12 November-Last Updated 18:00 ACST-For facts and truth in a dangerous world
THE PRIME MINISTER Roger Lucas will make his first foreign visit to the Empire of Elerrina to discuss the Southern Trade Initiative Pact, a series of major free trade deals signed between Afalia and Elerrina in the mid twentieth century. The visit, unplanned at the beginning of Mr Lucas' premiership, comes after the Emperor of Elerrina suggested that the set of trade deals were 'un-wanted' and indicated he would move to scrap or radically overhaul the deals which have been a bedrock of Afalia-Elerrina economic and foreign relations for decades. Mr Lucas is set to meet the Emperor to discuss the trade deals which have wide support across Afalia, including from the Prime Minister himself who told journalists on Sunday that 'the STIP deals are an essential element of Afalia's foreign relations. Long before we ever thought of joining the Belisarian Community the STIP deals gave us access to a massive regional market and has benefitted Afalians enormously.'
The talks come after His Imperial Majesty Tindómon, controversially invoked Article 2 of the country's Winge Convention, an article that allowed the Emperor to not appoint a Prime Minister and instead take over executive functions as a dual head of state and head of government. Tindómon's decision made him the first Emperor of Elerrina in over two hundred years to take control in this manner. Commentators and analysts have suggested that much of Tindómon's decisions will likely reflect conservative political elements within the Empire who have tended to be critical of the trade deals and embraced isolationist tendencies.
Clarifying his opposition to any changes to the STIP deals a press statement from Fairfax House today confirmed that, 'The Prime Minister and all members of the Conservative Party support the STIP deals as they now stand. We believe they are enormously beneficial to both Afalian citizens and Elerrina and the Prime Minister looks forward to making this point in a friendly and productive manner with His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor, and his honourable assistants and advisors. Afalia and Elerrina have enjoyed warm relations for many decades and the Prime Minister looks forward to continuing to strengthen and build this relationship to an even greater strength.'
Mr Lucas has come under fire from some members of his own party as well as the opposition Liberals for what they have described as 'hypocrisy' over his attitude towards the STIP free trade deals. Earlier this week Mr Lucas told MPs in the Commons that his office was continuing to work at 're-assessing Afalia's 2000 free trade deal with the Belisarian Community', another indication that the Prime Minister, despite opposition from a large portion of his own party, intends to move towards re-negotiation or withdrawal from the deal. Speaking to journalists at an informal Q and A this morning the leader of the opposition and former Prime Minister Jessica Shaw told journalists she was surprised at Mr Lucas' policy, 'Obviously I'm pleased the Prime Minister intends to go to Elerrina and fight for the STIP deals but I must say I'm surprised he's so passionately in favour of this trade deal and so passionately suspicious of our, much bigger, deal with the Belisarian Community.
Reportedly, there had been discussions with the Blackdonian Palace over the Queen joining the Prime Minister in his visit but the recent birth of the Queen's daughter, Her Royal Highness Princess Lucia, made this impractical. Mr Lucas will be joined on the trip by the new foreign secretary Randolph Dummett, as well as the trade secretary Lisa Marsh.
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