PASSED: International Postal Union

[Charlotte Ryberg]

International Postal Union
A resolution to reduce barriers to free trade and commerce.

Category: Free Trade | Strength: Mild | Proposed by: Grays Harbor

Description: The World Assembly,

NOTING the diversity of national postal administrations in member states, whether public or private;

SEEKING to transform the efficiency of international postal delivery positively;

1. CREATES the International Postal Union (IPU), a union of all member states' postal administrations aiming to coordinate postal deliveries between member state' postal administrations;

2a.i. DEFINES, for the purpose of this Resolution, the Freedom of transit, as the obligation for all postal administrations within the IPU to: relay and deliver postal items to or towards its destination in the most direct, safest and fastest route as possible, and not to discriminate between domestic and international postal items originating from other postal administrations within the IPU;

2a.ii. EMPHASISES that the definition of the freedom of transit does not imply that a member state is obliged to allow postal administrations to traverse its territory, in order to deliver postal items;

2b. FURTHER DEFINES, also for the purpose of this Resolution only, Hazardous materials, as any malicious inclusion to a mail package that could cause illness, injury, or death to a postal worker during routine transit, including but not limited to: chemical and biological agents, or explosives;

3. GUARANTEES the freedom of transit for all postal items throughout all member states, except where specifically limited in Article 4;

4. SPECIFIES that:
a) Member states are not obliged to carry mail addressed to or sent from nations engaged in hostilities with them (war, territorial/trade disputes, or refusal to recognize a nation's current government), subject to the immunities recognized by international law;
b) Member states may determine procedures for handling hazardous materials in postal administrations under their jurisdiction, and to determine which items may or may not be transmitted through their postal system; including but not limited to hazardous or illegal materials;

FURTHER SEEKING to increase the efficiency of international correspondence between member states;

5a. INTRODUCES the International Reply Coupon, which can be exchanged for the postage rate of one basic unregistered letter to be sent to another member state;

5b. SPECIFIES that postal administrations within the IPU are not obliged to issue International Reply Coupons, but are required to honour International Reply Coupons in exchange for the postage of one basic unregistered letter at the international rate;

6. PRESERVES the right of each postal administration in all member states to collect a reasonable fee for its handling of postal materials;

7. RECOMMENDS the development of fair common standards and the use of technology in postal delivery, including fee schedules and the proper handling of hazardous materials;

8. CALLS FOR the monitoring and updating of effective technical cooperation to meet the ever-changing needs of postal customers.

Edited by Charlotte Ryberg

Ms. SARAH HARPER (CHARLOTTE RYBERG, standing in for the PRESIDING OFFICER): It being 5PM GMT, the Clerk has re-designated the resolution now pending before the World Assembly which was collaborated by the General Assembly...

The READING CLERK: The International Postal Union, a mild resolution to reduce barriers to free trade and commerce, proposed by the Kingdom of Grays Harbor.

Ms. SARAH HARPER: About time... only nine days left until the holidays and some national postal administrations have already announced last days for post items to be sent in order to arrive for Christmas way back in October! Postman Pat is having busy days recently.

The READING CLERK: Forget the Christmas Cards and Postman Pat, will my new PS3 arrive on time?

Ms. SARAH HARPER: May I clarify that this resolution does not guarantee that there will be no more postal strikes in member states, PT, MT, PMT or FT: sorry.

The READING CLERK: My nation's postal administration is already on a perpetual strike.

Ms. SARAH HARPER: Not a problem, it's actually tracked but it's still stuck in Charlotte Island because the backlog destined for your nation, because of the strike, honoured clerk. I'll tell you what, I will send it using private post! The resolution doesn't guarantee that the Royal Minoan Mail will directly get access, but perhaps the private carriers in your nation could?

The READING CLERK: Ill' get them informed.

Ms. SARAH HARPER: Great! Now, this resolution will be at vote until Friday, the last guaranteed posting date for Christmas for standard class post back home. I now yield the floor.

The READING CLERK: Okay, now, who is going to play Charlotte Ryberg's Ambassador when you are care-taking?

The PRESIDING OFFICER (rushing in): Thank goodness for keeping the floor active, honoured ambassador to Charlotte Ryberg, Sarah Harper. I missed the WA Monorail express I was meant to catch to get here.

(looks at the ticker)

The PRESIDING OFFICER: Yeah, the floor is yielded already so let's get talking.

The Chair recognizes the ambassador from Charlotte Ryberg...

Ms. SARAH HARPER (CHARLOTTE RYBERG, now back on the right desk): For your information: The drafting and proposal talk has been separated from the voting thread for logistical reason and is located here, sic. Archive 25,500. The honoured ambassador to Grays Harbour has given me the permission to carry the operation out and may he please confirm this by posting here and saying so. As we have edited this resolution to death, and despite the slight, yet far from fatal overlook on on the definition hazardous materials due to the recent parade of clearly flawed resolutions: it will work, so we have voted FOR.

[Grays Harbor]

Brikkel looked up from his crossword puzzle as Murray nudged him, "They're talking about you, Sir. You going to say something?"

"Wah? Oh, yes, Good point, good point. I shall." Brikkel stuttered, quietly. Standing up, he motioned to the chair for recognition, "We would like to thank Ms Harper and her staff for all the effort they have put into this proposal. Without their suggestions and editing, along with the suggestions from Krioval, this proposal would not be what it is now. Naturally, we encourage a 'yes' vote on it. Thank you."

[Tzorsland]

[float=right][/float]
THE MASTER: I rise in support of this resolution. The creation of an International Postal Union is a first and necessary step towards global shipping and communications. I would like to point out that Tzorsland has a variety of fine wines and the vineyards are all available on the internet. Once this resolution passes people from all WA nations will be able to get their packages shipped to them in a convenient manner and … MY GOD WHAT IS THAT THING?

(Master’s Assistant): What is what thing?

THE MASTER: That thing (points to the right) over on that side of the corner.

(Master’s Assistant): Eye candy to disguise an otherwise boring statement that really adds nothing to the discussion of the resolution.

[Diatraba]

I wish to ask the Honourable Member of this Assembly Mrs Ryberg what she is intending with this Resolution?
As a Communist Country we support any moves to centralise public services however, I would like it if Ms Ryberg were to clarify what would come of this new Resolution - a new Office for Postal Management? I - the Honourable Member for Diatraba - am somewhat unsure of what the Honourable Member for the Muse of the West Country is propsing? Would she be so greatful as to enlighten me?

Yours, as ever, a cordial friend

The Honourable Member for Diatraba

[Flibbleites]

I note that the error that results in hazardous materials only being considered hazardous if their included in a package maliciously is still present. As a result the Rogue Nation of Flibbleites consideres this resolution to be flawed and is automatically opposed.

Bob Flibble
WA Representative

[Grays Harbor]

I wish to ask the Honourable Member of this Assembly Mrs Ryberg what she is intending with this Resolution?
As a Communist Country we support any moves to centralise public services however, I would like it if Ms Ryberg were to clarify what would come of this new Resolution - a new Office for Postal Management? I - the Honourable Member for Diatraba - am somewhat unsure of what the Honourable Member for the Muse of the West Country is propsing? Would she be so greatful as to enlighten me?

Yours, as ever, a cordial friend

The Honourable Member for Diatraba

"This is not a centralization of postal services, it is an agreement to guarantee the timely and efficient delivery of international mail. Why in the name of all the saints would you want some committee or office created to micromanage the postal services of every nation?" Brikkel sputtered, annoyed that this question was coming up once again, "Should your own nation wish to centralize everything, that is entirely up to you. The rest of us just want our mail delivered."

[Tzorsland]

I note that the error that results in hazardous materials only being considered hazardous if their included in a package maliciously is still present. As a result the Rogue Nation of Flibbleites consideres this resolution to be flawed and is automatically opposed.

Bob Flibble
WA Representative

While technically speaking 2b defines “hazardous materials” clause 4b allows nations to prohibit items though their system “including but not limited to hazardous or illegal materials,” effectively allowing nations to limit almost anything should they be so inclined.

Including my wine bottles … I’m getting annoyed now.

[Grays Harbor]

I note that the error that results in hazardous materials only being considered hazardous if their included in a package maliciously is still present. As a result the Rogue Nation of Flibbleites consideres this resolution to be flawed and is automatically opposed.

Bob Flibble
WA Representative

While technically speaking 2b defines “hazardous materials” clause 4b allows nations to prohibit items though their system “including but not limited to hazardous or illegal materials,” effectively allowing nations to limit almost anything should they be so inclined.

Including my wine bottles … I’m getting annoyed now.

Please rest assured that should they be properly packed, my nation has never turned away a fine wine. Proper packing being the operative words there, fine glass shards packed in wine-soaked packing materials not being among our favorites. Of course, should business prove lucrative enough, sending them via the standard method of shipping containers on board merchant ships or aircraft may prove more efficient. This proposal is geared more towards letters and packages. Unless of course some of your wine merchants conduct a small mail order business, then that is certainly acceptable to us.

[Omigodtheykilledkenny]

As far as I am aware, resolution debates don't have tech levels, and they're always open.

At any rate, this is carelessly worded, even with the watchful eye of its "editor," Charlotte Ryberg. I have no vote in the WA, so my symbolic against vote will not be recorded, but rest assured my delegate will hear of this.

[Tzorsland]

Please rest assured that should they be properly packed, my nation has never turned away a fine wine. Proper packing being the operative words there, fine glass shards packed in wine-soaked packing materials not being among our favorites. Of course, should business prove lucrative enough, sending them via the standard method of shipping containers on board merchant ships or aircraft may prove more efficient. This proposal is geared more towards letters and packages. Unless of course some of your wine merchants conduct a small mail order business, then that is certainly acceptable to us.

[float=right][/float]We thank the delegate of Grays Harbor for his kind words. Our vineyards are still too small to ship in large quantities (in fact I don’t think we can fill a shipping container yet and that would limit distribution to one location only) but what we lack in quantity we make up for in quality. In fact my assistant would love to present you with a bottle of our bubbly and … I see she is already getting into the spirit of the sommelier.

[Massachussets Bay]

With all due respect to the author of this resolution, regardless of whether reasonable nations would prohibit the delivery of mail for ridiculous reasons (although the definition of "ridiculous reasons" may vary — a country that prohibits the consumption or production of alcohol could reasonably, in its own eyes, at least, prohibit the transportation of alcohol through its territory, e.g.), the fact remains that an unreasonable nation could abuse operative clause (4b) to essentially opt out of this resolution by prohibiting, e.g., things of foreign origin from traveling through its territory.

As such, the Commonwealth will oppose this ineffective resolution.

Regards,
Marc Antoine
Member of the General Court
Ambassador to the World Assembly
Commonwealth of Massachussets Bay, Berkshire, Cape Cod, and Nantucket

[Zivenzia]

What is ineffective about it? We applaud this step forward in International Postal Cooperation, and encourage all WA members to vote yes on it.

That an "unreasonable" nation may subvert clauses of any resolution for their own purposes is a concern, however, that can happen with any resolution. We would like to think that "reasonable" far outnumbers the "unreasonable".

[Charlotte Ryberg]

With all due respect to the author of this resolution, regardless of whether reasonable nations would prohibit the delivery of mail for ridiculous reasons (although the definition of "ridiculous reasons" may vary — a country that prohibits the consumption or production of alcohol could reasonably, in its own eyes, at least, prohibit the transportation of alcohol through its territory, e.g.), the fact remains that an unreasonable nation could abuse operative clause (4b) to essentially opt out of this resolution by prohibiting, e.g., things of foreign origin from traveling through its territory.

As such, the Commonwealth will oppose this ineffective resolution.

Regards,
Marc Antoine
Member of the General Court
Ambassador to the World Assembly
Commonwealth of Massachussets Bay, Berkshire, Cape Cod, and Nantucket

Ms. HARPER (CHARLOTTE RYBERG): Honoured ambassador, I do respect the fact that some member states are indeed extreme, but resolutions were written with the reasonable nation theory in mind... a majority of them. Now, it is impossible to satisfy the censoring material that could expose national secrets or bring about scandalous libel completely, without running the risk of having it abused by some nation later on. This resolution deals with postal items and postal administrations, not commercial freight transport (ultimately, size naturally determines whether the item could be posted through the postal service, or parcel service, or whatever... postal administration, for short).

The READING CLERK: That's it, honoured ambassador Ms. Harper! Use freight to send the PS3 to me! Oh wait, the railways are on strike back home.

Ms. HARPER (CHARLOTTE RYBERG): Then again, no resolution in the WA can prevent a general strike in the holiday season.

[The Cielo Islands]

I don't see this doing anything other than sucking another industry away from the nations and regions of this game.

[Charlotte Ryberg]

I don't see this doing anything other than sucking another industry away from the nations and regions of this game.

Honoured ambassador, you are misinterpreting the principle of free trade. This resolution is actually making it easier for private postal services to operate.

[Zivenzia]

I don't see this doing anything other than sucking another industry away from the nations and regions of this game.

The Post Office is an industry? Since when? Did you even read past the title?

And how does this take anything away from anybody? That is a very vague and specious argument.

It guarantees international delivery of mail, not freight, not commercial shipping companies, not airlines; Mail.

[Grays Harbor]

I don't see this doing anything other than sucking another industry away from the nations and regions of this game.

Honoured ambassador, you are misinterpreting the principle of free trade. This resolution is actually making it easier for private postal services to operate.

Concur. And this is coming from one of the lead proponents of "The WA needs to keep their hands off the micromanage button" crowd.

This is a resolution to improve mail handling between nations, not the creation of one big world postal service, and those who try to turn the argument to that are either not reading the resolution or perverting it to suit their argument.

[Barrettstia]

"I concur most wholeheartedly with my esteemed colleague from Grays Harbour," announced Ambassador Lia McEsrov, "The resolution puts into international law what I would trust has already long been the policy of all sensible governments. The Federation will give it our support."

[A mean old man]

Supported.

[A mean old man]

Congrats - it looks like the Lemming King decided to cast his vote in favor of your resolution.

[Areith]

The CommonWealth of Areith whole-heartedly supports this resolution and looks forward to seeing it's citizens recieving male from far away relatives and friends at a much quicker pace than has been demonstrated in the past.

The one thing we note, having read the bill once is as follows. War-time countries usually tend to see buildings-especially governmental buildings blow up. I'd hate to have my letters not get delivered simply because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time and got turned into ash.

That stated, common sense would dictate mail to avoid warring countries anyway, and if this proves an issue an amendment can be added.

[Glen-Rhodes]

Loopholes galore. Even if the proposal has fixed the horrible vagueness of 'freedom of transit' with 2a.ii, the entire proposal is effectively nullified by allowing nations to ban entire troves of international mail. For those delegations uninterested in dissecting things for themselves, the following is a simplified restatement of each article:

1. We're creating an international postal union.

2.a.i. Postal services must deliver mail no matter what, to wherever the mail needs to be delivered. It can be implied that national postal services can set up shop in other nations and steal their customers.

2.a.ii. Wait, we realized that implication and, instead of writing a better definition, we simply state that the above doesn't imply that!

2b. Hazardous materials. These can only exist if they're in a package, maliciously. Removing packages with unintentionally-placed hazardous materials may or may not be legal. More on that later.

3. That stuff in article 2 applies to letters, by the way. If you don't like it, go to Article 4.

4. a) If you're 'engaged in hostilities' with a nation (which means practically anything, considering how many things fall under 'trade dispute'), you don't have to follow the rules of this resolution in regards to mail from that nation.
b) Feel free to determine how you handle hazardous material (please note the definition of hazardous material, however!), as well as what mail your nation will receive and deliver. If you thought that this resolution forced your nation to deliver non-hazardous mail, and you couldn't find a legitimate way to distort the 'trade dispute' clause, please note that this is your out.

5a-b. Coupons. These are supposed to ensure that people aren't charged for receiving a letter, if my memory serves me right. If you don't like this, please go to Article 6.

6. You can charge people for receiving a letter.

7-8. Unimportant fluff.

I'm surprised this got through council. It's practically optional.

[float=left]Dr. Bradford William Castro

Ambassador-at-Large,
Permanent Chief of Mission for World Assembly affairs,
the Commonwealth of Glen-Rhodes[/float][float=right][/float]

[The Rich Port]

If you ask me, there isn't that much to argue here. It's a frickin' postal service, for Christ's Sake. Now I can get my nukes on time! APPROVED.

[Ethan Oglesbee]

Though there may be safe guards that will be set in place after the creation of the IPU, I feel that this resolution leaves too many holes in policy that could make it easier to smuggle items from nation to nation. If the resolution would be revised to more clearly define what authority each individual nation would still hold to screen the mail being delivered by the IPU I would be more inclined to vote for it. Until then I regrettably with have to oppose this resolution and hopefully others will see my concern. I would like to make it clear, though, that i do in fact support this idea, I am just worried about execution.

On behalf of the Empire,
Ethan Oglesbee

[Barrettstia]

"I would presume, Mr Oglesbee," Lia countered, "That unless they're prohibited by the resolution itself then the Member State would have full authority to impose whatever measures it wishes. Indeed, the fact that we may prevent the transport of harmful materials would suggest we are allowed some means to check packages for such materials and prevent their movements. At least, that's the approach my nation will be taking."