Arctic Summit: USSR-Baltic Finland Treaty Talks (CLOSED)

[-USSR]

Today, the governments of the -USSR and Baltic Finland will being what's being branded by Soviet media as "the Arctic Summit". It will be hosted at Soviet President Ilya Jordanescu's Moscow residence, The Spanish Villa and will be hosted by the aforementioned Mr. Jordanescu, Secretary of State Nataliya Nazarova, Overseas Minister Ibrachim Gyoldberg and Franz-Ferdinand Koivisto, Finno-Karelian Soviet activist.

Baltic Finland's delegation consists of President Henrik Saul Jaaguar, Prime Minister Erasmus Konkonen and Foreign Minister Oula Palkolahti who will be arriving at Moscow's Valentina Aliyeva International Airport very shortly.

Issues on the agenda include the issue of regional self-determination, the Russian White Movement, the status of Finns and Karelians in the USSR and the status of Soviets in Finland.

[Baltic Finland (Ancient)]

Valentina Aliyeva International Airport, Moscow.

The airport was silent with only one or two planes either ongoing boarding at, departure from or arrival to airport. It was the day of the first treaty talks between the Confederacy of Baltic Finland and the Soviet Union ever since the Second Winter War had ended between the sizable army of a Russian nationalist paramilitary organization and the Finnish and Estonian defense forces. It was the dirtiest fight and a stain in Finnish history for several reasons, most of those being the occupation and annexation of Gulf of Finland Islands, Russian-side Karelia, Vepsia, Ingria and Kola Peninsula. The Estonians had it milder for having Petseri County returned to them. It was the second attack war Finland had engaged ever since the Continuation War succeeding the First Winter War.

With the wars in their minds -- but not haunting them, mind you -- the Baltic Finn delegation of President Henrik Saul Jaaguar, Prime Minister Erasmus Konkonen and Foreign Minister Oula Palkolahti had embarked on a state visit to Soviet Union. Konkonen was very enthusiastic but Palkolahti less so. Konkonen was a social democrat, member of the party with the most seats in the federal parliament of the Confederacy of Baltic Finland. Palkolahti was a member of the fairly popular Finnish nationalist party True Finns, who didn't mind communism as long as it didn't immigrate into his country. President Jaaguar was calm, but serious for a reason. This state visit could impact on future relations between Baltic Finland and Soviet Union.

Palkolahti: Mother Russia, eh? What business did we have there again?

Jaaguar: We are supposed to discuss important matters with their president, Ilya Jordanescu.

Palkolahti: Like what?

Konkonen: Like the war, as if that doesn't suffice by itself.

Palkolahti: What is there to discuss? We took our land they had taken from us and so did the Estonians. It's perfectly legitimate.

Jaaguar: It's not seen internationally as 'legitimate' and until we get an a-ok from the USSR, we have blood on our hands.

Konkonen: Not to mention war crimes.

Palkolahti: What 'war crimes'? We attacked a nation that had attacked us in the past. If that's a war crime, sue the world.

Konkonen: What I'm saying is as an internationally neutral country which isn't leaning towards joining TITO, we can't just attack anyone we please.

Jaaguar: Enough. With the whole left in the federal parliament the TF has found one reason after another to mock the leftists and liberals and that I will not have in my parliament, my government! I expected cooperation for a change when I formed the government with green left and communists in mind. For what it's worth, it's nearly gone worse! I expect respectable behavior even though you are from different sides of political spectrum. Understood?

Konkonen: Understood.

Palkolahti: Fine. *sigh* I wish we still had Kekkonen.

Jaaguar: No one's going to be around forever, no matter how good they may be. We have arrived.

The plane landed softly on the asphalt of the airstrip. Whilst the plane stopped, it's door opened and Henrik Saul Jaaguar stepped out with Konkonen and Palkolahti.

Jaaguar: President Jordanescu, I presume.

[-USSR]

"Hello!" President Jordanescu cried enthusiastically "Hah, sorry, I'm a -shall we say- charismatic person... I trust you had a safe flight? No anti-communist militants or screaming babies on board?" ... "It's a joke...!"

[Baltic Finland (Ancient)]

"How do you do, Mister Jordanescu. My name is Henrik Saul Jaaguar and I'm the president of the Confederacy of Baltic Finland. These people with me are prime minister Erasmus Kaarlo Konkonen and foreign minister Oula Sirius Palkolahti."
"Pleased to meet you, Mister Jordanescu!" responded Konkonen with full enthusiasm.
"Hello." Palkolahti greeted. "As for spies, unless our pilot is one, none came with our flight." he added.

[-USSR]

"It's great to meet you all, sirs. Can we get you anything or do you want to head straight to the villa?"

[Baltic Finland (Ancient)]

"I'd prefer we'd get straight to business, so why not get going immediately", said Jaaguar.
"Its better to not postpone tying up any loose ends between our countries", added Konkonen.
Palkolahti stayed silent, but one could interpret from his expressions that he wasn't too willing to stay for too long. Eventually he spoke as well. "Let's just get straight on to business", he groaned.

[-USSR]

"As you wish, Sirs"

They all get into the limo ready next to the plane and it sets off towards Moscow itself

"As you may or may not know, when we arrive at my humble abode, we will be greeted by my colleagues a Miss Nataliya Nazarova, my second in command, a Mr. Ibrachim Gyoldberg, my Overseas Minister and Franz-Ferdinand Koivisto, a notable Finnic activist in the USSR. I'm sure you'll all feel very welcomed by them!"

[Baltic Finland (Ancient)]

"It is very pleasing to know that you have people who can freely look out for us Baltic Finns who live here in the USSR." said president Jaaguar. "Very pleasing indeed. I am looking forward to this visit." "As am I", mused Konkonen. "A Soviet Baltic Finn interests activist is about to meet us?" Palkolahti spoke suddenly. "Truly?"

[-USSR]

"Oh yes, Mr. Koivisto is a close friend of mine, especially as I know how it feels to be in a minority. I am a Jewish, Moldovan, Homosexual who's President of an Atheist, Russian, Heterosexual society! So believe me, I understand Soviet Finns!"

[Baltic Finland (Ancient)]

"Forgive me for my directness", said Palkolahti, "But this...really, this...isn't the Soviet Union I remember. I remember folks like Brezhnev, Andropov and Tšernenko from my childhood and youth and when I joined Finnish politics, I knew this man Gorbachev who was the general secretary. I don't know what is going on in here anymore. It's shameful to admit, since I AM the foreign minister, but..." he was cut off by president Jaaguar. "Nobody is perfect, Oula, and certainly not more suited to being the foreign minister than you." "Well, we have arrived. Mister Jordanescu, why don't you introduce ourselves to your colleagues?" Jaaguar continued.

[-USSR]

"On we go then!"

"Ahh Comrade Nazarova, Comrade Gyoldberg, Comrade Koivisto, here are our honourable guests! President Jaguaar, Prime Minister Konkonen and Foreign Minister Palkolahti"

Nazarova: Good to meet you!
Gyoldberg: "I am very pleased to meet you, Sirs" *looking Palkolahti straight in the eye"
Koivisto: "Hello! I'm not very used to these kinds of things, so you'll have to bear with me!"

[Baltic Finland (Ancient)]

"Pleasure to meet you, Nazarova, Goldberg, Koivisto, or as we say it in our country, Hauska tavata!" greeted Konkonen, enthusiastic as ever. "Greetings from Finland", smirked Palkolahti while he gave Koivisto a pack of Sisu pastilles. "Get many of these around these parts?" he added.
"How do you do. My name is Henrik Saul Jaaguar and I'm the president of the Confederacy of Baltic Finland. These folks I brought with me are my prime minister Erasmus Kaarlo Konkonen and my foreign minister Oula Sirius Palkolahti." said president Jaaguar with handshakes. "Shall we start, then?"

[-USSR]

Jordanescu: "On we go then, oh and by the way, just call us by our first names!"

The group follows the Soviet President through his house and round to a patio by the side of his outdoor pool

Jordanescu: "Here we are! So, without further ado, let's begin"

[Baltic Finland (Ancient)]

"Why don't we begin by scraping the formalities on our side as well? Just call us Henrik, Erasmus and Oula. Now that that is dealt with, we should get straight to business and speak about the main reason we are here for. I let Erasmus do the honors on that one." president Jaaguar began.

"Tänan, Henrik. The issue at hand is a very internationally vulnerable one. Our country has been scolded harshly by both World Assembly and TITO for doing what we have done. What I'm talking about now is the war. Second Winter War, that's what we call it. It was the war where roughly 20 million troops attacked our country from the east to Kitee and southeast to Lappeenranta. Our defense forces were outnumbered, but a crowd of Karelian guerrillas managed to stop those troops from attacking from the east. That's when our troops attacked back with full force and secured Vyborg and even Petersburg, claiming the whole Leningrad Oblast for our country. Then when the Russian troops were dismantled in Karelia -- and this is the internationally vulnerable part -- we attacked on nearly every part on our eastern border, annexing Republic of Karelia and Murmansk Oblast, which consists mostly of the Kola Peninsula. By keeping the troops away from and defending Petersburg we managed to make them give up and leave. Alongside Finland, Estonia also assisted us and attacked to get back Petseri county. We set our new borders without listening to protests from the World Assembly and TITO, and even bought Torne Valley from Sweden and Finnmark from Norway to create the Greater Finland every Karelianist had dreamed of. Later on we merged with Estonia to form the Confederacy of Baltic Finland, and now we're here to settle this. We managed to capture the leader of their troops in quiet, and it turns out he's no one else than V. Zhirinovsky. There we realized it wasn't even a country vs. country -type of war. He was convicted quietly of treason and mass-murder for life. Long story short, we're here to give a formal apology to the government of USSR for claiming Karelia, Kola and Petersburg for our country."

After the speech made by Konkonen, silence fell upon the audience.

[-USSR]

Jordanescu: "I'm going to put this bluntly, comerades, what the Finnish Army put innocent Russians through is quite frankly vile. I understand why you'd harm members of the White Movement but civilians, really?"

Koivisto: "And you need to realise how many Finnish-Soviets were affected by this! My own nephew was shot, at random by a Finnish soldier"

Nazarova: "Ilya and Franz described perfectly my feelings on this. Imagine yourself in Franz's situation!"

Gyoldberg: "As a foreign affairs official I just don't know what you were thinking going in like that? Did you not think there could be consequences?"

[Baltic Finland (Ancient)]

"What the international community doesn't understand however", said Palkolahti, "that the war crimes, attack war and annexations WE are scolded for were ordered to be done by then-government of the Republic of Finland which ceased to exist once the Confederacy of Baltic Finland was formed. I am not saying our new country is absolved from all blame. What I am saying is we have the old government and army leadership arrested for war crimes. The old president, prime minister, finance minister, foreign minister, internal minister, generals, colonels, commodores, admirals... we have all of the perpetrators detained."

"We find no excuse for the annexation of Murmansk and Leningrad Oblasts and the Republic of Karelia other than mistakes done by your past government", Konkonen explained. "I don't want to sound bold, but I think that makes pur countries even. Stalin had put Finland through terrible experiences for trying to retain its national sovereignty as a country and people. I am sorry for your losses had you got any, but any further punishments upon Žirinovsky, our war criminals or our country will not bring the dead back to life."

"Alternatively, if you request any further compensation for Mother Russia, I have a proposition for the government of the USSR." The crowd stood there silent, awaiting for president Jaaguars proposition. "Either", he began, "You pardon our past government's mistakes as we pardon your past government's mistakes. Concretely it means we would return the annexed areas, but all of the perpetrators of our war crimes would walk free. This includes Žirinovsky. If you don't pardon our past government, which is entirely fine by us, the criminals will serve their life sentences without chance for parole, but we will keep the annexed areas." president Jaaguar offered.

Another silence followed.

[-USSR]

Jordanescu: "I'm so very happy that those thugs are locked up and I appreciate you for doing it..."

Gyoldberg: However when it comes to the return of Soviet territory, we have a proposition for you: we will take full control of Leningrad Oblast but we will share power with you in the rest of the territories you occupy with the condition that all of the current prisoners are kept locked away"

Koivisto: "So what do you all think?"

[Baltic Finland (Ancient)]

"Now, now. If Sovietans wish to participate in the political process of the Confederacy of Greater Finland, they need to become members of parliament first. Consider this a compromise: Soviet Union enlists 20 members of federal parliament of its choice. These members are immediately granted citizenship and they will participate in issues that affect the Confederacy of Baltic Finland directly. They will join the Left Alliance, our socialist party which, incidentally, advocates the interests of our Russian minority. Be that an added benefit for the USSR plus war criminals locked up." president Jaaguar proposed.

"I am afraid that us Baltic Finns have gotten over being occupied, russified and marched over. Aren't you?" asked Palkolahti and Konkonen nodded.

"I you're still unsatisfied, there are always the two propositions to choose from", said Konkonen.

[-USSR]

Nazarova: "We are considering your offer, however we'd like to clarify our suggestion. If our offer is taken up the occupied territories will be demilitarised, they will elect representatives in both our legislatures, they will be citizens to both our countries and they will have their own, devolved legislature just like all of our SSRs. I'd like you to properly think over our offer..."

[Baltic Finland (Ancient)]

"It is still groundbreaking as a solution, and could not be implemented without the people's consent. We shall hold polls regarding that matter on the state parliament of Karelia and the federal parliament of the Confederacy of Baltic Finland." president Jaaguar said. "In the meantime, how about we get to the other issues at hand? That is, if it is alright with you, Ilya", asked president Jaaguar.

"We will get back to you when the poll results will be given." assured Konkonen.

[-USSR]

Jordanescu: "This is all very positive! I'm glad we can be like this. So what would you like to discuss next? Or have you any questions?

[Baltic Finland (Ancient)]

"I see that the Soviet Union has endorsed the autonomy of South Estonia, isn't that right?", started Konkonen. "As an Estonian myself, I applaud your generosity towards the South Estonian people and their heritage. We have another kind of an autonomy movement rising in the northern regions of the Confederacy of Baltic Finland, which are the Torne Valley, Lapland, Finnmark and Kola Peninsula to be specific. The Sami have started campaigns for independence from the States of Finland and Karelia. Because they live in separate states, having a request sent to the federal parliament is much slower. Would you approve of the autonomy of the State of Sápmi, as the Sami would call their state, had they requested so?" finished Konkonen.

[-USSR]

Jordanescu: "As a federal country, we support self-determination and autonomy for all that need it and Sápmi would be no different"

Koivisto: "As a Finn myself I fully support self-determination for the Sami, they'd bring a new lease of life to the culture of Finland!"

Gyoldberg: "All of the Soviet delegation here have some kind of minority background; I am Jewish, Nataliya here is Russian and Kazakh and Ilya is Moldovan, Jewish and Gay so we do know how it feels to be a minority and that is why the USSR supports self-determination and anti-imperialism, because we are a Union of nationalities!"

[Baltic Finland (Ancient)]

"About other nationalities..." started Konkonen but was cut off by Palkolahti rather eager to ask the next question: "The Confederacy of Baltic Finland demands to know the health of its kinsmen within Soviet borders! What is the status of the Khanty, Mansi, Komis, Maris, Udmurts and Mordvins? Are their territories, which are Khanty-Mansi, Republics of Mari and Komi, Udmurtia and Mordovia, independent or even autonomous? How are their health? Are they discriminated against?" "Hold your horses, Oula. I'm sure Franz is able to answer every question you asked", president Jaaguar reassured.

[-USSR]

Jordanescu: "Okay, as our resident Finn, Franz, I'll let you take this one!"

Franz: "We Soviet Finns are treated impeccably within the Union. Let me start with the Udmurts; they have their own Soviet Socialist Republic, the Udmurt SSR which is headed by a Communist called Vladimir Volkov, a dear friend of mine, then we come to the Komis who have the Komi SSR, governed by Serban Vukovič, Khantys have the Khanty SSR governed by Mariya Milanova, the Mari SSR headed by Viktor Kekkonen and last but not least we have Mordovia, headed by a Olia Kaukova. They are all on equal footing with every other SSR too"