Meeting for the North [IC, Closed]

[Azmara]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Aalmsted, Azmara

Outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, two podiums stood up. The one to the left prominently displayed an azure fleur de lys, commonly known as a symbol of the Azmaran Government, with the state's motto, "Stranghed komeþ fan galykhed en ânhed.", surrounding it on the edges. A typical podium for an Azmaran government minister to make announcements from. However, the one next to it showed rather different symbology - the coat of arms of Glytter, with a unicorn flanking each side of the badge.

This was a joint press conference, between the new Foreign Minister of Azmara and the Taoiseach of Glytter. It would be Aleksaander Erykssun's first commitment as Foreign Minister after the resignation of his predecessor, Liis Jonsdohter from politics. While he had been Foreign Minister for barely a week, he had served in the Foreign Affairs committee in the Folksmot ever since he became the first Green MP back in the 1990s.

The sexagenarian was sitting just inside the Ministry's door, waiting to go out and start the press conference. Next to him sat the Taoiseach of Glytter, the man who he would do the press conference with. While Erykssun's political philosophy of green politics differed from the centre-right libertarianism of the Taoiseach, he had a great respect for the Glytteronian government, and saw their nation as a great ally of Azmara.

Erykssun quickly looked over his notes one more time. It was mostly stuff he could remember off the top of his head; even the bits that had been written by his predecessor before her resignation were familiar to him now. Hopefully he wouldn't have to refer to them; however, it was better for him to have to look at the cards to answer a journalist's questions than to have no clue what the journalists were asking him.

It was time for him to go out and do the conference. He opened the door of the building onto the street outside the Ministry, where the podiums were placed, waved to the reporters and cameramen and walked up to the podium with the fleur de lys on it.

Just after he got to the podium, a journalist from The Informer, Azmara's leading centre-left broadsheet, asked "What are you going to do to reduce carbon emissions in Northern Euclea?"

[The Kingdom of Glitter]

To put it bluntly, Frank didn't give a shit about carbon emissions. He certainly didn't want to see them cut either. Unlike his predecessors, he maintained no personal guilt over Glytter's contribution to global carbon emissions as a fossil fuels expert. "If we have it and they want to buy it, it isn't our fault if they use it" he'd often remark cynically in cabinet meetings. It didn't help that he was the former COO of the state oil company either. But, this was one instance where he had to moderate himself. Being the pragmatic snake he was, he could slither his was out of - or into - anything he needed.

"The Glytteronian government remains firmly committed to the agreements reached and targets set by the Community of Nations, the Euclean Community, and the Northern Forum" he responded.

"We continue to support the use of nuclear and renewable power as a source of energy for both the developed and developing world".

Never mind the fact that he personally ordered the budget that subsidized the cost of delivered nuclear and renewable energy to places like Bahia.

"The Foreign Minister, and earlier Prime Minister Jorśsun, had a fruitful discussion on future joint Azmaran-Glytteronian energy initiatives within the Northern Forum and the EC. I look forward to a continued sense of cooperation between our two governments he finished.

"Next question please".

A hand from J. G. McGavock, one of the lead journalists from An Iris Spálgleann shot up. While the paper was remarkably centre-left and had a strong anti-Liberty, and even stronger anti-Casarnach, tilt Frank loved a challenge. He liked to save the softballs for last.

"Yes, Ms. McGavock" Frank said as he pointed to the reporter.

"Thank you, Mr. Taoiseach".

Frank cringed. The informality of "Ms." or "Mr. Taoiseach" that his predecessors were so foolishly comfortable with was so demeaning to him.

"You say that you support the nuclear and renewable power in the developing world, but recently under your government's budget cuts that funding as dried up. How can you claim to support such an initiative while pulling that funding?"

Oh, J.G. he thought to himself. J.G., J.G., J.G.

"Thank you, Ms. McGavock" Frank replied. "While it is my position and the position of this government that nuclear and renewable energy are a responsible alternative to the carbon-emitting fossil fuels, I believe it is not Glytter's responsibility to pay for other nations to make that switch. We have responsibilities at home. Take care of ourselves, then we can take care of the world".

"But you've cut funding across the board to everything but the military, how can yo-".

"That is all for now, thank you Ms. McGavock" Frank said as he dismissed her followup question. "Next question please".

Cathleen O'Neil, GBF Online's foreign correspondent and perhaps the heaviest hitter in the room, stood out among the press gaggle.

"Yes, Ms. O'Neil" Frank said, accepting her question.

"Thank you, Your Excellency. Minister Erykssun, Was there any discussion of the proposed pipeline, potentially the third, that would run Glytteronian oil through Norday and to Werania and eventually the rest of the EC" she inquired.

[Azmara]

“As an environmentalist I have had... concerns about the effect of a pipeline, and so has my predecessor. These concerns have been made vocal to the other members of the Northern Forum, and we feel they had been taken into consideration by the other governments of this regional organisation. However, it is not an issue that particularly affects the Azmaran nation, and thus whatever stance we have on it is not as relevant as some appear to think it is; while our concerns do not go unappreciated this is more something for Werania and Norday to decide than the Commonwealth of Azmara.”

A journalist from the controversial, often ridiculed Azmaran tabloid The Nation was next to pose a question.

“Mr Casarnach, what is your opinion on the continued undermining of the sovereignty of smaller nations such as Glytter and Azmara in favour of the Euclean Community’s larger powers such as Werania and Gaullica?”

[The Kingdom of Glitter]

Frank paused for a moment before responding.

"That's where organizations like the Northern Forum come into play. An alliance of like-minded states with mutual interests. Each of us remains committed to the Euclean Experiment and the ideals that embody it. However, we also recognize the danger of giving one state too much power within the Community. It is a community at its core, and that community should strive to be one of equals. No one state should set the agenda and no one state should dictate our course of action" he answered.

His response was more inline with his personal ideology more than anything else. However, there were glimmers of traditional Glytteronian foreign policy present. Glytter favored a more equal union, one that sought to level the disparity between population size and wealth of states. It conceded that citizens should be represented proportionately of course, but it questioned the means to achieve that representation. Casarnach's predecessor as Foreign Minister, Toran O'Ryder, favored a "Euclea of Regions" approach over a "Euclea of Nations". This meant that the traditional nation states did not have as much say at a Continental level, rather their subdivisions did. It was national subdivisions that would serve as the constituencies to elect MEPs and national subdivisions that would start to receive the bulk of the EC funding. This proposal failed to gain traction, and even Walker during her tenure as Taoiseach tended to snub the approach. The sovereignty of member-states and national identity ultimately mattered more in her view. Frank agreed.

He dismissed the reporter after answering to his own liking. "Next question, please" he said as the scanned the room. He locked eyes with a reporter from COXX News, an ally of his within the media. Not yet, he hoped to signal with his eyes. He continued his search.

"Mr. ó Súilleabháin" he said as he pointed to a journalist from TRN, Glytter's public broadcaster.

"Thank you, sir. This one is for both of you. Was climate change treated as a pressing issue in your discussions earlier today? As nation's with significant coastlines, Azmara and Glytter in addition to the rest of the Northern Forum look to be on the front lines of coastal erosion. Do you suspect there will be a common approach to the issue?" he asked.

[Azmara]

"I can assure you that I have advocated for efforts to reduce the impact of climate change. Not only is Azmara a country with a significant coastline, but also one that is relatively low-lying, and thus one that will feel the impact of rising sea levels in the future. Thus, I feel it is vital that we do address this issue, and this is why my political career has been with Groonpartii. I am aware that some of the other leaders in the Northern Forum do not share my stance on climate change, but I can assure you that I personally have worked hard to ensure that climate change does not have an adverse effect on Azmara. My colleagues in the Cabinet have helped in trying to reduce Azmara's own carbon emissions; if you are in doubt about this look at my colleague, Isabela Krysdohter's plans on expansion of the use of solar and wind power, and I have worked with my colleagues in other governments to try and apply this approach outside of this nation, as Azmara's own efforts to reduce climate change are like trying to clear a pile of straw by removing a single piece."

Knowing the man standing next to him didn't seem to care about the environment, he deflected the question towards him.

"I am sure my colleague would like to weigh in on this issue."

[The Kingdom of Glitter]

"As an island nation, Glytter faces an existential threat from coastal erosion" Frank began to answer, continuing where Erykssun left off.

"We must be proactive in fighting the effects of coastal erosion every step of that way. We cannot afford to wait until flooding begins to work to prevent it. We know it is coming, that is a given. Sea levels are rising whether we want them to or not, whether some of us cut carbon emissions now or not. Regardless, the damage is done and flooding is imminent. Comprehensive initiatives that seek to build floodgates and seawalls in vulnerable areas will allow us to effectively combat flooding. I look forward to working with our partners in the Northern Forum to combat this threat and I hope that my government will be able to lead by example in our preventative approach" he said.

He moved quickly to prevent his colleague from adding anything else.

"Now, I believe we have time for one more final question. Aleksaander, I hope you don't mind if I do the honor" Frank asked rhetorically. He was going to proceed regardless of an answer, and before the Foreign Minister could respond hands were in the air and he was ready.

He looked straight out into the crowd, ignoring most faces. He already knew who he would be calling on.

"Michael" he said pointing to the journalist from COXX News he had previously ignored.

The reporter stood from his chair and faced the Taoiseach.

"Thank you, Your Excellency. Early Tuesday morning the members of the Euclean Convention met in the Floren capital to discuss EC policy regarding Etruria. You were notably absent from that meeting. Since assuming the office, you have taken a silent approach to Etruria. Does your silence on the issue continue now that the EC looks to pursue further sanctions on Etruria, and the Euclean Parliament will be voting to implement new sanctions later today?" he asked.

Frank was smitten with himself. This question was the whole point of this press conference, from his perspective at least. That is why he had Michael ask it, after all.

"Ah yes, thank you Mr. MacDuff" he replied.

"Etruria has present a routine challenge for the Euclean Community. The sanctions we are seeing are temporary measures and they can be rolled-back should the rule of law be restored in Etruria. It is foolish to assume that these sanctions are permanent fixtures. To do so fundamentally misses the point of implementing sanctions in the first place" Frank continued. A number of the reporters in the room showed visible signs of confusion. He had publicly broken with the EC-line on Etruria, but not privately. He knew what he was doing, so did Walker, so did the rest.

"The Euclean Community simply wants to see the rule of law to be restored. Should the Tribune government achieve this, and they alter inherently undemocratic features of recent law, I am more than confident Kesselbourg will be reviewing the sanctions implemented" he paused for a moment, taking a sip of water from the glass on his podium.

He went on. "There is common ground that can be achieved. In order to ensure that it is met, I am hoping to reestablish diplomatic ties with the Etrurian government. How can we seek a reproach and a mutual understanding if we refuse to speak to one another? We must reopen diplomatic channels and begin to pursue a productive dialogue once more".

Shouts filled the room as hands shot up. Nearly everyone in the room had a question they desperately wanted answered. They would have to wait.

"Sanctions are temporary in their nature, wouldn't you agree?" Frank said as he looked to his colleague.

"Traditionally yes" he replied.

"My point exactly. That is all for now, thank you to the Minister and his government for hosting me today. It has been a pleasure".