Trade Negotiations: Adiron and Neue Regensburg

[Neue Regensburg]

State Minister Adam Marius sat down with his counterpart in the Ministry of the Economy, Tanja Deutel. Adam is far more conservative, a member of the Reactionary Party, than Tanja, a card-carrying member of the Liberals. This being said, they were the two younger members of the Cabinet, and they get on quite well. "So, Tanja, I wanted to discuss something with you. We know the Council and College want to move on from our period of isolation. However, so far, all that has been accomplished is an expeditionary force stuck at the docks in Valik. I'm sure Eisenherz has half a mind to order airstrikes on Valikgrad without approval, things keep going the way they are. Adiron has the same democratic values as us, as much as I hate to admit it, and..." Tanja cut him off, "Let me guess. The first step to any sort of alliance involves good relations. Since my views are more similar to Adiron's and trade is the easiest way, short of assisting a military effort, to improve relations..." Adam nodded. "We're on the same page. Let's draft a letter to their State Department." Tanja asked Adam, "Do you ever shut up." The man laughed. "Never."

Prospect of Talks Between Neue Regensburg & Adiron

From:
Adam Marius, der Minister für Staat
Tanja Deutel, die Ministerin für Wirtschaft
To: Amy Bailey, Secretary of State

Secretary Bailey,
It is our great honor and pleasure to address an esteemed representative of a bastion of democratic values in Cornellia, such as Adiron. We hope you and your family are well, and that your nation continues to prosper.

We believe that it is in the best interests of both of our nations to open up talks regarding trade and better relations. Regensburg has plentiful natural resources, from sugar and cocoa on the south shore to cotton in the Latin north, and the coal mines of Espoir to the maple groves of Érablière. However, despite the fact that our industry is recovering, the effect that the Red insurgency has had has not yet been fully erased, and our nation has a shortage of both consumer items and some military equipment.

If this prospect interests the Republic of Adiron, we look forward to your response. Regardless if this prospect interests the Republic, we bid you good health and fortune now and into the future.

Sincerely,
Adam Marius
Tanja Deutel

[Hittanryan]

To: Adam Marius, der Minister für Staat
Tanja Deutel, die Ministerin für Wirtschaft
From: The Office of Amy Bailey, Secretary of State
Subject: Trade
Encryption: Moderate

Ministers,

I thank you for your kind words and hope that you are enjoying warmer April weather than we are here. It is entirely appropriate that our nations establish greater ties to one another. It gives me great hope that Neue Regensburg continues its progress towards reconstruction and recovery.

If I might be so bold as to offer a few words of encouragement, it was not so long ago that my nation was in a similar situation to your own. Your government's commitment to democratic values and individual freedoms gives me every reason to believe that Neue Regensburg has a bright future ahead.

It would be my intention and hope that trade between our two peoples will be of mutual benefit to our all citizens of our nations. Adiron certainly has much to offer in that regard which we are prepared to discuss at greater length if you would like. What does your government have in mind?

Amy Bailey
Secretary of State

[Neue Regensburg]

Re: Trade

From: Adam Marius, der Minister für Staat
Tanja Deutel, die Ministerin für Wirtschaft
To: The Office of Amy Bailey, Secretary of State

Secretary,

We would firstly like to thank you for the words of encouragement. Though we will never get back the friends and family that we lost, the fact that Adiron's democracy recovered from such a situation gives us hope for the future. The weather here is indeed nice, though we have the benefit of Kronstadt being in the Upper Valley. It is almost unbearable in the south, save for winter time.

It gives us great pleasure to say that the Kingdom has every intention of pursuing trade with free societies like Adiron, and we would like to proceed with negotiations between our embassies and specialist staff. The Regensburger Ambassador to Adiron and his economic officers are very capable diplomats and economists, and the diplomatic and economic reputation of your nation has always been superb.

We hope that your family and country remain well, and extend our most heartfelt wish that summer comes early to Adiron.

Most Sincerely,
Adam Marius
Tanja Deutel

[Hittanryan]

To: Adam Marius, der Minister für Staat
Tanja Deutel, die Ministerin für Wirtschaft
From: The Office of Amy Bailey, Secretary of State
Subject: Trade
Encryption: Moderate

Ministers,

A meeting at the embassy level seems most appropriate, although my department is open to any format of your choosing, naturally. If agreeable to your government, we would like to first discuss what such an agreement might look like in a broad sense and look into some of the key details. My office will be in contact with yours for matters concerning scheduling and protocol, and with that taken care of our embassy will be in touch.

Before we proceed further, I would ask at this time if such a dialogue will be limited strictly to the subject of trade. After all, the Republic considers all free, democratic nations to be natural allies, as democracy is the one national interest which helps secure all the others. In such uncertain times as these the need for more direct cooperation between nations is more pressing than ever.

Amy Bailey
Secretary of State

[Neue Regensburg]

Re: Trade

From: Adam Marius, der Minister für Staat
Tanja Deutel, die Ministerin für Wirtschaft
To: The Office of Amy Bailey, Secretary of State

Secretary,

We find the idea of negotiations at the embassy level entirely appropriate, however the fact that you were willing to let us chooses the format of our negotiations makes us incredibly grateful. We are also open to your suggestion that proceedings start by painting a general picture. We will be glad to stay in touch as we get the ball rolling here,

Regarding the extent to which the relationship between our two nations should go, Regensburg has just emerged from a very long and turbulent period of isolation. With this in mind, we are keen to interact with other nations across the region in a greater capacity. Having a friend such as Adiron would never be a bad thing, and we would be more than willing to stand beside your nation in defense of the cornerstone of human rights and meaningful progress, democracy.

Most Sincerely,

Adam Marius
Tanja Deutel

[Hittanryan]

Adiran Embassy
Kronstadt

Adiran diplomacy with Neue Regensburg had been a bit touch and go. About a decade ago, the Adiran Embassy in Kronstadt had temporarily closed and evacuated as fighting broke out in the city. The violence in the capital ended relatively quickly with much of the fighting taking place in the countryside, but all of Neue Regensburg was now in some way dealing with the realities of civil war. The newly-elected President DeGroot had made an abortive attempt at humanitarian aid when the Second Burnt Hills War broke out, forcing Adiron to look to its own security first. Neue Regensburg’s civil war dragged on in the intervening years as Adiron grew preoccupied with Arcologia and several overseas affairs in Acheron.

With the civil war over, it was possible, however unlikely, that things might start to go back to normal. Some semblance of the Kingdom’s prewar government survived and seemed to be slowly relinquishing wartime emergency powers. Neue Regensburg’s political and ethnic divisions were still present, but the extremists for now at least were out of government—or out of resources. Apparently this was good enough for the State Department to make a go of it.

The Adiran Embassy was a sturdy brick building with a perimeter fence and a gatehouse. On the day of the meeting it wasn’t open to the public and the grounds were largely quiet. A black state car with tinted windows was waiting at the front door.

Ambassador Theodore ‘Ted’ Murphy was a slightly lanky man with sharp features. He was on his cell phone making his way to his office. His tone was almost businesslike. “…all right Jill, hope you two have a good time in Avantine. Tell Kate to give me a call whenever you find her again. Right. Talk to you later.”

Waiting in his office was a man of average height who seemed like he had recently been in good shape but starting to go to pot from a more sedentary lifestyle. As he entered, Murphy said “Mr. Quinn, I fear I have a last second addition.” Murphy walked over to his desk and glanced at a few things there.

“Oh? What’s that, Mr. Ambassador? Is it about the tariffs?” Quinn replied.

“No, this isn’t on trade. Not your specialty I know, but I do think we need to at least bring up this bizarre incident in San Carlo,” Quinn replied, glancing up at him and back at a paper sitting there.

Quinn looked dubious, perhaps even pained. “Are you sure that’s necessary, sir? They’ve gone straight to a Cabinet level meeting. Do we need to start out on that foot?”

“Afraid so,” Murphy said, flipping through a folder briefly and closing it as he spoke. “I’m afraid we’re holding this meeting just after the whole thing hit the papers. Can’t disregard Seville.”

“Yes, I suppose so, Seville or the OAS…perhaps during a recess we can smooth it over,” Quinn offered.

“Well maybe, but I would get some kind of comment on record. Otherwise we’ve got nothing for Seville,” Murphy explained. “And it was criminal by the sound of it. Don’t worry, we won’t lead with it, maybe even end with it, but we can’t just let it go. We have standards. There should be some kind of accountability.”

“I understand,” Quinn said, sighing.

“I know, Orville,” Murphy said, collecting a stack of papers. “How unfortunate it is that Cornellian republics and democracies can always seem to find more reasons to bicker than band together.”

Quinn looked a bit puzzled by this; Murphy clearly missed his point, but Quinn didn’t say anything in response as Murphy headed for the door.

“Shall we?” Murphy prompted him.

“Car’s waiting, sir,” Quinn replied.

The pair of them made their way out to the waiting Cabrera LC6, an Adiran full size sedan. It was armored due to the security situation in the country. The car pulled out through the gate and started to make its way towards the Ministry of State.

[Neue Regensburg]

The streets of Kronstadt were as such, that you could hardly tell a war was fought in the country just last year. The old fashioned, stone architecture gave off the vibe of a well-off city in the Middle Ages, and the cobbled sidewalks and bike lanes were as big as the streets. Between the mix of Baroque, Romanesque and Gothic architecture were a few bombed out shells of buildings, casualties of the Battle of Kronstadt. Those were quickly overshadowed by the surviving architectural wonders, including the intricate Symphony House and the Three Peoples’ Park, a colossal green space with swathes of protected woods, statues commemorating the history of the country, and a national history museum on site.

There were Sovereign Guard police patrolling in squad cars and on foot, but more militarized Guard units could be mobilized at the drop of a hat. These men did not wear the blue patrol jackets/uniforms or suits and ties of cops, but instead Special Operations uniforms. The only difference was in the dress uniform, the Guardsmen’s uniforms main colors crimson instead of black. A unit of four were dressed as such, with concealed collapsible- or foldable-stock K4 sub machine guns under their uniforms, pistols concealed in holsters covered by the uniform. They had the mission to escort the Adrians safely from the entrance of the Ministry of State building to the conference room.

Marius and Deutel sat in a conference room in the once-ornate Ministry of State building, a Gothic building with clear Greco-Roman inspiration. It could be mistaken for a church, like many buildings in Regensburg. The decorations that had once adorned it were removed to pay for food during the war. They included golden chalices, priceless paintings and other relics of past ages. They spoke softly about what the Adrians might think about them.

“We did just fight a war on our own soil. The Executive has a lot of power that these emissaries may disapprove of.” This was Minister Deutel. Minister Marius responded, saying, “It is an unfortunate reality, and they might frown upon the measures His Majesty had to take during the course of the war, but the thing is, I’m more concerned about the Gallinium scandal. Despite the... security... implications, neither the corporation itself or our counterparts in Intelligence and Defense managed to contact either of our offices.”

Deutel sighed. “Because of Gallinium’s colossal screw-up, the College of Electors is looking towards Gothica Innovations instead. The problem is, I’m not sure if we can afford to switch to a higher quality company.”

Marius nodded. “I was talking to the Minister of the Interior, he said that the costs would run over 3 million thalers. That’s a lot of mouths that we could feed.”

The sad reality is, before the war, Regensburg had been on an aggressive path to a modern future. Too aggressive, and the workers had revolted. They would have had a decent shot at forming diplomatic ties with countries much earlier, but now, it seemed that any progress, in any arena, would move along at a snail’s pace.

[Hittanryan]

Looking out the window on the drive over, at one point Murphy commented “I look forward to the day when we aren’t looking at the scars of war, when there are no armed soldiers on every corner of the capital, when the emergency is over. Democracies should give each other a hand up. What about you, Quinn?”

After a moment, Quinn said “One step at a time, Mr. Ambassador. Let’s remember they’re expecting trade talks first. You talk to most folks, they’re just trying to earn a living like anywhere else. That means trade’s the place to start.”

“Quinn, ever the skeptic,” Murphy said, shaking his head as the car stopped at a traffic light.

Quinn frowned. “I wouldn’t call myself a skeptic, sir. Just trying to stay focused on today.”

The car pulled up to the State Ministry and was received by their greeting party. The two Adirans briefly glanced at the Guards’ weapons as they left the car, but after that made no further acknowledgement of them. They’d gotten used to the fact that this was just the way things were here now, even if Murphy was eager to transition to peacetime. It seemed harder to imagine that with the Ministry’s utterly Spartan interior, stripped of virtually all frills.

Eventually they entered the conference room where they found Deutel and Marius. Unless they were all in position already with some kind of formal greeting prepared, Murphy entered the room and approached them. “Ministers, nice meet you both in person at last. Ted Murphy.” He offered each of them a handshake. “And this is Orville Quinn, our numbers man.”

“Your Excellencies, glad to be here,” Quinn said, offering his own handshake.

[Neue Regensburg]

Looking out the window on the drive over, at one point Murphy commented “I look forward to the day when we aren’t looking at the scars of war, when there are no armed soldiers on every corner of the capital, when the emergency is over. Democracies should give each other a hand up. What about you, Quinn?”

After a moment, Quinn said “One step at a time, Mr. Ambassador. Let’s remember they’re expecting trade talks first. You talk to most folks, they’re just trying to earn a living like anywhere else. That means trade’s the place to start.”

“Quinn, ever the skeptic,” Murphy said, shaking his head as the car stopped at a traffic light.

Quinn frowned. “I wouldn’t call myself a skeptic, sir. Just trying to stay focused on today.”

The car pulled up to the State Ministry and was received by their greeting party. The two Adirans briefly glanced at the Guards’ weapons as they left the car, but after that made no further acknowledgement of them. They’d gotten used to the fact that this was just the way things were here now, even if Murphy was eager to transition to peacetime. It seemed harder to imagine that with the Ministry’s utterly Spartan interior, stripped of virtually all frills.

Eventually they entered the conference room where they found Deutel and Marius. Unless they were all in position already with some kind of formal greeting prepared, Murphy entered the room and approached them. “Ministers, nice meet you both in person at last. Ted Murphy.” He offered each of them a handshake. “And this is Orville Quinn, our numbers man.”

“Your Excellencies, glad to be here,” Quinn said, offering his own handshake.

The DPF forces stood guard at the door, and Marius and Deutel shook hands with the Adirans. "It's an honor to have you here, gentlemen. I hope your families are well and that your nation continues to prosper," Marius started, Deutel echoing the sentiment. The Economy and State Ministers took their seats. Regensburg was desperate to recover from the war. In Germania, progress had been made, but Gallia was in ruins. Dilapidated housing, land mines and bombed out stores and apartments littered the streets. In addition, their emergence onto the world stage complicated matters. They needed to show the region that they were not the type of nation that could be conquered, but maintaining a decent military cost money that was scarce, and supplies that they didn't have. A trade deal could help with this, and the security benefits of a friend like Adiron could be huge.

"Shall we begin?" asked Deutel, ready to begin the talks. Both Ministers were nervous, but they had important work to do. "I guess the first thing that is on our nation's agenda is rebuilding the areas devastated by civil war. We have plenty of resources, but money has been tight. We are willing to trade generously for any amount of investment."

[Hittanryan]

Both of the Adirans took their seats as the meeting began, Quinn unpacking a folder from a briefcase while Murphy sat with his hands folded on the desk.

“Of course reconstruction is one of your nation’s top priorities. I understand your government is rebuilding much like Adiron had to back in the 80s. I’m excited that we might play a part in this,” Murphy said, pausing a moment. “But I get ahead of myself. Mr. Quinn is technically the expert on trade. Orville?”

“Thank you, Mr. Ambassador,” Quinn said, looking like he was about to start speaking but stopping himself. He seemed to settle on a response. “If you wouldn’t mind, Excellencies, let’s speak in general terms to start, just to figure out where we are on this. First of all, I’m sure Adiran markets would welcome Regensburger goods of all stripes. Something as simple as a reduction in tariffs could encourage that.”

“When you say investment, though, we need to know what that means,” Quinn pointed out, extending a hand in the Regensburgers’ general direction. “Adiron can contribute, very broadly speaking, to the reconstruction effort through government aid and private investment.”

“Which could potentially become the foundation of a strong partnership between our nations,” Murphy interjected.

Quinn looked over at Murphy but said nothing. Turning back to Marius and Deutal, Quinn explained “We have some thoughts on this. Before I go on though, gentlemen, based on Adiron’s historical experience and our best assessment of the current state of your country, would I be correct in saying that a lack of infrastructure is one of the main challenges facing reconstruction in your country?”

[Neue Regensburg]

Both of the Adirans took their seats as the meeting began, Quinn unpacking a folder from a briefcase while Murphy sat with his hands folded on the desk.

“Of course reconstruction is one of your nation’s top priorities. I understand your government is rebuilding much like Adiron had to back in the 80s. I’m excited that we might play a part in this,” Murphy said, pausing a moment. “But I get ahead of myself. Mr. Quinn is technically the expert on trade. Orville?”

“Thank you, Mr. Ambassador,” Quinn said, looking like he was about to start speaking but stopping himself. He seemed to settle on a response. “If you wouldn’t mind, Excellencies, let’s speak in general terms to start, just to figure out where we are on this. First of all, I’m sure Adiran markets would welcome Regensburger goods of all stripes. Something as simple as a reduction in tariffs could encourage that.”

“When you say investment, though, we need to know what that means,” Quinn pointed out, extending a hand in the Regensburgers’ general direction. “Adiron can contribute, very broadly speaking, to the reconstruction effort through government aid and private investment.”

“Which could potentially become the foundation of a strong partnership between our nations,” Murphy interjected.

Quinn looked over at Murphy but said nothing. Turning back to Marius and Deutal, Quinn explained “We have some thoughts on this. Before I go on though, gentlemen, based on Adiron’s historical experience and our best assessment of the current state of your country, would I be correct in saying that a lack of infrastructure is one of the main challenges facing reconstruction in your country?”

Marius looked at Murphy, then spoke. “We’re glad to be have the help of a nation such as yours in reconstructing. You would not be wrong to say that this could lay the bedrock for a firm partnership.” He noticed the bit of dissonance between the guests, but set it aside into a box in his head. Not worth thinking about. He turned to Deutel.

She began her reply by nodding at Marius, then turning to face Quinn. “Any kind of aid, government or private, would be immensely helpful st this stage in the game. You would be correct in your assessment, Mr. Quinn, we have some military infrastructure in place to ferry troops to and fro, but it is not enough at present to support large scale reconstruction efforts. Most of our civilian infrastructure, in areas that saw combat, have been destroyed or heavily damaged; our infrastructure in Nova Latium and unaffected areas of Germania, though relatively effective, is of little help in the devastated zones.”

[Hittanryan]

“Everything on the table, then,” Murphy said.

“That’s good, because some combination of aid and investment is no doubt necessary to make a real difference, if you’ll allow me to define those terms for our purposes," Quinn began. “Aid we define as a direct transfer of resources from our country to yours. It can come directly from our government or from private aid organizations, and would include grants, technical assistance, and disaster relief. Trouble with relying on aid is that it comes from either donations or taxpayers’ money; there’s only so much to go around, and there are only so many programs.”

“So the best bet for reconstruction is to also unleash capitalism. You already mentioned private investment, Minister. Getting investors in the door is the problem. They need to have confidence in a return, and Neue Regensburg at present means assuming some risk.”

“Right,” Murphy said, giving Quinn pause. “If you’ll forgive the expression, gentlemen, you’ve got a sort of chicken and egg problem in the worst hit parts of the country. You need infrastructure to attract investment, and you want investment to pay for infrastructure. Where do you start, then?” Murphy asked rhetorically, spreading his hands. Quinn appeared to be studying a wall behind Deutel.

"Not only that, but the recent episode with Gallinium in San Carlo revealed the toll the war took on Neue Regensburg’s political and business culture. Now I understand national crises require sacrifices and compromise. I don’t judge you or your nation for that, especially since your government resisted the all too common response of suspending the democratic process during a crisis--which all too often is not reinstated afterwards. Nevertheless, potential investors are going to be wary of your country until things start getting back to normal. I hope that the inquiry bears fruit and is the beginning of that process.”

“Yes, I’m sure we all agree, Mr. Ambassador,” Quinn replied, having waited patiently to resume. He gave the Regensburgers a chance to respond here before continuing.

“I think what the Ambassador is driving at with his reference to the Gallinium scandal is that corruption, conflicts of interest, or other improper relationships between government and business will scare foreign investors off. It implies a lack of free competition, unexpected government interference, and the potential for broken contracts. Those present serious liabilities. We’re not talking lemonade stands here, billions of dollars could be lost or wasted, hundreds, even thousands of Adirans could lose their shirts at once.”

“Still speaking very broadly, I think our best bet is to build confidence one step at a time," Quinn started to say.

“Rolling a snowball down a hill than opening the floodgates,” Murphy added.

“Yes, thank you, Mr. Ambassador,” Quinn said blandly. “Here’s what we see as step one. Adiran aid contributes towards humanitarian crises and essential projects which fail to attract private investors. That’s in the form of grants, technical assistance, or aid missions by private groups like Isidium. Bare minimum, get your people food, clean water, clothes, shelter, medicine, maybe power and phones if we’re not starting from scratch in the area,” Quinn explained. He counted off the list of essential needs on his fingers. “Might be enough left over to clear a minefield or two, demolish some ruined structures, and patch a road or two.”

“The private sector invests in the heavy lifting, roads, rail, ports, power and the like. To really get Adiran capital into that at this early stage, however, would mean allowing Adirans to bid on Regensburger government contracts. The terms of the contracts and the rules of the bidding process would of course be up to your government. I realize I’m glossing over the inevitable legal questions about visas, contract law, extradition, incorporation, taxation, and more, but we’re still talking conceptually,” Quinn said, gesturing with each addition to the list.

He looked at the Regensburgers for a reaction having spoke for some length. “Stop me if I’ve gone too far, Ministers.”

[Neue Regensburg]

“Everything on the table, then,” Murphy said.

“That’s good, because some combination of aid and investment is no doubt necessary to make a real difference, if you’ll allow me to define those terms for our purposes," Quinn began. “Aid we define as a direct transfer of resources from our country to yours. It can come directly from our government or from private aid organizations, and would include grants, technical assistance, and disaster relief. Trouble with relying on aid is that it comes from either donations or taxpayers’ money; there’s only so much to go around, and there are only so many programs.”

“So the best bet for reconstruction is to also unleash capitalism. You already mentioned private investment, Minister. Getting investors in the door is the problem. They need to have confidence in a return, and Neue Regensburg at present means assuming some risk.”

“Right,” Murphy said, giving Quinn pause. “If you’ll forgive the expression, gentlemen, you’ve got a sort of chicken and egg problem in the worst hit parts of the country. You need infrastructure to attract investment, and you want investment to pay for infrastructure. Where do you start, then?” Murphy asked rhetorically, spreading his hands. Quinn appeared to be studying a wall behind Deutel.

"Not only that, but the recent episode with Gallinium in San Carlo revealed the toll the war took on Neue Regensburg’s political and business culture. Now I understand national crises require sacrifices and compromise. I don’t judge you or your nation for that, especially since your government resisted the all too common response of suspending the democratic process during a crisis--which all too often is not reinstated afterwards. Nevertheless, potential investors are going to be wary of your country until things start getting back to normal. I hope that the inquiry bears fruit and is the beginning of that process.”

“Yes, I’m sure we all agree, Mr. Ambassador,” Quinn replied, having waited patiently to resume. He gave the Regensburgers a chance to respond here before continuing.

This was Deutel's cue. "We are hoping that what we can provide to Adiron in raw materials and products can help to offset the cost of any potential aid. We agree that capitalism is the way forward, and understand the risk inherent in investing here right now. The government has been extremely proactive in dealing with rot in the business culture of Neue Regensburg, and now that the behemoth of Gallinium has been toppled, I have it on good authority that the College of Electors is going to be moving to introduce a sweeping anti-corruption bill. I would be extremely surprised if it did not pass, and hopefully that will give investors less pause when dealing with our nation." She looked at the Adirans, an easy smile on her face that concealed the nervousness she felt.

“I think what the Ambassador is driving at with his reference to the Gallinium scandal is that corruption, conflicts of interest, or other improper relationships between government and business will scare foreign investors off. It implies a lack of free competition, unexpected government interference, and the potential for broken contracts. Those present serious liabilities. We’re not talking lemonade stands here, billions of dollars could be lost or wasted, hundreds, even thousands of Adirans could lose their shirts at once.”

“Still speaking very broadly, I think our best bet is to build confidence one step at a time," Quinn started to say.

“Rolling a snowball down a hill than opening the floodgates,” Murphy added.

“Yes, thank you, Mr. Ambassador,” Quinn said blandly. “Here’s what we see as step one. Adiran aid contributes towards humanitarian crises and essential projects which fail to attract private investors. That’s in the form of grants, technical assistance, or aid missions by private groups like Isidium. Bare minimum, get your people food, clean water, clothes, shelter, medicine, maybe power and phones if we’re not starting from scratch in the area,” Quinn explained. He counted off the list of essential needs on his fingers. “Might be enough left over to clear a minefield or two, demolish some ruined structures, and patch a road or two.”

“The private sector invests in the heavy lifting, roads, rail, ports, power and the like. To really get Adiran capital into that at this early stage, however, would mean allowing Adirans to bid on Regensburger government contracts. The terms of the contracts and the rules of the bidding process would of course be up to your government. I realize I’m glossing over the inevitable legal questions about visas, contract law, extradition, incorporation, taxation, and more, but we’re still talking conceptually,” Quinn said, gesturing with each addition to the list.

He looked at the Regensburgers for a reaction having spoke for some length. “Stop me if I’ve gone too far, Ministers.”

Deutel said, "I agree that aid would be a good first step. The only real areas that have been rebuilt are Goldstadt (major port) and this here capital. Especially in Gallia, where most of the fighting took place, things are bad. The regional government re-instituted rationing, and despite our efforts people are still suffering. The Ministry of the Interior are doing what they can, but we fear that it won't be enough."

Marius then spoke. "You haven't gone too far at all, Mr. Quinn. The last thing our nation wants is for anybody, especially citizens of another democracy, to lose their livelihoods because of improprieties in our own system. I have been told by some high ranking officials that the bill Ms. Deutel referenced will include measures to level the playing field for all companies. We aren't banking on investors to seriously look at our nation until it is passed, God willing, or even immediately after, until they start to see results. That being said, we are hopeful that business will eventually faith in our country again, so we can begin to rebuild infrastructure and close our nation's wounds." Marius scratched his scraggly but well kept goatee, and looked up at the sky for a split second, as if in a prayer, before focusing his attention back on Quinn and Murphy.

Deutel spoke up again, "We would be more than willing to let Adiran companies bid on contracts. As a nation, it is important that we emerge from the isolationism of the last century since the Great War and allow international business in. The San Carlo incident did go to show that keeping all contracts in country is not a foolproof anti-corruption measure. Even without the legislation I mentioned, Minister Marius, Minister DuPoir of Interior and myself have enacted regulations and reforms to cut out corruption at the root, and as long as Adiran companies abide by those rules, we should able to begin moving forwards. I'm not implying any sort of rot in Adiran business, of course, I am merely stating the urgency with which we have to enforce the reforms in order to show the world that we still a fair society."

Marius and Deutel traded a concerned look, and then waited for the Adirans to respond.

[Hittanryan]

Murphy smiled. “You won’t be disappointed. Adiran firms boast some of the best technical expertise in Cornellia in finance, engineering, medicine, telecommunications, energy, and more. As some of our firms start to work in your country, they can see what it’s like, what other opportunities exist, and word will spread to others back home in Adiron. Trust will grow between our nations.”

Quinn explained “The Office of International Development in the State Department would be responsible for most government aid. The Isidium Foundation, Adiron’s largest private aid organization, has a successful track record in this exact kind of work.”

“With infrastructure repaired, goods and people can move freely and essential services and utilities can be restored to the wider population. Then we’re onto phase two where investment will start to outpace aid. Businesses and manufacturing will then start to resume normal operation gradually. That means jobs for your people. That means local governments will have tax revenue for schools, hospitals, more infrastructure projects.”

“Now that said, Ministers, I have to say, I saw the Gallinium…” Quinn seemed to search for the word a moment. “…hearings, and I have some questions. How could a full investigation be completed so quickly?”

Murphy looked thoughtful at this. “And can you tell us more about this anti-corruption bill…it is a bill, do I have that right? What new legislation does it contain? Or is it more of an initiative? Bigger budget for a department or a new program somewhere?”

[Neue Regensburg]

Murphy smiled. “You won’t be disappointed. Adiran firms boast some of the best technical expertise in Cornellia in finance, engineering, medicine, telecommunications, energy, and more. As some of our firms start to work in your country, they can see what it’s like, what other opportunities exist, and word will spread to others back home in Adiron. Trust will grow between our nations.”

Quinn explained “The Office of International Development in the State Department would be responsible for most government aid. The Isidium Foundation, Adiron’s largest private aid organization, has a successful track record in this exact kind of work.”

“With infrastructure repaired, goods and people can move freely and essential services and utilities can be restored to the wider population. Then we’re onto phase two where investment will start to outpace aid. Businesses and manufacturing will then start to resume normal operation gradually. That means jobs for your people. That means local governments will have tax revenue for schools, hospitals, more infrastructure projects.”

Marius and Deutel broke out into smiles, before quickly containing them. The idea that aid from Adiron to Regensburg could not only repair their war-torn nation, but bring their countries closer too was nothing short of a pipe dream before the meeting. Now it could very well become reality.

Deutel asked, "This all sounds extremely great. Many people have lost hope, and aid and investment could do great amounts to restore the spirit and livelihoods of those who lost property or jobs during the war, including a large amount of those who served to preserve the unity of our fatherland. What would Adiron ask in return, that our nation could do for you?"

“Now that said, Ministers, I have to say, I saw the Gallinium…” Quinn seemed to search for the word a moment. “…hearings, and I have some questions. How could a full investigation be completed so quickly?”

Marius spoke, the almost unnoticeable smiles fading from the Regensburgers faces at the mention of Gallinium. "The investigation had been ongoing for quite some time, but careful preparation was needed before the State could present its case against the corporation. The prosecution had to make sure that there was enough evidence, and the government needed to root out more minor instances of corruption in other, salvageable corporations so it had redoubt for contracts after Gallinium went to trial. We were hesitant to act until the video evidence was given to us by one of the employees at the Ministry."

His face was neutral when speaking with the Adirans, but when he looked at Deutel, his eyes seemed to ask, "Do they trust us?" Deutel was likewise neutral, but she half-rolled her eyes, so only he could see, as if saying "You're the diplomat."

Murphy looked thoughtful at this. “And can you tell us more about this anti-corruption bill…it is a bill, do I have that right? What new legislation does it contain? Or is it more of an initiative? Bigger budget for a department or a new program somewhere?”

Deutel, whose friends in the Bundeskur told her about the bill, said, "It aims to accomplish both goals, actually. The Ministry of the Economy anti-corruption task force and the white-collar crime unit of the Sovereign Guard would be expanded into a Department of Corporate Integrity under the Guard, so white collar crime could be more effectively prevented and rooted out. The legislation would also bar government officials from accepting "gifts" from corporate entities, the loophole used to bribe so many people, often just trying to survive, during the war.

[Hittanryan]

Murphy glanced between the two Regensburgers. “Please understand, gentlemen, that Mr. Quinn is simply being the consummate civil servant. Orville, be honest, you probably think the process is more important than the idea.”

Quinn looked puzzled, less at what he said but why he was saying it now. “More often than not, that ends up being true, Mr. Ambassador.”

“There you have it,” Murphy said, motioning to Quinn and looking at Deutel and Marius. “We are just trying to understand, Ministers. We’re looking out for Adiron just as you look out for Neue Regensburg. If you say new evidence came to light and the proceedings were not made public while the investigation was ongoing, that sounds reasonable to us.”

“Now, you asked what Neue Regensburg can do in return for us? In a phrase, play fair,” Murphy said, extending a hand towards the two officials. “We hope that Adiran investments will be safeguarded through the proper enforcement of contract law and property rights. When Adiran firms bid on a contract, we ask only that your government consider these bids strictly on their merits. When Adiron lowers tariffs on imports from Neue Regensburg, we hope you will reciprocate. Should disputes arise through our expanded bilateral trade, as they inevitably will, we should have a framework in place for dispute mediation and arbitration.”

“Trade between our nations will be of mutual benefit. All these measures will ensure that trade grows,” Quinn added. “After all, our government, for all the Noviteran jokes about us being socialists, can’t snap its fingers and order private companies to invest somewhere.”

After they replied to this, assuming they did, Murphy said “If there is nothing further on that, Excellencies, perhaps we should explore some of the details of trade now that we have some of the big picture cleared up? For instance, earlier you mentioned natural resources specifically. What exactly were you referring to?”

“And if I can add to that, Ambassador,” Quinn interjected, “Can we also get an idea of which parts of the country would benefit from Adiran aid, and what government contracts might potentially be open to Adiran bids?”

“Two steps ahead as always. Yes, what he said,” Murphy said with a smile.

[Neue Regensburg]

Marius smiled, going first. "No worries regarding the questions about the length of the investigations and trial, the democratic principle of a fair trial must always be protected. Minister Deutel, the Anti-Trust Act of 1983 covers the issue of monopolies and the likes, yes?"

Deutel looked at him, almost like she wanted to laugh. Despite this, she kept a straight face. Marius was a competent statesman, but when it came to certain things he was a bit forgetful. "Yes, monopolies are regulated, and foreign investments are protected." Turning to Murphy and Quinn, she said "In addition to the Anti-Trust Act, it is also worth noting that we have ratified all 11 Articles of the Cornellian Trade Organization, and they are now part of the law of our land. Adiran business will be protected. Our judges and law officials are bound by honor and their oath to God to enforce these laws fairly. Speaking for the Council, we can promise that bids will be considered on merit, and reciprocity of tariff reduction only seems fair."

Deutel looked at Marius, legal frameworks beikg more his forte. "We would be willing to take part in an impartial commission that would fairly resolve any disputes, in addition to the CTO courts." At the mentioning of the word socialist, a grimace came across both Regensburgers' faces. "I think these negotiatioms would prove the Noviteran jokes wrong, if the innate character of the Adiran nation had not accomplished such a feat."

---

Tanja Deutel smiled as the Adirans finished asking their questioms. "Regensburg produces sugar on the coasts, especially in Germania, and in Gallia there are ample maple reserves. In the center of the country, coal and iron are mined, and we can afford to export a decent amount of all of these goods. Regarding government contracts that Adiran corporations could bid on, infrastructure and technology are the most critical, seeing the damage of the war and the void left by Gallinium. There are domestic firms that will doubtlessly compete as well, but as promised earlier, bids will be evaluated solely on merit."

She let Marius speak now. "In addition, though less pressing, our military industry lacks modern tanks, planes and transport ships. The old tanks were easier to mass produce during the war, and the naval battles that took place caught our transports by surprise. With aircraft, to be perfectly honest, most of the Luftheer remained loyal in the war, so we didn't need to update our planes in order to maintain air superiority."

Deutel had worked as an accountant in the military for her two years, this helped her in business later on, but Marius had served a distinguished career in the early days of the war before entering the State Ministry, where his meteoric rise to power was aided by his character and people skills amid a shortage of either competent or honest officials.

[Hittanryan]

Quinn caught the ministers’ looks and offered a bit of consolation. “To be frank, Excellencies, there’s a trend back home spanning at least a couple of decades: the better off Adirans become, the farther they move away from socialism.”

“Although government intervention in the economy—if you want to call that socialism—was at its height just after the Ceti Civil War while we were rebuilding,” Murphy mused. Quinn seemed to wince at Murphy using the 'S' word, but Murphy paid it no mind and continued. “It’s funny, some of the parallels between our nations are uncanny.”

“There is a possibility, especially if a Liberal government is elected, that Adiron will be joining the CTO as well,” Quinn explained.

“A possibility, Orville,” Murphy said cautiously.

“If so that will provide all the framework we need for mediation and investment guarantees. Even if we don’t join, we could at least look to its example in the meantime,” Quinn explained. "Perhaps we could table that for now though? Come back to it later? There are still bigger matters to attend to."

---

As the discussion turned to the details, Quinn looked a bit puzzled and thumbed through his notes as discreetly as he could. Murphy did not take the lead, however. “It’s your show now, Orville. Shall we go down the list? Sugar, perhaps?”

“I suppose we could start with sugar,” Quinn said, taking a breath. “I’m actually a bit surprised a cash crop like that came up so soon after a civil war. Our estimates on that are very rough, and we assumed production took a back seat to wartime needs."

“That’ll teach us not to get it straight from the horse’s mouth,” Murphy said amiably.

Quinn asked “Ministers, maybe you can tell us a bit more about the current state of the sugar industry in your country? I’m fairly certain you’re not talking about exporting raw sugarcane but refined sugar products; you know, table sugar, rum, ethanol. What sort of products would be available for export given your country’s refining and processing capacity?”

After they replied to that, Quinn added “And what is the scale of Neue Regensburg’s sugar industry? Is it mostly small farmers and producers or is there an established industry? And how did the war effect it?”

[Neue Regensburg]

Quinn caught the ministers’ looks and offered a bit of consolation. “To be frank, Excellencies, there’s a trend back home spanning at least a couple of decades: the better off Adirans become, the farther they move away from socialism.”

“Although government intervention in the economy—if you want to call that socialism—was at its height just after the Ceti Civil War while we were rebuilding,” Murphy mused. Quinn seemed to wince at Murphy using the 'S' word, but Murphy paid it no mind and continued. “It’s funny, some of the parallels between our nations are uncanny.”

“There is a possibility, especially if a Liberal government is elected, that Adiron will be joining the CTO as well,” Quinn explained.

“A possibility, Orville,” Murphy said cautiously.

“If so that will provide all the framework we need for mediation and investment guarantees. Even if we don’t join, we could at least look to its example in the meantime,” Quinn explained. "Perhaps we could table that for now though? Come back to it later? There are still bigger matters to attend to."

Deutel said, twirling her shoulder-length hair around her finger as she spoke. "No worries, Ambassador. We do have limited intervention in our economy, and that might take a step forward if the anti-corruption bill passes. Regarding the CTO, I think that in the interim, it would be best to set up our own system for handling trade matters at least until Adiron decides whether or not the CTO is right for them." Marius nodded his approval, and the Adirans continued on.

As the discussion turned to the details, Quinn looked a bit puzzled and thumbed through his notes as discreetly as he could. Murphy did not take the lead, however. “It’s your show now, Orville. Shall we go down the list? Sugar, perhaps?”

“I suppose we could start with sugar,” Quinn said, taking a breath. “I’m actually a bit surprised a cash crop like that came up so soon after a civil war. Our estimates on that are very rough, and we assumed production took a back seat to wartime needs."

“That’ll teach us not to get it straight from the horse’s mouth,” Murphy said amiably.

Quinn asked “Ministers, maybe you can tell us a bit more about the current state of the sugar industry in your country? I’m fairly certain you’re not talking about exporting raw sugarcane but refined sugar products; you know, table sugar, rum, ethanol. What sort of products would be available for export given your country’s refining and processing capacity?”

Marius said, "We needed sugar production to get out as much ethanol fuel as possible for our military vehicles. While we could import oil and natural gas products to some extent, the war of course hurt our trade standing in the world. That being said, our industry did take a hit when the war broke out. We have a surplus of ethanol left over from the war, though rum and table sugar are a bit hard to come by these days. That will hopefully change as situations improve."

After they replied to that, Quinn added “And what is the scale of Neue Regensburg’s sugar industry? Is it mostly small farmers and producers or is there an established industry? And how did the war effect it?”

Deutel smiled. They certainly were asking the right questions, and being thorough was important. Regensburg needs friends to trade with, its future depends on it. "In Latinium we have a system of guilds, basically unions in Regensburg at this point, whose leaders collaborate and bargain with sugar plantation owners. It's an organized and efficient industry that was not very much affected by the war, seeing as the Latin region saw no organized combat. In Germania, it is smaller farms that produce the sugar. It is disorganized and is only now recovering from the failed Engelstaat campaign of the Reds."

[Hittanryan]

Quinn listened thoughtfully. “Makes sense that fuel production would take priority. I wouldn’t know the exact economics of shipping ethanol overseas though.”

“I read an article recently that ethanol prices back home hit a floor. Perhaps the green sector will be interested,” Murphy offered.

“Perhaps, Ambassador,” Quinn replied blandly. “That being the case though, I imagine food products would be a more stable market for sugar exports long term. It sounds like the producing region in Latinium has intact infrastructure while Germania does not. I don’t know what kind of data on total sugar production, but I think we’d greatly appreciate it if you could maybe send that to us later.”

“Now, can I clarify something about the guild system?” Quinn asked, folding his hands on the table. “Who are their members and leaders in the sugar industry? Are they farmers, refinery workers?”

“And you said the guilds negotiate and bargain with plantation owners. What do they negotiate, exactly? Just working conditions or are refineries worker-owned? Our companies will want to know how it all works.”

[Neue Regensburg]

“Perhaps, Ambassador,” Quinn replied blandly. “That being the case though, I imagine food products would be a more stable market for sugar exports long term. It sounds like the producing region in Latinium has intact infrastructure while Germania does not. I don’t know what kind of data on total sugar production, but I think we’d greatly appreciate it if you could maybe send that to us later.”

Deutel nodded gravely. "You are correct on that account, Mr. Quinn. As for the data, that will be no problem," she said in a friendly voice.

“Now, can I clarify something about the guild system?” Quinn asked, folding his hands on the table. “Who are their members and leaders in the sugar industry? Are they farmers, refinery workers?”
“And you said the guilds negotiate and bargain with plantation owners. What do they negotiate, exactly? Just working conditions or are refineries worker-owned? Our companies will want to know how it all works.”

Deutel said, "There are separate guilds for refinery and plantation workers. The refineries and plantations are not worker-owned, but the guilds do have a greater say in how things run. I would equate it to a more powerful union."

Marius interjected, "I have a cousin that's worked in a refinery for several years, a great fellow." Deutel rolled her eyes. Marius loved talking about his big, Italo-Latin family, to the point where she'd had to actively tell him to shut up on multiple occasions. He continued, "His guild worked with the factory owners to implement a more streamlined method of production that was easier on workers and more efficient. Other than things like that, my colleague is definitely right. It really is a more powerful union, just with more of an impact on the community since they organize cultural events and the likes."

[Hittanryan]

“Ah, so more community oriented, more like fraternal orders—like the Order of St. Reynard,” the Ambassador replied.

Quinn stared at Murphy with a confused expression. Murphy explained “One of the first Old Cetan unions?” Quinn still either didn’t know what he was talking about or preferred that Murphy drop the subject. Murphy ignored this and elaborated further “Founded in the mid-19th century? They provided social services to their members outside of work, acted as a fraternal order? Nothing?”

“Afraid it’s slipped my mind, Mr. Ambassador,” Quinn said flatly. Murphy looked disappointed. “I suppose industry leaders will need to negotiate with these guilds one way or the other. That’s up to them, unless, Ministers, you don’t foresee any unusual difficulties with the guilds working with foreign companies, do you? Differences in the details of our labor laws aside.”

“I don’t think there’s anything particularly controversial or mysterious about your country’s coal or iron—iron ore, I presume you’re referring to, not steel,” Quinn said, moving things along. “You said they’re produced in the center of the country? Can you tell me more about those areas? What kind of rail transport is available to transport ore and coal to port?”

[Neue Regensburg]

"It sounds as if our guilds do function similarly to these old Cetan unions," Marius said, "The guilds are directly descended from the workers' guilds of the middle ages, and they've always been the cornerstone of smaller communities, organizing festivals on feast days and the likes. The only difference is that, with the dawn of the factory, businesses own the means of production instead of the guilds." Tanja Deutel stared blankly at Marius. There was no need for this geek-out over glorified unions, in this businesswoman's mind. That being said, she held her peace until Adam asked, "Minister Deutel, you don't foresee any issues between the guilds and foreign business, do you?"

Deutel shook her head no, saying, "I do not see why any problems would arise. Even the more nationalistic guilds would be on board with foreign companies able to help heal our nation."

---

Now it was Deutel's turn to have the floor. "The central four states: Regenßtaat, Karmesinwald, Érablière and Espoir all saw combat during the war. The mines in the Gallic central states are currently out of commission, since we bombed them so the enemy in control there didn't have any resources. In the Germanic central states, the mines and infrastructure have been repaired and are mostly operational. We have a rail network extending across the nation, including from the top of the Valley to the coastal region, which sustained moderate damage in the war, especially in Gallia but in Germania too. It is a priority to repair, and we will be able to export exponentially more goods once it is. "

[Hittanryan]

“That all sounds like it can be worked out by the companies themselves then,” Murphy replied. “Where does that leave us?”

“Two points that I see: arms sales and security,” Quinn replied. “Minister you were mainly interested in tanks, aircraft, and transports, correct? That can certainly be considered, it would help if we knew a little more of your government’s plans. Just to start, how does Neue Regensburg picture handling repairs and replacements? Will your government continue buying parts and new vehicles direct from Adiron or are there parties considering buying domestic production rights?”

Murphy opened his mouth as though to respond to that but thought better of it. Quinn noticed but waited for the Regensburgers’ reply.

Once they finished discussing arms sales, Quinn moved onto the next point. “I realize the war is over, but we’ve discussed our people potentially setting up operations in economically depressed, war-torn areas of the countryside. The safety of Adirans working in your country is our responsibility, and our companies will want to know the risks involved so they can plan accordingly.”

[Neue Regensburg]

Just to start, how does Neue Regensburg picture handling repairs and replacements? Will your government continue buying parts and new vehicles direct from Adiron or are there parties considering buying domestic production rights?”

Murphy opened his mouth as though to respond to that but thought better of it. Quinn noticed but waited for the Regensburgers’ reply.

Marius nodded. “The bulk of our military is indeed outdated, and Adiran equipment would be an immense help. Regarding domestic manufacturers, it’s likely that we will buy direct from Adiron until our industry is back at full strength. Then, companies like Vulkanite Armaments will likely vie for domestic production rights.

Deutel looked over at him and nodded her approval. She had only stayed in for the two years required of her, whereas Marius had the know-how to answer most military related questions.

Once they finished discussing arms sales, Quinn moved onto the next point. “I realize the war is over, but we’ve discussed our people potentially setting up operations in economically depressed, war-torn areas of the countryside. The safety of Adirans working in your country is our responsibility, and our companies will want to know the risks involved so they can plan accordingly.”

Adam Marius thought for a second. “Yes, the safety of Adirans working here is of paramount concern to us as well… the troubles have largely died down, but there are isolated spats of crime above the national average in the affected regions. I’d say that overall, they should be safe, but if you’d like, I can arrange with the Minister of the Interior of Security to have Sovereign Guard or local police units assigned to protect them.”