presence within the Vesci Palace, Foreign Continental Officer Bradley Sterling returned the greeting of Polkovnik-General Ryurik Yaroshenko, exhilarated by the prospect of a Kyivan presence on the Himyari Continent. The Great Oceanic Covenant valued its Talemantine allies above all contemporary presences on Himyar, especially in its ever-controversial and militarily inclined state. Cantigny had gradually become a proponent of the military-industrial complex, readily supplying the wartorn Solaris State and more recently the Talemantine Empire to any and all military conquests.

His dark grey uniform, complimented by subdued crimson lapels, was at least not out of context with Kyiv's own uniformed servicemen. Bradley Sterling was not a military man, however, in fact he had only been served by the silver spoon, with purely Engellexic heritage. The Covenant Foreign Office maintained its own uniform to imply a seriousness usually reserved only for the Military, which Sterling often exploited through stern looks and careful silence, which he of course employed now.

Beyond the contexts of greed, Bradley Sterling had been instructed to instill his Covenant's endorsement of the Talemantine Race and Eternal Monarchy. The Christian God had clearly blessed Talemantros' vitality and durability in haunting the dark skinned denizens of Himyar, and their White bleeding heart atheist compatriots. Altai was an enemy of circumstance for the Covenant, forced upon Cantigny after their inclusion and conspiracy with the Federation for European Defence against Great Engellex.

 

[Touzen]

Is a man not entitled to doing his job?

No, says the man in Nokanawa, you are doing our job.

That, at least, was how Ariake Kasai felt when he had received the notice that he would, once again, officially represent the Constitutional State in a matter of foreign policy. The Director of the Freedom Foundation, Touzen's think tank turned office for the export of the revolution, had seen a far share of the world before he had become the head of the world's most illustrious organization tasked with spreading the ideals of Touzen democracy across the globe in 2003. Nevertheless, he had never been a diplomat himself. But as an artist, a painter and creator of sculptures, he had often worked in unison with the Ministry of Revolutionary Defense and Foreign Affairs when he traveled abroad, becoming a cultural ambassador of sorts for the Touyou democracy in the progress.

Of course that wasn't all of his story - before he had committed himself full-time to his artistic pursuits he had served, for a time, in the Continental Navy, where his cunning thinking quickly saw him being relocated to intelligence operations. While he had done his job diligently, it ultimately wasn't for him, the world of warfare and destruction, of discipline, ultra-masculism and mundane tasks seemed strangely alien to a mind dedicated to artistic pursuits and the fine arts. That didn't mean however that he ever fully cut his ties to int-op, especially considering that cooperation with them had provided a nice and steady income of funds ready to be invested into new materials that were to be turned into art. He supposed he could be called an opportunist, but didn't that add to his tragedy as an artist? Every artistic career was the story of a Trojan tragedy after all, he figured.

Since he had taken his seat at the top of the Freedom Foundation, Kasai had met countless of foreign dignitaries and had traveled to distant lands, sometimes in his capacity for the Freedom Foundation, sometimes as a Touzen Special Envoy. This time, too, the All Citizens' Congress had bestowed unto him the right to represent the Touzen state diplomatically. Arakaki was still busy in Carentania, and the Constitutional State was determined to dance on two weddings, which had brought Nokanawa into trouble if it wanted to be represented adequately in Talemaniki. Eventually it was decided to 'activate' Kasai again, considering his remarkable track record and the position of Special Envoy being the second best one could muster after the Minister of Revolutionary Defense and Foreign Affairs himself. Kasai showing up would signify to the other parties at the table that Nokanawa was taking this meeting seriously, especially considering the Talemantine side had extended an invitation to Touzen owing to its role as a great power. With that, however, came certain expectations and responsibilities, and the Okazaki administration was not prepared to be declassed by merely sending the ambassador to Talemantros into the halls of Vesci Palace.

Accompanying the artist turned diplomat were two members of congress that had been chosen by the body. No additional staff from any ministry was necessary - both the government and Kasai knew that he could handle matters himself. Not that he would have tolerated any man calling the shots next to him. He was the artist. To him belonged the attention. Which, he figured, probably added to the frustration he experienced as he attended this meeting. No grand overtures. Only idle observations of a war the fate of which was decided elsewhere.

 

[Taley]

"Perhaps Mr. Sanai, perhaps. War is only the failure of diplomacy, and provocative and threatening actions, against those that work toward peace and security, will do their best to derail those who try to achieve peace on their own terms." Carmine smiled then moved on to the recently arrived delegates. Gavallo was a true veteran of the Talemantine diplomatic corps rising up the ranks over a forty year career serving in capitals all across the globe and finally becoming the empire's top diplomat with the ascension of the current chancellor.

Across the room he caught the eye of the Kyivan Yaroshenko. The announcement by Kyiv about the base in Western Talemantros certainly had the worse timing in diplomatic history. But the Carentanians could only do so much now with the talks beginning and many of the members of their supposed coalition meeting in this room as well, they couldn't risk the chance of ruining the conference. Carmine welcomed the Cantignians who he was sure were happy to be included in Himyari affairs and given the opportunity to show their influence outside Oceania, plus the racial element they brought to the atmosphere at any meeting would be quite entertaining. Then there was the Touzenese Ariake Kasai. Talemantros was the complete opposite of Touzen and he was unsure where the man would stand, but the important thing was that he was here. It showed that Touzen was willing to list and they hadn't completely fell under Carentania's propagandizing spell.

Gavallo pulled the gold pocket watch our of the pocket of his red velvet waistcoat. Now they only waited for the Engellex to arrive to begin.

 

[Rheinbund]

Gregor Waldmann was a 68 year old retired diplomat. He had served in Hymiarian states for the last two decades, and the last 10 years as Eiffelland's ambassador in Talemantros. It was for his experience in the region that he had been asked to represent Eiffelland at this conference. His assistants were Axel Stubenburg and Marianna Feldheim, two young but promising diplomats who worked at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs as trainees while being prepared for their first missions abroad.
For this moment, the Eiffellandians would mainly observe, but their goal was clear to them: An agreement between all the nations that would make everybody satisfied, so that the treaty in itself would not become a reason for the next war.

OOC: More to follow while the story develops.

 

[Great Engellex]

Talemaniki, Talemantine Empire

An issue which had to be resolved was the problem of how or what Engellex should seek as compensation for Gorno-Altai’s failed but economically damaging attempt to seize Engellexic territory for itself. The Northern Secretary advised to Viscount Palmerston that the attack on Zadar-Istria was a last grab for hegemony of Himyar and the Long Sea by the Federation. There had also been growing Engello-Altaist economic competition by way of Zadar-Istria which had to be settled. And then there was the concern over Gorno-Altai’s envy of Engellexic imperial possession, which had ultimately been the deciding factor that caused this war.

Engellexic diplomacy at this conference would largely not be aimed at delivering punishment to Gorno-Altai and the Federation - despite the list of concerns in need of address, but at assuring the Federation’s influence in the region was destroyed.

Alert, able and ambitious, Viscount Palmerston was the archetype of the Old Europe professional diplomat. A slender, dandified man, he wore an onyx pin in his white waistcoat, carried a charming silver lorgnette, and always trailed a faint touch of perfume. In his world of diplomacy, he was prepared for the achievement of one objective with the possibility of the betrayal of another - and Dulwich accepted this. It was then entirely within his character, and the expectations of Dulwich, therefore, that Palmerston may not return with everything set out.

I will tell you all, how absolving I hope this conference will be, spoke the aging peer in his dress finery. I only agreed to undertake the difficult journey from Dulwich with the pleasure of such a fine assembly of European gentlemen. May I say, I believe, my expectations are set to be more than fulfilled. Palmerston turned to the Altaic minister, and with a thinly veiled sarcasm continued, And I must confess to more than a slight curiosity to meet a representative of such a daring regime. Now it remains to us to decide on the conditions for immediate peace and future prosperity and co-operation; for there can be no failure here, gentlemen, my Queen-Empress would never permit it. He then proceeded to sit down at that last note of humour.

 

[Taley]

[OOC Im going to assume that everyone that was invited to be here are already present so we can move foreword.]

After the Engellexic noble said his words and sat down Carmine Gavallo from his seat at the head of the room. "I thank everyone for coming here for this conference with the aims to find a compatible and lasting peace between the belligerent power involved in this conflict. I believe that we can achieve that vision for the future of Himyar. To have an orderly discussion to resolve the issues present in this conflict we will discuss each issue to its resolution before continuing to the next issue. First we will begin with the largest issue of this conflict, the issue of Zamosk.

It is vital for the position of Talemaniki that the area of Zamosk be given its independence to be recognized by the belligerent powers. The course of the Altaic treatment of the people of Zamosk over the decades over issues such as their religion had caused them to take up arms to gain freedom long before the war between the Talemantine Empire and Altai began. If the principality accepts an independent Zamosk we must decide the proper boundaries of the new state."

 

[Natal]

Curiosity to meet a representative of such a daring regime? Though Pavlichenko. At first he wanted to comment on that statement, but he only responded with a frown. By this time Pavlichenko should have been used to see the Engellex people as very arrogant and bumptious and with that of course appeared the famous by now cheap Engellexic humor.

After they were seated and Vice-chancellor Gavallo stopped speaking he commented:

“Of, course that to bring peace we will accept of letting the peninsula free, but I deny the mistreatment of the people living there especially the Christians as the Diagist religion never saw a nemesis in their Christian brothers and so the rebellion didn’t had a real motive to start.”

Then he turned to the Engellexic delegate: “It is good to see that none of our queens would like to see the peace talks fail.”

 

[Taley]

Aliko was watching the proceedings and the people around the room. Zamosk was his home and he had fought to see it free. Talemantros had been a good friend to the Salvationists since their rebellion and to see Talemantros's allies here showed the power behind Aliko. Around the room he watched, the Touzens were new faces for Aliko he had studied the Touzen political philosophy in university back in Zamosk. It was something that he and his friends grew fond of and wished to see practiced, but the socialist and then nationalist government wouldn't allow. Now he was part of a new state that would begin with this conference.

"The Diaginist religion may nor have sanctioned it, but the civil authority practiced it. Zamosk deserves it independence from the oppression of Altaisk. The new state should include Zamosk, Ira, and Cala, as well as the Christian communities of the Western portion of the Dara Oblast. This is what we have fought and died for."

Carmine looked at the Salvationist. It was an ambitious demand and something he knew the Altaics wouldn't go for it. Gavallo had to find a middle way to appease both sides. "Perhaps the boundary between Zamosk and Altai should be from Marka across the peninsula to Kransi, with Ira and Calla to the North and West?"

 

[Natal]

Pavlichenko looked at the Zamoskan while he said what would he like to see the boundaries. Ira, Cala and the west portion of Dara-Krajina? This was too much. The Dara-Krajina doesn't have christian communities but in Kransa and the city of Dara itself. This is to much. He though. As he turned to Gavallo, he observed that the Salvationists were nothing without the Talemantines. After Gavallo stated what he would see as more reasonable borders, Pavlichenko also saw that the Zamoskan diplomat didn't comment. Now he was sure that he had to accept anything that the Talemantines would give him. He is just a dog that barks but does not bite.

"The Zamosk Peninsula itself is acceptable and the village of Marka, but Kransa is home to a Diagist community and I think it is best if the border would go at least twenty kilometers north of the city. The island of Ira also won't be a problem because of the Christian community there. The problem comes with the island of Cala. This is an unacceptable claim. The island is home to a Muslim majority. If the Salvation Army would still like to make a hell of the life of the people on that island also and divide ethnic and national old brothers just because the difference of their religion, even if they lived centuries in peace, we only accept the north-eastern side of the country to be annexed by Zamosk. Without the city Cala itself."

 

[Großlausitz]

His Majesty's Ambassador to Talemantros, his assistant and the Franconian embassy's military attaché were observing the proceedings at the conference with a mix of boredom and professional attitude. On the one hand they were only allowed to take notes and observe; but on the other hand they had a duty towards their supervisors to report the conference's proceedings as carefully as possible. Poor wee Altai was a sad casualty of the Engellexic fierce crusade against anything in their way, which was related to the Federation, as they preferred to call the EDF. As if it was a political federation at Nuremberg's whim.

 

[Breotonia]

Marcus Jones, the Breotish Ambassador to Talemantros, sat quietly as the Gavallo, Aliko, and Pavlichenko traded barbs. It would, of course, be necessary that in beating out something like an equitable agreement to end the war a few figurative blows would have to be sustained by the diplomats. Like the Franconian delegation, Breotonia was present to simply observe. There was no direct Breotoish interest in the exact nature of how this conference ended provided that it ended in a peace. Any peace. Lunden had little concern for what happened to the Zamoskans or the Diagist or whoever else. What could not be allowed was for the RDTO's summit to be successful. Carentania's continued success in the international arena had to be curbed, the Long Sea was already at risk of being a Red Lake and to see Altai overrun by "peacekeeping forces" from the communists was something that could not be permitted. Military intervention might one day be necessary, today it was hoped that politics might prove successful enough at thwarting the attempts of the RDTO. If Talemantros and Altai could agree to a peace by themselves it would become an untenable position for an outside conglomeration of countries to try and justify their overt move to expand their strategic position under the flimsy guise of peacekeeping.

 

[Taley]

"The Christian population on Cala Island is as large as the Muslims. We do agree that the best possible solution to this would be to draw a border from the Northwest to the South East of the island. The city of Cala being in the South would remain on the Altaic side. As for the southern boundary we can move it north of Kransa making this the new border from Marka to north of Kransa." Gavallo said looking at the Salvationist, "If these are to be the borders then I would also like add an agreement that for the next six months to allow any persons wishing to move to either zamosk or altai before any borders are closed and new people given Zamosk citizenship. The Talemantine government will subsidize any family wishing to move from Altai to Zamosk and the Altaic government to subsidize those who wish to move from the territories to become Zamosk to Altai."

"My people can agree to this change." Aliko responded following Carmine. He knew he wasn't going to get everything they wanted and the persistence of the Talemantine and Altaic told him that this was all the Salvationists would be getting.

 

[Natal]

“I would suggest an east to west straight line with the Muslims living on the Altaic southern side and the Christians living in Zamoskan northern side. At the last census we saw this division between the north and the south and we believe that if the border would be made this way, this would minimize the population exchange between the two regions. ” Said Pavlichenko with a slight smile on his face, looking at Simeonescu. “An agreement to subsidize the families is understandable and doable by both of the governments. But we would also want a guarantee from the Salvationists that they would keep the border open.” Said Pavlichenko.

This way we can save the refuges that will flee from Zamosk after the Christian terror would begin. He wanted to say as a side note, but he refrained from saying it.

 

[Taley]

"Open borders. Altai wishes for use to allow them to freely send their men and spies across into our land and to leave our borders unprotected. This we cannot allow. We agree to the period of allowing for the free travel of families that wish to move, but after that we will close the border and anyone that wishes to cross will need a Zamoskan approved VISA like any other nation." Aliko Simeonescu looked around the room. Zamosk would need to protect its borders while it builds itself up, not open itself up to be conquered by Altai. The future between Altai and Zamosk was going to be a tenuous one until time had passed enough to heal festering wounds.

"I for one agree with Mr. Simeonescu. To force a permanent open border in hostile region could only spell disaster for both states, but all of us assembled here should not forget that not every person on either side of the lines we draw here will want to remain on the side they are at. I once again put forth that the borders be open for a time of six months to allow to the mass movement of people into the state to which they would want to be along. After that six months anyone wishing to cross will to follow the same rules as any other state."