Kalistani Representative makes Presentation to Conference
Barajas offers grievances and solutionsValois, LourenneThe main representative from Kalistan, Governor Ana Barajas, gave Kalistan's opening statements to the Straits Crisis Peace Conference
Ana Barajas, Socialist Party of Kalistan, Governor of Odufaray, Chief Negotiator for United Republic of Kalistan wrote:We think it wise to list what, from Kalistan's perspective, started this conflict, Kalistan's responses and what Kalistan would consider an acceptable solution. Granted, we may have missed a minor detail here and there, but this is Kalistan's statement, so others may feel free to correct me if I make errors in my statement.
1. We viewed the massive and offensive armament of Lourenne by the the Imperialists in Kazulia as a security threat to Kalistan.
2. We viewed the transiting of the Straits by military vessels of imperialist nations large and small as a threat to Kalistani sovereignty.
3. We viewed neo-liberal agreements into which previous Kalistani Governments had shortsightedly entered as a threat to Kalistani Sovereignty and independence.
So we took the following steps:
1. We set about to rearm Kalistan to address the security threat and re-establish a balance of power between Kalistan and her neighbors. Vanuku was willing to help us in this matter, and did so spectacularly.
2. We closed the Straits completely to foreign military traffic and put restrictions on commercial shipping through the Straits, not as a protectionist tactic, mind you, but as a part of Kalistan's security doctrine to ensure that Kalistani ports and assets in the straits, especially KALNAPECO assets, as well as Kalistani shipping and INTRA-Republic commerce is not threatened by aggressive foreigners.
3. We withdrew from certain neo-liberal treaties, notably the Selayan Union, as there was a collective security provision in that treaty that would have obligated Kalistan to join wars for which it was not in anyway interested or prepared, and to contribute to the defense of nations like Valruzia who have shown themselves to be hostile to Kalistani concerns, as well as the Laws of the Sea, which established a norm that was directly at odds with Kalistan's security needs (See point 2 regarding military traffic in the Straits above.
For which, Kalistan endured incursion by units of the Lourenne Navy, who, in the first major incident of the crisis, sat within spitting distance from Ananto, in a show of force, and in an episode where we lost two squadron and 72 Militia members; a second major incursion where Kazulia sunk two of our Destroyers, and several more LAFA ships, for a total of 43 Kalistanis killed or captured, while attempting to escort a civilian cargo ship in contravention to our explicit closure order; and a third major incident where the Lourenne Navy sunk a Frigate of our ally, Lodamun, who came into the Straits to help Kalistan. We have also suffered an economic blockade from Valruzia, who was also at the same time, making a play for favor from Kazulia, and in an attempt to show fealty to that Empire, attempted to lead the Selayan Union into economic warfare against Kalistan.
Is Kalistan innocent in all this? Absolutely not: We did our share of damage as well. But had the Navies of two regional powers and the Government of a Third decided to work with Kalistan to resolve the security issues it had, rather than attacking us because we had them and took appropriate measures to resolve them, we would not have come to the doorstep of all out war.
Now is the time, then to resolve this crisis. I have made you familiar with Kalistan's case. Any solution that I am prepared to negotiate must have, at least, a recognition of Kalistani sovereignty in the Straits of Ananto, and the ability to bar military traffic through that territory, unless there is a standing agreement of neutrality or amity between Kalistan and the transiting nation. We are not for closing off the sea, but we have no interest in the passage on the Eastern side of Ananto. It is the Ananto Straits, that go between Ananto and Mainland Kalistan where our economic engine, and therefore our nation's main arteries, are physically located. Nobody here can deny that the economic activity in that Strait makes up the vast majority of the GDP of Kalistan, while transiting the straits is a mere convenience for foreigners.
We are willing to discuss and negotiate on all other matters, but we will not back off of Kalistani claims to the Straits. We will propose a solution that lifts restrictions on commercial transiting the Straits, but we must insist that military traffic take the Eastern passage, between Ananto and Lourenne. We feel that this is a reasonable solution to the issue of the Straits, and we await the responses of our colleagues here gathered. Thank you for your time and your willingness to work to resolve this conflict.
With this Barajas returned to her seat in the delegate forum.