[DRAFT] Multipurpose Office Space

[Imperium Anglorum]

Multipurpose Office Space
Category: Global Disarmament | Strength: Mild

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This august World Assembly,

Believing that suffering, pain, and the destruction of livelihoods associated with war is bad, that the World Assembly (as an international organisation) should facilitate good, and that if it is possible, it is preferable to achieve an honourable and peaceful settlement before bringing out the guns, bombs, and other weapons of war and then proceeding to fight pointless conflicts that make mountains of molehills,

Concerned that a crisis in diplomatic arrangements, such as the withdrawal of embassies, can break down the ability of national governments to effectively work out disagreements,

Happily certain that the World Assembly headquarters has the resources and ability to prevent any negotiations from getting out of hand, as well as preserve the safety and security of all those involved, and

Convinced that providing nations with more tools to collaborate and negotiate without losing face (e.g. calling upon a third-party for assistance or publicly sending back withdrawn ambassadors) is better than the alternative of a diplomatic crisis, hereby:

1. Commissions an extension to the World Assembly Headquarters to house a number of conference rooms for the purpose of private international negotiations; Declares that this extension be known as the Twilight Embassy Zone for negotiations to occur at the twilight before the close of day and the start of the darkness of war;
   
   
2. Requires member nations to send at least one representative, who may or may not be the ambassador of that member nation to the World Assembly, to attend good faith meetings at the TEZ, called for the purpose of avoiding armed conflict, when called upon by any other member nation;
   
   
3. Requires that the relevant officials of member nations are to be informed of the contents, existence, and when relevant, agreements reached at such meetings; and
   
   
4. Encourages member nations to negotiate with other nations before becoming a giant whoopsie and starting a war over some kind of misunderstanding, and in doing so, urges governments to distinguish mountains from molehills for the purpose of preserving the peace.

[Imperium Anglorum]

Hmmmmmmmmm.. FT, IS, GD, or FoD?

Hmmm... Wars are a barrier to trade, are they not? FT. This would require people to protect ambassadors? IS. Would it lead to less wars, yea, probably, GD. Will it mean there are more voices in a decision to go to war? Yep. FoD.

[Vorsh]

Requiring member nations to meet whenever called upon by another nation allows for malicious members to effectively blockade a representative by continually calling meetings which the called upon nations are obligated to attend.

While the idea of having an open and neutral venue for negotiations is certainly a step forward, broadcasting those negotiations and the potentially sensitive information discussed in them to all member nations both breaches the privacy of any nations involved and also renders the venue an unattractive place for nations who wish to negotiate in private.

I wouldn't be opposed to some sort of monitoring or official ledger if all nations involved were able to waive it with unanimous consent.

[Araraukar]

Hmmmmmmmmm.. FT, IS, GD, or FoD?

You should know that you should pick a category first and then write to the category, not the other way round.

[Imperium Anglorum]

Requiring member nations to meet whenever called upon by another nation allows for malicious members to effectively blockade a representative by continually calling meetings which the called upon nations are obligated to attend.

I honestly doubt that you only have one representative.

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Hmmmmmmmmm.. FT, IS, GD, or FoD?

You should know that you should pick a category first and then write to the category, not the other way round.

More fun this way.

[Araraukar]

More fun this way.

If you'd prefer another cat toy instead, let me know.

[Vorsh]

Requiring member nations to meet whenever called upon by another nation allows for malicious members to effectively blockade a representative by continually calling meetings which the called upon nations are obligated to attend.

I honestly doubt that you only have one representative.

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You should know that you should pick a category first and then write to the category, not the other way round.

More fun this way.

The fact that I and most nations have a number of representatives does not nullify the point I made. Adding unnecessary red tape and loopholes makes the problems, in most situations, worse.

[Imperium Anglorum]

I honestly doubt that you only have one representative.

The fact that I and most nations have a number of representatives does not nullify the point I made. Adding unnecessary red tape and loopholes makes the problems, in most situations, worse.

Where's the red tape? I neither see red nor tape anywhere in the proposal. Nor do I see any loops or holes. However it is, I'm sure you can agree that getting people to talk rather than shoot bullets at each other is a laudable goal.

[Vorsh]

The fact that I and most nations have a number of representatives does not nullify the point I made. Adding unnecessary red tape and loopholes makes the problems, in most situations, worse.

Where's the red tape? I neither see red nor tape anywhere in the proposal. Nor do I see any loops or holes. However it is, I'm sure you can agree that getting people to talk rather than shoot bullets at each other is a laudable goal.

I expressed my concerns previously about compulsory meetings as well as a lack of privacy for sensitive and confidential information shared during these meetings.

I agree with the overall premise of the proposal, but without these concerns being addressed I can not support the proposal.

[Wallenburg]

OOC: This would explain why we never see the deputy ambassador of Wallenburg.

IC: "Opposed entirely. The language makes a joke of itself, and the implications of countless demands for negotiations at these pointless offices are too great to overlook. We will go to war with whomever we please, without any discussion with other member nations. Any relevant discussion would be with our own allies and enemy belligerents, and them alone."

[Wrapper]

OOC: I'll resist the urge to point to the Joke Proposals thread, and instead ask why you think clauses 2 and 3 (and maybe even 4) aren't Game Mechanics violations. Not saying they are... but not saying they aren't. For example, can't one interpret clause 2 to require that a WA nation must post in this forum (or, if more fitting, in the II forum) if asked to do so?

[Imperium Anglorum]

Where's the red tape? I neither see red nor tape anywhere in the proposal. Nor do I see any loops or holes. However it is, I'm sure you can agree that getting people to talk rather than shoot bullets at each other is a laudable goal.

I expressed my concerns previously about compulsory meetings as well as a lack of privacy for sensitive and confidential information shared during these meetings.

Nothing in the proposal states that you have to provide sensitive or confidential information.

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OOC: I'll resist the urge to point to the Joke Proposals thread, and instead ask why you think clauses 2 and 3 (and maybe even 4) aren't Game Mechanics violations. Not saying they are... but not saying they aren't. For example, can't one interpret clause 2 to require that a WA nation must post in this forum (or, if more fitting, in the II forum) if asked to do so?

Because I just encapsulated them into an IC environment. Secondarily, I support EP's bring jokes back. Unless we're going to all agree that jokes are only allowable in repeals, which would be unfortunate.

[Vorsh]

I expressed my concerns previously about compulsory meetings as well as a lack of privacy for sensitive and confidential information shared during these meetings.

Nothing in the proposal states that you have to provide sensitive or confidential information.

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OOC: I'll resist the urge to point to the Joke Proposals thread, and instead ask why you think clauses 2 and 3 (and maybe even 4) aren't Game Mechanics violations. Not saying they are... but not saying they aren't. For example, can't one interpret clause 2 to require that a WA nation must post in this forum (or, if more fitting, in the II forum) if asked to do so?

Because I just encapsulated them into an IC environment. Secondarily, I support EP's bring jokes back. Unless we're going to all agree that jokes are only allowable in repeals, which would be unfortunate.

Clause 3 clearly states that "relevant officials of member nations must be informed of discussions". Perhaps you intended that they must only be informed of the existence of such discussion and not the contents of the discussion. Regardless, further clarification is necessary.

[Imperium Anglorum]

Clause 3 clearly states that "relevant officials of member nations must be informed of discussions". Perhaps you intended that they must only be informed of the existence of such discussion and not the contents of the discussion. Regardless, further clarification is necessary.

Nobody is saying that at these discussions, whose content and existence must be disclosed, you are forced to discuss sensitive and confidential materials. If you believe otherwise, tell me where that comes up in the text.

"For example, I'm not going to talk in the middle of this chamber about our secret-", the guard next to Parsons in the black suit whispers in his ear, "Never mind".

[Vorsh]

Clause 3 clearly states that "relevant officials of member nations must be informed of discussions". Perhaps you intended that they must only be informed of the existence of such discussion and not the contents of the discussion. Regardless, further clarification is necessary.

Nobody is saying that at these discussions, whose content and existence must be disclosed, you are forced to discuss sensitive and confidential materials. If you believe otherwise, tell me where that comes up in the text.

"For example, I'm not going to talk in the middle of this chamber about our secret-", the guard next to Parsons in the black suit whispers in his ear, "Never mind".

I'm saying that typically negotiations that would require such a secure and neutral location commonly involve confidential information. Would it not be more inclusive to allow nations to use such facilities with privacy rather than restricting their use to what they are willing to share with everyone?

[Imperium Anglorum]

Nobody is saying that at these discussions, whose content and existence must be disclosed, you are forced to discuss sensitive and confidential materials. If you believe otherwise, tell me where that comes up in the text.

"For example, I'm not going to talk in the middle of this chamber about our secret-", the guard next to Parsons in the black suit whispers in his ear, "Never mind".

I'm saying that typically negotiations that would require such a secure and neutral location commonly involve confidential information. Would it not be more inclusive to allow nations to use such facilities with privacy rather than restricting their use to what they are willing to share with everyone?

Where does it state that they are restricted? Where does it state that these discussions are public? Look at the proposal. It explicitly states 'private meetings' in § 1 and it says nothing of restricted information.

[Umeria]

Concerned that a crisis in diplomatic arrangements, such as the withdrawal of embassies can break down the ability of national governments to negotiate with one another,

There should be a comma right after "withdrawal of embassies".

[Imperium Anglorum]

Concerned that a crisis in diplomatic arrangements, such as the withdrawal of embassies can break down the ability of national governments to negotiate with one another,

There should be a comma right after "withdrawal of embassies".

Thanks

[Umeria]

There should be a comma right after "withdrawal of embassies".

Thanks

You're welcome.

[Imperium Anglorum]

We will go to war with whomever we please, without any discussion with other member nations. Any relevant discussion would be with our own allies and enemy belligerents, and them alone."

You don't need to discuss with all member nations. You do need to discuss with enemy belligerents. We want to build a safe space to do that with fuzzy armchairs and nice cushions.

[Wallenburg]

We will go to war with whomever we please, without any discussion with other member nations. Any relevant discussion would be with our own allies and enemy belligerents, and them alone."

You don't need to discuss with all member nations. You do need to discuss with enemy belligerents. We want to build a safe space to do that with fuzzy armchairs and nice cushions.

"No, but we must discuss conflict with any member nation."

2. Requires member nations to send at least one representative, who may or may not be the ambassador of that member nation to the World Assembly, to attend meetings at the TEZ, called for the purpose of avoiding armed conflict, when called upon by any other member nation;

"And as nice as fuzzy armchairs and nice cushions sound, they do not compensate for the great inconvenience this would create for member nations. Or the exorbitant budget required to build an office space this massive."

[Sciongrad]

2. Requires member nations to send at least one representative, who may or may not be the ambassador of that member nation to the World Assembly, to attend meetings at the TEZ, called for the purpose of avoiding armed conflict, when called upon by any other member nation;

"And as nice as fuzzy armchairs and nice cushions sound, they do not compensate for the great inconvenience this would create for member nations. Or the exorbitant budget required to build an office space this massive."

"Increasing World Assembly spending is enough for Sciongrad to vote aye!"

[Tinfect]

We will go to war with whomever we please, without any discussion with other member nations. Any relevant discussion would be with our own allies and enemy belligerents, and them alone."

You don't need to discuss with all member nations. You do need to discuss with enemy belligerents. We want to build a safe space to do that with fuzzy armchairs and nice cushions.

"Ambassador, in those situations where a conflict might be resolved without... conflict, it is likely that the Governments involved will have come to an agreement that does exactly that, without the interference of the World Assembly. Warfare is quite an undertaking, even for those Nations that maintain a Military Force for use at any time, one must consider the logistics of sustained Warfare, which alone may constitute sufficient disincentive to war for many Governments.

Mandating that Member-States with no chance of resolving their conflicts peacefully send diplomatic personnel to waste time at the World Assembly is, simply, a waste of time and resources that might be better spent elsewhere.

However, the Imperium does support the idea of the construction of a universal 'neutral ground' on which Nations can voluntarily hold negotiations between their government and that of a hostile power."

[Excidium Planetis]

However, the Imperium does support the idea of the construction of a universal 'neutral ground' on which Nations can voluntarily hold negotiations between their government and that of a hostile power."

Schultz can be seen coughing in the background, which sounds oddly like "WA Peacekeepers".

[Imperium Anglorum]

"Ambassador, in those situations where a conflict might be resolved without... conflict, it is likely that the Governments involved will have come to an agreement that does exactly that, without the interference of the World Assembly. Warfare is quite an undertaking, even for those Nations that maintain a Military Force for use at any time, one must consider the logistics of sustained Warfare, which alone may constitute sufficient disincentive to war for many Governments.

Believing that facilitating international cooperation is a goal of the World Assembly and that if it is possible, it is preferable to achieve an honourable and peaceful settlement before bringing out the guns, bombs, and other weapons of war and then proceeding to fight stupid pointless conflicts that make mountains of molehills,

Concerned that a crisis in diplomatic arrangements, such as the withdrawal of embassies, can break down the ability of national governments to negotiate with one another, and

Convinced that providing nations with more tools to collaborate and negotiate without losing face by calling upon a third-party for assistance or publicly sending back withdrawn ambassadors is better than the alternative of a diplomatic crisis,

Two inspirations: a misinterpretation of what some person said when saying more embassies and when Japan called upon a third party to negotiate a settlement with Russia during the Russo-Japanese War. When you are able to build structures allow for governments to speak to each other without losing face, you have a more stable system. A large part of war is nationalism and pride. This seeks to mitigate the worst parts of those elements.