Halion Conference for Peace in Selucia and Badara

[Zanz]

The tall spires of Halion's downtown cast shadows that were doubly long, as it was late afternoon in the capital city of Solentia. The shadows didn't reach the government district, though, and here the buildings were squat and ornate, the skies clear and red-blue, and the majority of people were dressed well, suits and ties replacing the fashions of the rest of the nation. It was chilly, being December, but it was abnormally warm, and the heavy coats usual for the time had been doffed in favor of lighter apparel.

It was in the government district that many interested in foreign affairs had paid close attention to the developing crisis in Selucia and Al'Badara through the news. Many Solentians had watched in anguish as diplomatic solutions failed to alleviate tensions, and then been horrified as the crisis devolved into sheer war, the first of its kind in recent history. Though international response had come only from the Conservative Party of Solentia, each of the government entities in the nation was paying attention, and each of them despised the death that had come, and was still to come, from the situation.

So it had been decided.

Solentia would try, it had to try. As a nation so devoted to isolation for 600 years, Solentia had sat through war, death, and genocide, unwilling to stop the suffering. But now the focus of the nation had shifted. Solentians were embarrassingly aware of the difference that a nation's voice could make, and they were no longer willing to keep silent as people died. And so the Conservatives had offered, with the blessing of the nation, to host peace talks that had been promised but never organized.

The Selucians and Badarans were invited to Halion to discuss, one last time, avoiding war. No one knew if the nations would show, but it had to be tried. Majatra must not see war between its states.

OOC: This link will be sent to Selucia and Al'Badara. Only delegates from those nations and Solentia may participate. Feel free to RP arrivals, etc., or we can just jump to everyone being in Halion and ready to discuss. I ask that all parties please at the least consider attending these talks.

[Jesuit]

Arriving in Hailon was all too exciting for Brother Felix de Leona SJ. The monk was the head of Deputy Affairs, most likely to succeed Brother Simon of Internal Affairs, or Father Andrew of Foreign Affairs. The Ignatian Catholic Party, Selucia's favorite Jesuits, had given Father Felix a little more then two weeks notice in order to attend the conference. Fr. Felix had been on one international visit before, to Sekowo earlier in the year, which confirmed his delegation to this conference. The 34 year old Jesuit was said by some to be the new face of the party. This meeting was to be his initiation for the life he had ahead of himself.

The Jesuit hadn't really looked into the crisis all that much, although he should've. He knew of Selucia's controversial actions but for the main part agreed, as neither the Holy Selucian Empire or the Selucian Catholic Church would succumb to terrorism. Felix hated war although, and would do anything to stop one. Another reason why he was selected by the party to represent them at this conference. Diplomacy was Felix's forte, and he planned to make a lasting impression, not only on Selucia, Al'Badara and Solentia, but all of Majatra as well. But who he wanted to impress the most, was the Axis Alliance. The Priest, one of the youngest in the party, wanted to show the world what he was 'made of.'

As he made his way through Halion, a nicely decorated city, delicate in it's own, he appreciated Solentia's calm approach, unlike the one Zardugal and other Axis nations had offered, promised, a promise they broke by siding with Badara before any diplomacy could be discussed. The feeling, the sense, the atmosphere in Solentia, or Hailon at least was nothing like the one in Selucia. Selucia was based on the Church, maintaining their Selucian Culture, and the Imperator. Solentia was much more diverse.

Father Felix, escorted to the Foreign Affairs building in Hailon via limo, entered into the room where we was led to by government officials and sat down. A man, sitting at the center of a semi-circle of chairs was there, and Father Felix quickly took a chair two seats down from him. The priest assumed this man was the moderator, and was sure he would introduce himself soon enough, as the other delegates showed up, since Felix was the first present.

OOC: I'd appreciate it if we could get to discussing right away

[IslamicRevParty]

Khalid Abdullah, the Islamic Revolutionary Party's delegate, who acts as the party's foreign affairs minister, arrived in Halion for the conference.

In a letter sent to the major news agencies, he indicated the IRP's willingness to participate and to help foster increased trust between nations and between the Muslim world and other religions.

"Religion should be a way to grow in mutual admiration and respect for one another's incredible diversity. Allah made us all a different color, but we are all nevertheless one community in Him. We are optimistic that an accord can be reached, and we are eager to get involved in any way possible."

The IRP is largely seen as a moderate Islamic group, with its members living rather conservatively but generally respecting Selucian law, culture and precedent.

This will be Abdullah's first major conference acting on the Islamic Revolutionary Party's behalf.