Third Esquarian Summit [Esquarium Only | IC]

[Namor]

The President-General lowered his head while Carl spoke, hoping that no one else saw the frown on his face. Ten minutes into the summit and this summit is already at the verge of collapsing into heaven knows what, he thought. If terrorists don't overrun this summit, angry politicians will.

Fortunately, Ulrich - the target of Carl's tirade - did not respond immediately, and Aucuria's Uspelevičius began his speech endorsing Sera Svensson's rosy vision of a democratized Nautasia, delaying any shouting match. By the time Pavonistade's Oppenheim finished his call for tougher measures against radicalization at home, the President-General appeared a lot calmer, confident that Carl's outburst will be nothing but an isolated incident.

After Oppenheim finished, the President-General turned on the microphone.

"Some have emphasized the need to push for social, economic and even political change in countries where terrorism is pervasive.

"I don't think political change is bad, but we need to be cautious. We must not mistaken evidence for proof or pay homage to values that not everyone perceives to be universal. Radicalism won't die out simply because people get the right to vote. If anything, it might increase, because the hard truth is that there are many people in Nautasia who genuinely believe in...radical interpretations of Islam. They do not believe in popular authority, rule of law or social equality. Maybe we can hold an election to see just how many of these extremists are there, but the realist inside of me doesn't want to know.

"The reality on the ground is that the only ones who are capable of fighting the Caliphate long after foreign forces withdraw are strongmen. We may not agree with everything they do, but if they fall, less savory forces will take their place. We can talk about creating better alternatives, but when innocent people are being beheaded and jihadists are plotting attacks overseas daily, there is simply no time to do so.

"That's why we should throw our support behind any group in Nautasia who is against the extremists, even if its leaders did not come to power the way many of us did. Our priority is restoring stability and prosperity to Nautasia, which means defeating the terrorists. Everything else is secondary, because it's hard to savor your political rights when your village is being plundered and there's no food in your bowl.

"Which brings me to my next point - the underlying problem here is mostly economic. President Uspelevičius said Nautasia should not be abandoned without a rebuilt economy, and he's right in that regard. Nautasia's infrastructure needs to be rebuilt, and its people - especially the youth - should have decent-paying jobs. An economically strengthened Nautasia not only benefits all of us, but it also creates a middle class that serves as a pillar for social stability and a potential for eventual political change."

The President-General drank from his cup of tea and cleared his throat before continuing, this time focusing on Oppenheim's views on radicalization.

"President Oppenheim...brings up a very good point, that is radicalization. Here in Namor, we've also had a few people travel to Nautasia and end up joining the ranks of the terrorists. Not so long ago, the Central Council, in cooperation with the last administration, passed the Militant Removal Act which states that anyone who participates in overseas conflicts on the side of terrorist organizations will face up to five years' imprisonment upon returning to Namor.

"My administration is currently working with the Central Council to pass new and tougher legislation that strips the citizenship of radicalized Namorese who fight overseas, meaning that if they ever return home, not only will they face the punishments as mandated in the Militant Removal Act, but they will also lose the rights to vote and enjoy social welfare benefits after they leave prison.

"In addition, the legislation will create a ministry of religious affairs that grants licenses to clerics, thus halting the proliferation of extremist religious misinterpretations while preserving basic rights. Our autonomous republic of Txotai has a similar program where clerics must receive a license from the government to preach, thereby certifying their loyalty to the People's Republic and their rejection of extremism, while the Lutheran Catholic Church plays a consultative role. This program has been really effective in curbing extremism, as seen by the drastic decrease in violent incidents in said region.

"My point is - a large part of de-radicalization, especially in regards to terrorism carried out in the name of religion, is reaching out to the moderate elements of the religious community while at the same time promoting pluralistic and secular values."

[Pisdara]

Herve Bouchard leaned back as the topic of the conference began on terrorism, specifically in Nautasia. First was President Sera Svensson of Luziyca. She sounded naive on the topic, and it was clear her call for liberal democracies was very much in a "we need more nations to exploit" manner. However, she was correct in calling for democracy in the region and the rebuilding of economies and institutions. Then came Akbari. Listening, Herve Bouchard was surprised that he could even agree with the Ankoreni Prime Minister on something. Foreign involvement was an issue in terms of the local population seeing them as simply another occupying force, that simply fighting on the ground and then leaving would just create a power vacuum. Then came the other leaders, most supporting Akbari, with the notable exception of the Aucurian president standing beside Svensson. Once the Namorese President-General finished his speech, Herve Bouchard sipped his tea, and began to address the summit.

"Before I begin, I would like to thank the General-President for hosting this summit. This is an issue that, as a Nautasian, is very close to me.

Now, listening for the past few minutes, I have to admit I feel a bit conflicted. You do understand, for those of you who are normally thousands of miles away, that this issue has been boiling over for decades? These terrorists didn't appear from nowhere, they're fighting these regimes because these regimes, for lack of a better word, failed. They failed to provide security and they were essentially propped up by outside forces that, to the average Nautasian, don't look like liberators.

I hate to get personal, but my own country is currently having debate after debate after debate on the issue of what we are and our relationship to the outside world. I have deputies in my Legislature crying out that every Aininian should be hanged because they feel they have been wronged, even if they haven't. But I understand why they're angry, why they're acting the way they are. Because when you have people outside your borders dictating policy or having an unequal relationship, that is oppression, at least to the average Nautasian on the street. And ramping up foreign military intervention and creating these new regimes that could be seen as puppet governments and not the will of the people could lead to even bigger issues. If and when we need to form democratic regimes in Nautasia, they have to be fundamentally Nautasian and grassroot. We need to fight this anyway we can, that much is clear and I'm not debating that. What we need to do is get Nautasians who can fight on our side, because they're going to be the ones in charge once the other nations are done, and supporting them as equals is necessary."

Turning specifically to Akbari, Herve Bouchard continued.

"However, I have a massive issue with trusting the current regimes in this fight. I understand the call for security, but that doesn't excuse the blatant violation of human rights in Kraq and Irvadistan and, dear Prime Minister, in Ankoren. They are the ones who started this in the first place, and simply saying that the situation politically is fine as it is is ignorant at best and blindly stupid at worst. Democracy and Islam are not incompatible, Pisdara is a prime example of this. Yes, we have Islamist terrorist groups such as the Pisdari Front for Islamic Values and the People's Islamic Movement, but they have a much harder time becoming mainstream because people do not feel they need radical solutions to issues. If you trust and respect the people, they will normally do the same, and then they won't run off to join some Jihadist desert-wanderer who think he's figured out the Quran. We need security in Nautasia, but we also need to reform the political situation as well. We have to, unless you like doing these summits every year and talking about the same discussion again and again."

Leaning back form the mic, Herve Bouchard once again took a sip of tea.

[Luziyca]

President Sera Svensson had listened to others. Oppenheim made a good point to target radicalization at home, as well as abroad.

Once the Pisdari delegate had finished, it was time for her to respond.

"To the honored delegate from Pisdara," she said, "I am very certain that if we are to democratize the east, we need to ensure that Nautasians are involved in constructing their regimes. We cannot just merely plop down a carbon copy of Luziyca, Katranjiev, Pavonistade, or Namor. But I agree with you in that if the regimes trust and respect the people, the people will be less likely to run off to some Jihadist claiming he has figured out the Quran."

After having another sip of tea, it was time for her to address the problem of foreigners travelling to join the Caliphate.

"In regards to the problem of foreigners travelling to Nautasia to join the Caliphate, a few Luziycans have joined the Caliphate. While we have passed strict laws meaning that if they return, they'll be charged for terrorism, I think we need to propose an international agreement to combat terrorism," she explained. She then paused to have a sip of tea, and then continued.

"We need to implement a type of punishment that for a long time had been confined to pirates and slavers, to address the issue of terrorists," she proposed. "Basically, terrorists should be declared outside of legal protection, so terrorists can be dealt with any nation. It does not matter whether they merely planned an attack, or if they succeeded in killing thousands of civilians, or if they're Muslim or Christian."

"Because terrorism is a threat to all countries, and is a peril to all people in the world, we not only have a right for all nations to try terrorists, no matter if they're their own citizens or not, but a universal duty to try and punish terrorists," she stated. Even if the terrorists do not pose a threat to their country in particular, they must be punished as though they will commit terrorism in their home country."

"As for the punishment, I highly advise that the punishment for all convicted terrorists, especially if they have executed an attack, should be the death penalty. While I oppose the death penalty for most crimes, in regards for terrorism and other crimes against humanity, the death penalty needs to be used, if only to prevent them from further damaging the fabric of society," she said. She then concluded, "I doubt that terrorists can be rehabilitated, and death seems to be the only way we can truly punish these monsters."

She then proceeded to have another sip of tea, and allowed the next person to speak.

[Union of Akoren]

Akbari and the Ankoreni delegation watched and listened intently after speaker after speaker backed the Union's proposal for an international strategic operations centre and the withdrawal of foreign ground forces from Irvadistan, but each time it was ended with a push for democratisation. Shohai's question about the future of Irvadi lands liberated by the Ankoreni Armed Forces was a good one, if not an awkward one - Akbari would have to lie. Çevik passed the Prime Minister a note to read from, the question was expected and an answer was prepared, Akbari wasn't one for lying on the spot.

As the Pisdara collaborator finished speaking, Svensson jumped in, once she had finished her piece, Akbari cleared his throat and moved the microphone closer.

"Dear friends, in answer to President-General Antelope's question regarding the future of Irvadi territory liberated by the Union, I can assure him and all present that our efforts and sacrifices have been made in the best interest of the Irvadi people, their self-determination and popular will is our core concern. As such, in liberated areas, the will and popular sovereignty of the Irvadi people is exercised, this shall be expanded behind our brave soldiers as they advance against the murderous cults.

Upon the terrorist movement's final defeat, the people of the liberated territories will be free to exercise their rights and their self-determination, especially in relation to the Irvadi state. As for the Provisional Authority, contrary to some statements and opinions" Akbari turned his gaze to Ainin's Prime Minister, "the authority is not a puppet regime or anything so malignant. The fact is that our armed forces do not have the resources to wage the successful ground war and govern the areas they have liberated, as such the joint body of the Ankoreni government liberated Irvadi communities agreed to establish a civil authority that would manage the liberated areas, with complete authority over humanitarian aid, reconciliation, reconstruction and refugees returning home, once the nation is liberated, the provisional authority's existence will be accountable to the people of Irvadistan and their wishes and will" he took a sip of water.

"On the matter of the withdrawal of foreign ground forces, the Union truly accepts and agrees that an overnight withdrawal would be the equivalent of inviting the terrorists into Irvadistan's coastal cities and the fall of its elected government. As such, the Union would propose a three month period, in which forces foreign to the continent withdraw and forces of the Union and its associate Irvadi forces reinforce the government, naturally it would be acceptable that foreign troops based around bases and airfields remain to protect their nation's equipment and assets. This period could also see supporting elements from other Nautasian states such as both Nautaryas, Zweka and if vaguely possible, volunteers from Samchania. This would enable Nautasians together, shoulder to shoulder assisting the Irvadi government its fight for survival and its attempts to liberate its territory" he took another sip of water.

"I thank President Uspelevičius for his words of support and agreement, and I also agree with madam President Svensson in that the post-terrorist environment should be the greatest recipient of international aid, our world has ever seen. President Uspelevičius is correct in that one primary root cause for the radicialisation of vulnerable and often poverty stricken Sunnis, is that they have suffered decades of mismanagement and incompetence by the governments. I say this not in malice but in fact, unlike many of our continental kin, the Union has become the second largest economy in Nautasia after Ainin, due to excellent management and pragmatism. But this issue of incompetence also rests with what President Uspelevičius said, many governments in Nautasia owe their loyalties not to their own people, but greater powers, sadly Irvadistan's executive branch appears to be the greatest example.

"But this is where our positions part ways and with many in this room. Again and again I hear calls for democratisation, again I hear calls for what tantamount to regime change by diplomacy. Leaders around this table have called for new governments, who is to make this a reality? Who is to make Nautasia an Islamic democracy? How is this to happen, other than force? This sadly is the danger of international arrogance, yes the people of Nautasia have absolute rights to have their popular will answered and served, but not dictated. No government, local or foreign should ever dictate what the people of Nautasia should seek or wish, only they can know such answers.

"Furthermore, many in this room seem to misunderstand the severity of the illness gripping the continent, we may well defeat terrorism and by some work by God, some miraculous event will create democracy, what do you think will happen? In every democratic country you have inequality in representation, a tyranny of the majority, do you think this will serve this continent well? If so called liberals won out over moderate islamists and begun to dismantle Islamic traditions in the name of a secular progressive society, what do you think will happen? Do you all wish to destroy terrorism then force upon the continent the seeds for more? I question this logic that is being accepted today.

"But then we see the ugly side of democracy in this room, as Speaker Bouchard just displayed with his words, in what democratic society, does one leader denounce a popular and democratically elected party such as the Islamic People's Movement as a terrorist organisation? On this specific issue, I find your words Speaker Bouchard shocking and unacceptable, and I am sure, the thousands of Pisdaris who cast their vote for the RUI, to use the Pisdari acronym, as hurtful and distasteful.

"I will also discard your comments on human rights abuses as rather baseless, due to the horrific crimes committed by the Leche regime against nomadic peoples. The Union's human rights record is not an issue at this summit, nor should it ever. Your statement regarding the backing of democratic Nautasians in the fight against terrorism is also concerning, am I and others to assume that you are recommending the abandonment of the sovereign government in Irvadistan and Kraq and the establishment of a third force? Again this does not solve the issues causing terrorism, it creates the ground for it flourish" Akbari barely looked at Bouchard, simply pointing with an outstretched arm, after all he was a collaborator of the "Northern Devil", he certainly wished it was Shadar Kabari representing Pisdara, not some Aininian surrogate.

[Arkiasis]

As Troy Brown was preparing his documents to discuss the issue of terrorism, most notably the Caliphate he began to listen to the Lyonese Prime Minister Johanna Carl begin her remarks, soon replaced with a massive explosive rant towards the Teutonian leader Fredrich Ulrich.

Brown let out a very quiet but audible "Fuck". He instantly knew any attempts at mediation or peace have all been destroyed and thrown from the window, all within minutes of the summit beginning. Brown then flipped over to the 10 pages of notes about the situation in Nordania, he then stared at them for a few seconds before sighing. He couldn't bear to look towards the Teutonian leader but knew despite the language barrier, it was clear he was not happy. People in Teutonia usually get publicly executed for making such statements about Ulrich.

In some ways, Brown agreed with Carl. Teutonia is indeed the biggest threat to Nordania and the 3-6 Attacks were orchestrated by the Teutonian government. But he also knew the game of politics, that emotional restraint and Realpolitik are more important the morality and idealism. Arkiasians in general are known for their emotional restraint, such an outburst no matter how warranted would be a disaster, but, considering the National Front has seen success based on outlandish statements and emotional outbursts, maybe Arkiasis is changing, Brown thought to himself. His approval ratings were hovering around 40% after all.

Brown then drank and finished the tea like a shot of vodka. "I need a coffee or something." Brown told himself. But not to seem like a rude guest, as moronic as that sounds after the outburst from Carl, he didn't ask and accepted another cup of tea from the girl, "Yes, please" followed by "Thank you".

Brown then made some notes and then finally butted in to talk about another issue revolving in eastern Nautasia.

"Firstly, I would like to thank the President-General for hosting this summit."

"Now, I would like to mention another issue facing Eastern Nautasia. The millions of refugees that have been displaced due to the wars. 2 million people from Kraq have fled the nation and hundreds of thousands have fled Ivradistan, with many from the other countries that have been plagued by the war and by the Caliphate. Many nearby nations are struggling with the massive influx of refugees. I'm sure Akoren and Ainin are well aware of the issue."

"Arkiasis has resettled 200,000 refugees since 2015, but that's only a tiny fraction of those effected. We along with the international community must do more to assist."

"So we ask the international community to come up with a coordinated plan of action to resettle and provide aid to the millions of refugees, coordinated by a independent council of the Organisation of Esquarian Nations. We also ask for an increase in foreign aid to assist in food, education, housing, clothing and medical care. Countries who already have hundreds of thousands of refugees within their own borders certainly cannot do it alone and require the assistance of the international community."

"Thank you."

[Greater Ziegenian Reich]

Führer has a 'ü', not 'u'. I'm very stingy about this. Go away.

And if I have gotten anything wrong, just let me know and I will fix it accordingly.

As Ulrich went to take his specified seat at the conference table, he stopped by to greet his fellow comrade-in-arms, General Ohanka Jon Bak-su. Both leaders were reviled by western nations for leading totalitarian autocratic nations and being founding members of the infamous 'Iron Pact'. He offered his salutations to the Koy dictator, with both of them engaging in a small light conversation and making light of the situation they were put into. Two of Esquarium's 'Public Enemies Number 1.' surrounded in a room by all of their supposed enemies. After several minutes of conversing, he bid his farewell and the two went to their respective seats.

With his initial greetings out of the way, the room quieted down as the various leaders donned their headsets and President Shohai Antelope gave his welcoming address. The topics of the summit revolved around combating terrorism (primarily Islamic terrorism), climate change, solutions to the recent economic recession, and nuclear disarmament. After the various foreign leaders made their statements regarding the topic of terrorism, particularly concerning that of the Caliphate and the war in Irvadistan. Ulrich decided to use this as an opportunity to work on fostering closer ties between the Reich and Ankoren.

And of course, that hated devil Prime Minister from Lyonsland had to make a 'statement' full of truthful slanderous lies about his total alleged involvement in the 3-6 Attacks.

"Good day, fellow dignitaries.

On behalf of the Greater Reich, I would like to thank President-General Antelope for hosting this summit and for you esteemed dignitaries for attending in the name of peace and cooperation.

On combating the Caliphate and the threat of Islamic terrorism, I speak on behalf of the Reich when I say that we are fully committed to wiping these two cancers from the face of our world. It is our responsibility as civilized polities that we do everything within our power to prevent such barbarism from occurring and to counter it by any methods necessary. We must also be willing to recognize the main source of this rise in terror and conflict: Radical Islam.

Radical Islamic terrorism has reared it's despicable head time and time again through repeated terror attacks. They show their disdain for our civilization and our culture through the repeated murdering of innocent citizens across the world. They will not listen to reason, nor will any preaching of "tolerance" change their attitude. The only way to remove a tumor is to cut it out, and we must treat the Caliphate in the same manner. We must weed them out through the force of arms and to counter any sort of support for them with the same manner of vigilance and might.

We must also take the time to support our Honorary Aryan brethren in Ankoren, who have made considerable advances against the caliphate. Their most recent military ventures have succeeded in rooting our sizeable portions of the caliphate from southern Iirvadistan and must be commended. This is indeed the right course of action to be taken, and the honorable Prime Minister's plan for the creation of the International Strategic Operations Center is one of the many great initiatives the Ankoreni state has undertaken in order to defeat the Caliphate.

However, I would like to point out to the honorable Prime Minister that Irvadistan is a full member-state in the Iron Pact. As such, General Ohanka and myself have an obligation to support our allies. We are not ones to turn our backs on our allies in their time of need, especially against such despicable enemies like the Caliphate. I can safely say that myself and the Wehrmacht General Staff are more than willing to engaging in talks to form a broad coalition to defeat these vermin, but we will not abandon our allies. However, I will withdraw our (Teutonic) forces once the caliphate has been dealt with and our noble allies are free from this grave threat.

Additionally we would ask the Luziycan delegation to quit spreading their lies of claiming to support "freedom" and "democracy" as a guise to expand their social-imperialist hegemonic empire. Indeed, this claim can be extended to all of those who claim to support "democracy" in Nautasia. You lot claim to support the popular will of the people, but are willing to disregard their will and institute political systems that are for your own benefit and perpetuate the social-imperialist machine.

Herr President Uspelevičius, you mention Atlia as an example of a 'functioning democracy', but is it not just a special province already under a central national authority? Is it not already bound by laws and wills of the national governing authority? It is not the same situation in which a fully sovereign state such as Kraq and Irvadistan, states which require discipline, unity, order, and strength now more than ever. Yet you wish to go in and destroy all that, institute a weakened government because "democracy", and leave a power vacuum for radical extremists who will swoop in and take over in the name of the Caliphate. No, honorable gentlemen and women, the presently is to crush the Caliphate and let the respective polities of Nautasia determine how they wish to govern themselves without aggressive interference by the social-imperialist elite.

And to the troublesome Prime Minister from Lyonsland, I ask if you would kindly refrain from making slanderous accusations with no basis in fact. The events of that day were a tragedy, but they were undertaken by traitorous rogue elements who have been appropriately dealt with. I gave no such orders for attacks to be carried out and I am shocked you would try to use such slander to derail the conversational topic of this summit to fulfill your own selfish agenda. Perhaps you should scurry on back to your kitchen and let the men do their job.

[Montecara]

The President of the Esquarian Community, his Excellency Everàrd Torsièl, spoke up.

"Your Excellency the President-General, your Excellencies the Heads of State and Government of our Esquarian neighbors, it is my pleasure to address you at this Third Esquarian Summit at a time of great consequence for ourselves and for everyone who wishes for a safer and more prosperous world.

I speak to you today in my capacity as a servant of the more than 1.2 billion people who make up the world's largest community of democracies -- the Esquarian Community. The EC is a testament to the solidarity that all free people feel for each other, and to the hope that we will one day live in a world where every person is guaranteed the full protection of their human, civil, and political rights.

As we have learned so many times in our history, basic safety is a preconition for freedom and prosperity. Our honorable colleagues have spoken at length about the need for democracy to flourish in Nautasia, and the EC is committed to being a partner in this process of democratic development. However, we also know that democracy cannot flourish where ordinary people fear for their lives and livelihoods, where those who seek to destroy not only our highest ideals but the very order on which all societies rest are free to kill and plunder.

We therefore call attention once again to the words of the delegation of Luziyca, which called for an absolute, universal commitment to stopping the forces of evil that arrayed against the innocent people of Nautasia and beyond. A determination by the international community that terrorism is a crime of universal jurisdiction would remove legal barriers that prevent states from prosecuting the perpetrators of the most vile crimes that confront our peoples.

We also call upon nations outside the EC to work with us to stabilize the threatened, legitimate governments of states affected by terrorism. Nautasian nations should take the lead in protecting their homelands, but the EC must also offer its assistance in facing what is an essentially international, and indeed global, problem. It is our obligation as free and developed nations to assist in this endavour, but it is also our obligation to respect the sovereignty of the affected nations while doing so.

On behalf of the peoples of the Esquarian Community, I thank you for this opportunity to speak to you and look forward to a productive Third Esquarian Summit."

[Namor]

The President-General finished his cup of tea as many attendants spoke up, starting with Pisdara's Herve Bouchard, followed by Luziyca's Svensson, Ankoren's Akbari, Arkiasis' Troy Brown, Teutonia's Ulrich (whom the President-General surprisingly found to have responded a lot calmer to Carl's tirade than he expected), and the President of the EC. He asked for another cup, took a sip from it and began writing in his notebook, translating his thoughts into words.

By the time he finished jotting down notes, Everàrd Torsièl had finished his address, so he nudged himself closer to the microphone. He first addressed Akbari's response to his question regarding the future of Ankoreni-controlled Irvadi territory after the Caliphate's destruction.

"The Caliphate must be defeated, but like in any other situation, defeating the Caliphate should not come at the expense of the territorial integrity of nations. The borders of countries that are directly impacted by terrorism should not be changed by external pressure. Furthermore, we expect the foreign occupation of Irvadi territory to be temporary, only as a means of securing stability. In the meantime, the occupying authorities should set up a reasonable timetable for withdrawal. We expect withdrawal to occur after stability is deemed secured. Any provisional authority set up to facilitate the occupation should be just that - provisional, not permanent.

"Prime Minister Akbari proposed a three-month period of withdrawal for all non-Nautasian forces operating in the continent. Practically speaking, I think it's unwise to implement a one-size-fits-all period of withdrawal, because each country that has a military presence in Nautasia is facing different realities on the ground. In other words, it might take one country two months to withdraw, while it takes another six months to withdraw. Therefore, I propose a more fluid timetable in which each non-Nautasian country can determine the length of its own period of withdrawal so long as the withdrawal is complete in the end. This will more likely prevent unnecessary blunders in the face of any terrorist advance.

"Prime Minister Brown brought up the issue of refugees - men, women and children forced to flee their homes as a consequence of the bloodshed. This is indeed an important issue, as these refugees are humans and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Thus, I support the Prime Minister's motion for an independent council under the wing of the OEN to coordinate the resettlement and provision of aid to the refugees. Namor does not host any refugees from Nautasia, but such is justified because we have the world's largest population and accommodating thousands more people will further strain our resources. However, we have provided aid to other countries to maintain their refugee infrastructure, and we are willing to provide more if necessary.

"But...none of us in this summit can deny that the influx of refugees has sparked a backlash among certain elements of society. Some fear refugees will cause major economic and cultural problems, despite evidence to the contrary. Yet everywhere, we are seeing a resurgence of radical reactionary politics that seeks to reverse all efforts made to accommodate the refugees. While it is important that we continue to support the refugees and sympathize with their plight, it is also important that we educate our own citizens at home and allow them to truly understand what's going on. Failure to do so will worsen any rift the current crisis has created.

"President Svensson proposed putting all terrorists outside of legal protection, as well as responding to terrorist offenders with the death penalty. Encouraging the death penalty as a universal means of punishing terrorists is problematic, because there are a lot of countries that have abolished the death penalty and are unlikely to bring it back for one reason or another. The Esquarian Community, for example, is at the verge of abolishing the death penalty. Namor reserves the death penalty for the most extraordinary of crimes, including crimes against humanity.

"But I, for one, am not against sentencing terrorists - who by definition are criminals against humanity - to death, and I do believe that if other countries retain or adopt the death penalty as a means of punishing terrorism, there will definitely be less of an incentive to commit acts of terror."

[West Cedarbrook]

President Feld turned to Secretary Kansky. It's okay, I've got this, he reassured the diplomat.

I would like to thank our gracious hosts for the opportunity to address this summit on the issues facing all Esquarium. On this particular issue, we see the major contribution of states not directly impacted by the terror rampant in Nautasia as support for the forces of law and order there. Only after a return to normalcy for those in harms way can rebuilding and progress commence. President Svensson has proposed the application of the death penalty to those proven guilty of terrorism. We concur with her in this regard. Her thoughts about rehabilitation of terrorists are well founded. It is up to each nation to decide the severity of measures necessary to deter participation in mass terrorism, and this has to be done in accordance with their own legal codes. Her general opposition to the use of the death penalty gives credibility to her call for it's application in terror cases. It is our belief that strong punitive measures against those that would use violence to impose their will on a population are necessary, to show resolve against those forces and as a warning against similar minded groups or individuals using those means.

We in Conitia are blessedly distant from these conflicts, and it is true that there is little that we can contribute directly to resolving those battles. But it is incumbent on all nations that value freedom from fear to assist those engaged directly in this fight with cooperation in the area of intelligence, in cases where it can be applied prudently, and within the bounds of contributing to national security.

[Pavonistade]

President Oppenheim, already having his tea refilled, turned on his microphone after Cedarbrookese President Feld finished what he had to say. He went on a speech of his own.

"The issue of refugees as mentioned by Prime Minister Brown is of great concern. Pavonistade, a country that has built a diverse and tolerant society, is more than willing to accept citizens displaced by conflict in Nautasia. It is possible for our country to work on resettling 20,000 refugees by the end of this year. However much more work will be required to address the crisis to a better degree; we need to provide much more assistance such as additional basic necessities, resettle much more refugees and help them integrate into our societies, and guide our societies into accepting them as citizens as implied by the President-General.

"While discussing refugees, it is important not to completely ignore all potential risks. Critics may cite possible economic and cultural problems from accepting great numbers of refugees as mentioned by the President-General. These problems are not as severe as what had been considered, but some have also brought up the possibility that among the refugees are actually affiliated with Caliphate or terrorist elements. There is a possibility, albeit very small, that a fraction of the many are bent on ill will. The international coordination on responding to the crisis will require effective security measures to root out any terrorist-affiliated individuals, but such measures must be reasonable enough that they do not become discriminatory."

Oppenheim ended what he had to say for the moment and sipped from his cup of herbal tea.

[Aucuria]

Uspelevičius moved to speak once again. "I believe that most of this room is in agreement about a great many things," he began, choosing his words carefully. "We appear to be in agreement that more must be done to get Nautasians involved in the fight against the Caliphate, and that more must be done to increase quality of life in Nautasia. That- that is something that gives me a certain hope, that in spite of our vast differences, we can still work together to end the threat posed by the Caliphate to all of Esquarium."

"Führer Ulrich," he continued, feeling some slight apprehension as he addressed the genocidal autocrat. "You are technically correct in stating that Atlia is an autonomous province of Aucuria, and the Aucurian Constitution does state that local laws are subordinate to national law. However, it is by no means ruled by Kalnaspilis's diktat. The Atlian government has significant jurisdiction over infrastructure, education, welfare, law enforcement, health issues, economics- most things excluding foreign affairs and defense. It is a functional democracy, left largely to govern itself except where it directly comes into conflict with national laws."

"As for the concept that Kraq and Irvadistan need 'discipline, unity, order, and strength', that we should keep autocrats in power because they head 'strong governments' and not 'weak ones', how has that worked in Nautasia thus far? Amin Kamel and Ahmed Hussein are certainly 'strong leaders'; how successful have they been in fighting the Caliphate? If 'strong governments' were as effective in preventing terrorism as you claim, then how come the Caliphate exists at all? Surely, such 'strong leaders' would have been able to easily defeat these terrorists- or prevent them from rising at all," he retorted sardonically. "For that matter, how successful have such 'strong leaders' been across Esquarium? Jeusev Jeuves, Erov Haclav, Cho Ke-te, Jung To- these men were all 'strong leaders'. What happened to the regimes they established? In the last six months of 2015, the Conitian nation of Lecistan went through- Kozlowski, Salérin, Wilczewski-" he counted on his fingers as he listed the names- "three different 'strong leaders'? And all those 'strong leaders' were ultimately defeated and replaced by one of us weak and feeble democrats, if I'm not mistaken."

Uspelevičius inhaled slowly to calm himself. "It has been stated by numerous leaders at this summit, and widely agreed it seems, that it is dissatisfaction with the situations in Irvadistan and Kraq that has driven so many young Nautasians to join the Caliphate. And yet at the same time, many here have said that we must not force change down the throats of the people of Nautasia. I agree wholly with that in principle, but it is clear that the people of Nautasia are desperately opposed to the present situation there. Many of you have noted that security is ultimately a prerequisite for prosperity and liberty. Here, too, I agree. That's why I have spoken in favor of the proposals made by several other leaders here to build a coalition of nations across the world, working together to end the Caliphate's reign of terror. That's why I have called for an effort to rebuilt ruined infrastructure, schools, hospitals, and places of worship, and why I have said that there must be an effort to resurrect the Kraqi and Irvadi economies so that parents no longer have to wonder if they will be able to feed their children."

"But we will not achieve victory over terrorism in Nautasia by recreating the exact conditions that led to terrorism's rise in the first place. We have agreed, it seems to me, that one of the most powerful recruiting tools for the Caliphate is the abandonment of the Kraqi and Irvadi people by their governments. So long as we prop up abusive regimes that are only loyal to foreign capitals, and that only care about enriching themselves, there will continue to be large numbers of individual susceptible to recruitment by terrorists, and we will continue to fight this conflict in Nautasia. So long as there are regimes which treat individuals unequally based on their birth, their gender, their politics, their religion, or their race-" his eyes passed over Rinka, Hyvärinen, Ohanka, Akbari, and Ulrich in turn- "there will be individuals who will fight to depose them, and who will be willing to join any number of groups- including some very unsavory ones- to achieve that goal. Unless there is a fundamental change in the way we handle Nautarya, we will be fighting this war on terror for all eternity."

As he concluded his speech, he felt Alduris's elbow in his side. Alduris held up his cell phone for Uspelevičius's examination. Its lock screen showed a notification from Žinia Respublikos, a major Aucurian newspaper. He read the notification carefully: "Tweet by Ankoreni PM accuses Pisdari speaker of racism during Esq. Summit". Uspelevičius inhaled deeply, lolling his head back in exasperation. "One more remark," he stated dryly. "It was my understanding that we held this summit in a closed room, at the top of a skyscraper, with no reporters or journalists, so that the discussion within these walls would stay there, and the only things that would come out would be whatever solutions we agreed to. If my understanding was mistaken, then that is obviously my error, but if my understanding is correct, then I would like to request that, from here on out, we refrain from documenting the proceedings on Twitter."

[Namor]

As leaders continued to speak, the President-General began typing on his laptop a draft of the Xiangmen Declaration of Terrorism - a part of the larger Xiangmen Declaration that will eventually be released by the end of the summit. He tried to incorporate as many proposals raised by the attending leaders as possible - from the withdrawal of non-Nautasian troops to the liberalization of Nautasian governments to increased support for refugees. He made sure the declaration isn't too explicit, nor is it too vague.

In the end, he saw before him an eight-paragraph declaration. Once he was certain that the declaration is devoid of errors, he inched closer to the microphone.

"Esteemed guests, it has been a constructive discussion. Here, I have typed up a rough draft of the Xiangmen Declaration of Terrorism. Since the declaration can only be approved by consensus, please let me know if you have any issues with any parts of the declaration which I am going to read right now."

He cleared his throat, and started reading:

XIANGMEN DECLARATION

---

On Terrorism

---

The nations of the Third Esquarian Summit recognize the grave threat international terrorism poses to the well-being of humanity. Militants in Nautasia have committed heinous acts of terror against civilian populations. With the rise of the so-called "Caliphate" in 2015, militancy has become a problem not just for Nautasia, but for the entire world. Terrorist groups destabilize the world economy by seizing control of natural resources such as petroleum. Citizens from various countries who join the ranks of terrorist groups overseas are very likely to commit acts of terror back home. Moreover, terrorism in Nautasia has contributed to a rise in homelessness and statelessness, causing millions of refugees to seek peace and comfort elsewhere. Only a strong and united response can effectively curb the power and influence of terror groups.

The Summit recognizes that the presence of non-Nautasian forces in Nautasian countries directly impacted by terrorism has contributed to the exacerbation of terrorist threats by forcing Nautasian hearts and minds to view terrorists in a more positive light. At the same time, the Summit understands that any withdrawal of non-Nautasian forces from Nautasia must not jeopardize the already fragile security situation in the continent.

Thus, the Summit resolves to withdraw all non-Nautasian forces from Nautasia. This withdrawal does not apply to non-Nautasian air and special forces that play a crucial role in assisting Nautasian forces fighting terrorists on the ground, non-Nautasian forces operating in territories internationally recognized as part of their respective countries, or non-Nautasian forces operating in Nautasian countries that do not have territory occupied by terrorist groups.

Each non-Nautasian country directly involved in the conflict with terrorist groups shall decide its own pace of withdrawal, so long as the withdrawal is completed in the end. During the process of withdrawal, the international community shall increase armaments support and training to all Nautasian parties fighting the "Caliphate" and its allies. This is to ensure that Nautasian forces are just as capable of repelling terrorist threats as non-Nautasian forces prior to their withdrawal.

The Summit understands that terrorism is caused by many factors, including popular dissatisfaction with dismal social and political conditions. Thus, we call on all governments in Nautasia directly confronting terrorism to create a more inclusive environment for their people to facilitate the creation of a broad grassroots coalition against terrorist groups. At the same time, the international community shall assist in the economic development of war-torn Nautasian countries. The territorial integrity of states directly impacted by terrorism shall not be compromised by any international initiative to counter terrorism.

The Summit sympathizes with the plight of refugees who were forced to flee their homes as a result of dismal conditions in their home countries, and thus supports the creation of an international independent council to coordinate the resettlement and provision of aid to refugees. The Summit also calls on governments around the world to increase financial and/or logistical support for refugees in a way that satisfies their national conditions. In the meantime, existing vetting processes shall be strengthened to ensure that any refugee who enters a foreign country shall not pose a security threat.

The Summit affirms its absolute opposition to state-backed terrorism. Any government found openly or covertly supporting terrorist groups militarily or financially shall be mercilessly condemned and sanctioned.

The Summit supports the designation of terrorism as a crime of universal jurisdiction to remove all legal barriers preventing states from prosecuting terrorists.

"If we have no problems with this declaration, it will be included in the larger declaration itself and we can adjourn for lunch."

[Luziyca]

"This part of the Xiangmen Declaration seems to be as perfect as it's going to get," President Svensson replied.

[Ainin]

Marianne de Lotbinière, who had remained quiet all this time, saw it fit to break her Sphynxian silence for the first time now that she had a rough idea of what everyone wanted and thought. She turned on her microphone and began speaking in a flat monotone, knowing that Akbari would want nothing less than to see her angry. She would not give him this satisfaction.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Aininian Republic is not opposed in principle to the withdrawal of forces from Nautasia. However, we must question the motivation behind such a course of action at the present time, when the Caliphate remains as much of a threat as before. We fail to see how this course of action would be beneficial without first establishing an international framework for sovereignty and democracy in the countries in question."

"We are therefore not, at the present time, in support of this declaration."

She took a sip of her beverage.

"Thank you." She turned the microphone off.

Short, sweet and devoid of rhetoric. Just the way she likes it. And, hopefully, just the way Akbari hates it.

Meanwhile, across the room, Remy and Henri sat in the area reserved for the aides and advisors, attentively watching the discussion unfold. Remy leaned over to the military attaché's ear and whispered, "Do... we even have ground troops in the Nautasian warzones?"

Henri replied, "We have... a demi-brigade in Irvadistan I think, on embassy protection duty. That brigade we sent to relieve the siege of Qufeira is long gone. I think they're in the Charlines by now."

Remy was confused. Why was Marianne speaking up on an issue that didn't even concern Ainin?

If only he knew...

[Namor]

The President-General sighed. Only a few minutes had passed after he had read the draft of the declaration to the rest of the summit, and someone had already struck it down. It wasn't that the President-General didn't expect there to be disagreements regarding the content of the declaration, but that he did not really comprehend the rationale behind Prime Minister Lotbiniere's decision to reject it. Taking a sip of herbal tea, he responded to Lotbinière, who was sitting to his left:

"Prime Minister Lotbinière, I would appreciate it if you clarified your...er...reason behind rejecting this declaration. What part of the declaration do you disapprove of? I am willing to hear how this draft can be modified so that we can all agree on it and finalize it in the end."

[Luziyca]

Sera Svensson decided to respond to Marianne de Lotbinière's objection over the Xiangmen Declaration, in order to point out some loopholes that she may use.

"The declaration does not say that we need to withdraw non-Nautasian forces from Nautasia right this instant," Svensson explained. "For all intents and purposes, we do not need to necessarily withdraw soon: since the declaration enables us to decide our own pace of withdrawal, we can make it appear like we are withdrawing, but we can set our withdrawal date far into the future, say, ten or twenty years."

"Ergo," she suggested, "all that we need to do is at least say publicly that we intend to withdraw by October 2026 or 2036, and then use that ten or twenty-year 'withdrawal period' to launch more offensives against the Caliphate and ideally get rid of the Caliphate altogether, and then use the remainder of the period to set up a government for the Nautasians, by the Nautasians."

She turned off her microphone and had a sip of tea.

[Ainin]

"Certainly," Marianne replied after fiddling briefly with the microphone. Henri and Remy were also paying attention, as they were curious as to what she would say as well. With the same monotone as before, she picked up.

"The withdrawal of foreign forces from Nautasian active combat zones without a real plan going forward is not a solution. The departure of Vjaar troops and Koy troops and Luziycan troops won't reduce terrorism by itself, we first need to establish stable, democratic institutions in the states that they were present in. This has not yet happened to a degree that would inspire confidence in the international community. You would be hard-pressed to find someone to agree that Irvadistan will be better-off next year because the Koy Army left."

She took another sip from her beverage.

"While it is true that initial foreign deployments may have aggravated the situation, it is too late to turn back the clock by simply withdrawing them and hoping for the best. Like it or not, much of the security strategy today in several regions of Nautasia depends on these foreign forces, and there must be a specific and agreed-upon plan for their competent and able replacement. We believe that a sustainable framework for peace in Nautasia must be presented before any discussions of withdrawal can be entertained."

She then turned to Svensson and responded to her puzzling argument, for the first time during the summit so far breaking her monotone.

"President Svensson... I don't think that that is a good-faith interpretation of that clause."

[Namor]

"With all due respect, Prime Minister, I do not think the main points you raised contradict what was said in the draft," replied the President-General. "Your request regarding the institutions of Nautasian states affected by terrorism is answered in the Paragraph 5 of the declaration, which calls on governments to create a 'more inclusive environment for their people.' And Paragraph 4 of the declaration states that, during the period of withdrawal, 'the international community shall increase armaments support and training to all Nautasian parties fighting the Caliphate and its allies,' meaning that these local forces will be trained to become just as effective in fighting the Caliphate as the foreign forces they had replaced. That answers your call for a 'competent and able replacement' of foreign forces in order for withdrawal to take place. And, like President Svensson said, the declaration does not call for an immediate withdrawal, but an eventual withdrawal that does 'not jeopardize the already fragile security situation in the continent.' This answers your concern that a withdrawal will leave Nautasia worse off than before.

"Let me reiterate - foreign, non-Nautasian air forces and special forces may continue to operate in Nautasia in conjunction with local forces, as per this draft. We are not proposing a total immediate withdrawal, but a partial eventual withdrawal that suits the needs of everyone. This is something I believe Ainin can agree to; unless, of course, Huimont is against any withdrawal. Besides that, we can always include a call for a sustainable framework for peace in Nautasia into the declaration."

[Luziyca]

Svensson listened intently to Marianne de Lotbinière's response. When Marianne pointed out to Svensson that it was not a good-faith interpretation of the clause, she was tempted to respond, but Shohai Antelope quickly interrupted her. She reluctantly listened through Shohai's response before Sera Svensson took a chance to address the claims that her interpretation of that clause was bad-faith.

"What I am suggesting, your excellency, would not violate the Xiangmen declaration," she said. "This declaration does not specify a date when all non-Nautasian forces have to be withdrawn from Nautasian countries. It just mandates that all non-Nautasian nations withdraw from the continent at some point in the future."

"If we set a date for withdrawal far off into the future, it will allow us to complete and conclude our operations against the Caliphate, and also for us to institute these stable and democratic institutions and rebuild the economies of these war-torn countries," she explained. "What I am suggesting may look bad to some, but compared to just leaving now and hoping for the best, this seems like a reasonable approach, while paying lip service to the idea that our presence shall be temporary, and that we will one day leave."

"As for the suggestion to include a sustainable framework for peace in Nautasia, I will happily second that," she said to Shohai Antelope.

[Union of Akoren]

Akbari scowled as Lotbinière torpedoed the declaration, Akbari gripped the sides of his chair to resist screaming at the leader of the Northern Devil, he thanked God that he wasn't sitting next to her. Bolat for his part, struggled to keep calm, he became noticeably fidgety in his chair, a wave of heat overcoming his entire body.

Çevik passed Akbari a swiftly written note, "play into it" it read in Ankoreni, he nodded - he knew exactly what to make of it. He was going to turn Lotbinière's opposition to the declaration against her in some way, he was thankful Shohai looked unsettled by the witch's interruption, liked a coil snake she remained silent until it was time to do what Ainin did best and arrogantly throw its weight around.

"With all due respect to the right honourable lady, does she not recognise that the presence of foreign troops in Nautasia causes upset and instability? Perhaps she would prefer a long-term foreign presence on the continent, so that they may carry the burden that Ainin clearly wishes to avoid carrying herself.

"As such, with disagreements over dates and timeframes and with respect to madam President Svensson's excellent deduction at the loopholes of this agreement, the Union presents this. The need for a logical and realistic timeframe for withdrawal is a must, we cannot permit foreign troops to remain in Nautasia post-destruction of the so-called Caliphate permanently, they transform from have-been liberators to occupiers and you repeat the mistakes.

Therefore, we believe that a specific event or change on the ground should be the basis for marking the beginning of a period of withdrawal, say the fall of Luqya to either Irvadi or Ankoreni forces, this would mark the defeat of the Caliphate as a movement - I am sure many agree, after which the foreign powers would have six months to withdraw from Nautasia.

This way we have defeated the cancer of terrorism and will ensure a return to normality and stability for the people of the continent. President Shohai is correct when he says the territorial integrity of nations should not be endangered through counter-terrorism, just so foreign nations should not use counter-terrorism as a justification for perpetual occupation of sovereign Nautasian states.

Should the Prime Minister from Ainin disagree with this, then I believe any effort to confront terrorism as one world will be undermined, by the clear and present declaration of self interest by one major party at the expense of millions and all of us around this table, I am sure she would agree" Akbari finished.

[Namor]

"Prime Minister Akbari's call for a slow withdrawal to occur after a major and decisive victory is scored against the Caliphate sounds nice to me," said the President-General, who is now in the process of modifying the declaration. "Are there any objections to this?"

As he was typing, he decided to go on the Internet, when he saw news of certain leaders leaking the proceedings of the summit on Twitter. Then he saw a tweet with a meme of him frowning. The picture itself was taken during Antelope's Central Council days - if he recalled correctly, it occurred specifically when he listened to a New Democratic legislator propose tearing down the Namo-Luziycan barrier. Now, the picture is going viral. All of this surprised the President-General; when the President of Aucuria first brought up the issue of leaders using Twitter during the summit, he was busy typing up the draft and he didn't notice.

"What the hell?" he muttered in Namorese (microphone off) loud enough for nearby attendants to hear as the next person spoke. "Who's using Twitter? And what the hell is this?..."

Then he pulled out his own phone...

[Greater Ziegenian Reich]

(totally re-writing and re-posting this since i can't delete this)

[West Cedarbrook]

President Feld listened intently to the arguments between the major Western partners regarding the resolution. Overall, he thought the Namorese proposal to be reasoned, balanced, and well thought out. Not having an interest in any on-continent involvement, and sure to face the wrath of all parties at home if he stuck his nose too far into the circular discussion, he jotted down a thought, considered it, and wrote some more. Basically, Feld couldn't quite understand why Marianne Thériault de Lotbinière had such strong objections, but given Ainin's dominant military and financial power, Cedarbrookese policy had long estimated that what Ainin says goes, particularly in Nautasia. And he wanted to break for lunch, in order to slip over to President Svensson to reassure her on trade, and follow up with her on the Acurian security proposals bandied about before the session kick off. He wrote a few more notes, and activated his microphone.

I would like to return the attention of this session to the excellent proposal of our host, President-General Antelope. Let us find common ground on these principles: the destruction of the Caliphate, and the eventual withdrawal of all non-Nautasian forces from the region. Let us review the kernel of the Xiangmen Declaration, those three paragraphs addressing the immediate threat of terrorism in Islamic Nautasia.

"The Summit recognizes that the presence of non-Nautasian forces in Nautasian countries directly impacted by terrorism has contributed to the exacerbation of terrorist threats by forcing Nautasian hearts and minds to view terrorists in a more positive light." Prime Minister Akbari has illustrated the importance of this point, and it is our belief that the answer to terrorism in Nautasia must be ultimately addressed by Nautasians themselves. So the ultimate withdrawal of foreign forces is a necessary ingredient in restoration of peace to the region. No deadline for this withdrawal is given in the resolution, and this is appropriate, as military success against the Caliphate may yet depend on foreign assistance. At the same time, the Summit understands that any withdrawal of non-Nautasian forces from Nautasia must not jeopardize the already fragile security situation in the continent. The resolution further states that "Each non-Nautasian country directly involved in the conflict with terrorist groups shall decide its own pace of withdrawal, so long as the withdrawal is completed in the end." Would not this approach provide for maximum military effectiveness, while supporting the goal of foreign troop withdrawal? I find this proposal to be an excellent framework to begin the Nautasianization of the fight against the Caliphate, the gradual turnover of responsibility for security in the several nations impacted to their respective governments. What I do not see is that the discussion here so far will resolve the impasse between the approaches proposed by Prime Ministers Lotbinière and Akbari. Mr. President-General, let us amend the declaration to the effect of establishing a working group of parties involved in Nautasia, and other guarantors, to propose a blueprint for the remainder of the conflict, and define criteria and measures of success to be met by local forces as needed to set dates for withdrawal of non-Nautasian personnel.

Self satisfied, Feld turned off the microphone. "Pretty good punting for a defensive end", he thought.

[FreYhill]

After contacting Hwanggum back in the Commonwealth, the Prime Minister of the Toksanese Commonwealth began to talk despite appearing to be rather stressed towards the ongoing events in his nation. "Fellow Leaders, on behalf of the Toksanese Commonwealth I'd like to thank President-General for his dedication so far towards this summit. In regards to the Declaration that has been presented, I see no problems present in the text, with the Commonwealth open to co-operating to ensure that terrorist organisations state sponsored or not such as the Caliphate are once and for all evaporated into extinction.

[Xiaodong]

First Minister Xi sat silent as he drank his small cup of tea - inferior, in his eyes, to Xiaodong's own jasmine tea. For Xiaodong, the conflict in Nautasia was of peripheral importance, an issue that the countries within the region and those countries alone should be concerned with. For that, Xi had no problem in the withdrawal of non-Nautasian forces, and sympathised with the Akoreni premier. But, as the Arkiasian prime minister Troy Brown began to outline proposals to coordinate refugee efforts Xi bristled. The issue of refugees and immigration can always been a sensitive one in Xiaodong, and such proposals would inevitably be seen by the Xiao public as a surrender of Xiao sovereignty - the nuance of such issues was always lost on Xi's own nationalist colleagues. He remained silent as Antelope outlined the Xiangmen Declaration, scowling as Antelope called on countries to "increase financial and/or logistical support for refugees ".

Clearing his throat, Xi spoke into his microphone.

"The government of Xiaodong is broadly supportive of the President-General's declaration, in particular its commitment to the withdrawal of non-Nautasian forces. After all, to resolve this conflict ultimately it must be the people in the region's responsibility to do so not foreign powers. However, I and I can safely ascertain the people of Xiaodong would take issue with the declarations mandate that countries must participate with the resettlement of refugees. I appreciate that these people have faced great plights, but the fact remains that some refugees have cultures alien to the countries that they resettle to and would be better served resettling to neighbouring countries with similar culture. After all, countries should have the sovereign right to determine their own border policies. If all international countries must assist in the resettlement of refugees, what is to stop this "independent council" to demand quotas or the like. It i likely that even with the best vetting process in the world economic migrants claiming to be refugees or worse, terrorists will lip through the net. The Xiao government would therefore like assurances from the declaration that countries have the right to set their own border policies in light of refugees, and that quotas and the like will not and never be demanded by international bodies. Only then will the Xiao government wholeheartedly support the declaration".

He sat back, shifting in his chair. Xi knew that his speech would only confirm the notion internationally that Xiaodong was a xenophobic, unwelcoming country but domestically it would be well received as a defence of national sovereignty. Xi finished his tea. Ultimately it would be the Xiao electorate, not the international media, that he was representing.