Donald Novak, Eitoan Ambassador to the DGRC shifted in his seat, conferred briefly with aides, and concentrated further to the proposals at hand. The Republic's accession to the treaty found no significant opposition from any party, either in the Ghastak or the Dashez. Novak was part of the deal that gave the green light to Eitoan membership. Although a relative latecomer to official diplomacy in the Department of Foreign Affairs, he had built the Vladarsik law firm of Kirkland & Austin's overseas practice to the second largest in the country by annual billings since his elevation to partner eighteen years ago. Tapped by Foreign Affairs to head the embassy in Relica, Novak ably guided the buildup of the Northwest Mutual Assistance Agreement, and was key in holding the democracies of the Northern Vanguat together during the early critical days of the Ralkovian War. But having arrived on the diplomatic scene, and succeeded at a crucial moment, what was Vladarsik to do with him. An outsider to Foreign Affairs, any move toward a senior staff position was resisted within the department, and in any event be unlikely to satisfy Don. Offers of a Ghastak candidacy had been made by both the centrist Free Democrats and the conservative Civic Platform, but he never expressed any interest in elective office. Indeed, his political leanings remained unknown. Accession to the GDRC seemed like a good fit for a man of his stature, and eased legislative approval of membership.
Since arrival at Cazala much of his time had been spent observing the power dynamics of major off-continent powers there. A couple situations drew most of his attention.
Novak sensed the tension between Bishop-Ambassadress Armani Roi, of The Holy Marsh, and the Havenic Ambassador, Aerkunlauh nos Variskura. This was important to Eitoan. Not allied officially with Holy Marsh, they and Eitoan shouldered the lion's share of the occupation of Federal Ralkovia, and the job of keeping Regime Ralkovia at bay. But Eitoan had no quarrel with the Havenic government, and indeed, they appeared to be interested in opening up markets so close to Eitoan. Furthermore, any rise in tension between the two Holy Marsh and the Haven could spill over mid continent. Although likely to be north of the Eitoan land corridor to Federal Ralkovia, such activity could lead to increased demands on the military, and possibly a move to occupy one or more of the petty states on either side of the Great Inland Sea. So Novak watched, and waited, and sought opportunity to deescalate that situation.
The relation with the Ordenite Reich was simpler, but more prone to drama at home. Since the conclusion of the Ralkovian War voices on the left in Eitoan clamored for extraction of Oskar Skara, warlord Foreign Minister of the deposed Raskov Empire, thought to be in refuge in the Ordenite Reich. Foreign Affairs had other fish to fry; building a stable and productive Federal Ralkovia, defeating the schemes of Regime Ralkovia and the Death Guard that ruled Ralkovia Raumfestung with an iron fist, and draining off the most bloodthirsty of surviving Ralkovian fanatics through emigration off continent to the Ordenite Reich, facilitated under the table. So there was always pressure from the left at home to make of show of disdain for the Ordenite Reich, although there was no personal animosity toward Gregor Diederich.
An aide handed Novak a message. He briefly reviewed it, and spoke up:
I have just been informed by my government that all obstacles to approval of the Greater Dienstad Stock Exchange have been cleared. Eitoan now supports the proposal, as presented.
There needs to be further discussion about the limits to jurisprudence of any proposed International Court, with respect to it's impact on pursuit of standing requests for extraditon of accused war criminals, and the standing of claims against participants in war crimes perpetrated before the establishment of the Court.
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