Dranish State Visit to Hulstria and Gao-Soto, 3418

[Martinulus]

Date of Dranish State Visit confirmed


Governor-General Thomas Michels shall receive the Dranish officials along with Emperors Klaus Gustav VI and Kurosawa

Kien, Hulstria - the Dranish and Hulstrian Foreign Ministries have agreed on a date for the upcoming Dranish state visit to Hulstria and Gao-Soto. On short notice, in a few weeks time Governor-General Thomas Michels and the two Emperors will officially welcome the Dranish President, Prime Minister, Defence Minister and Foreign Minister to the nation at Kien International Airport Heinrich I. Following this reception, there will be an official state dinner at Fliederbrunn Palace with both Emperors and Hulstrian and Gao-Showan government officials, after which the Dranish visitors shall go on a tour of the country to see the progress being made, stopping at the Gao-Showan imperial city of Miyako among others.

Dr Michels said: "We all look forward to receiving our Dranish friends and show them what we've been doing these past years."

[Alain Delors]

Arrival of Dranish Entourage
May 1, 3418

Prime Minister Adrienne LeCoultre-Overstraten

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Today the state visit to Hulstria commenced with a press conference at Kien International Airport Heinrich I the arrival of the Dranish delegation including President Richard Branstead-Smith, Prime Minister Adrienne LeCoultre-Overstraten, Foreign Minister James Brown and Defence Minister Geoffrey Fox. After having received a warm welcome on the part of their Hulstrian counterparts, Emperors Claus Gustav VI and Okatori Kurosawa, Governor-General Dr Thomas Michels, the Dranish officials hosted a press conference in which they answered questions from Hulstrian and international journalists. The following extract contains discourse on the development of the Dranish-Hulstrian diplomatic relationships:

Journalist: Mrs. Prime Minister, what are your hopes and expectations with regards to this state visit?

Prime Minister Adrienne LeCoultre-Overstraten: First of all, I wish to point out that I feel greatly honored in the light of being welcomed by such a high-ranking Hulstrian delegation. I wish to thank their Majesties and Dr Michels for taking the time to receiving us here in Hulstria in a time of radical change and transformation. I greatly admire their joint efforts to restore democracy and human rights after they have been so brutally suppressed by the KSP regime. It is a sign of great moral integrity and courage that they have never abandoned their commitment to fighting for said these values even when they had to fear prosecution and even death for doing so.


Journalist: In which ways does Dranland seek to extend its co-operation with Hulstria?

Foreign Minister James Brown:: Our co-operation is in fact already very fruitful, which we regard as a great achievement especially when taking into account the fact that not much time has passed since the KSP dictatorship was overthrown. Our support for the Septemberist movement during the time of oppression and our joint belief in the universal values of freedom and human rights lay the foundation for enhanced co-operation, and we are determined to build upon this foundation. A part of our strategy has already been accomplished through withdrawing sanctions that we imposed while the KSP was in power. Now we are optimistic that trade and exchange of goods and knowledge will soon begin to flow again and bring prosperity to our nations. Furthermore, we have already formalized the readoption of diplomatic co-operation through the opening of a new embassy. We have also seen that our nations' security forces are effectively conducting cross-border investigation, as we have seen in the case of the tragic assault on our former Prime Minister Woodhall.

Journalist: Hulstria has recently received some criticism from the part of socialist leader George Butterworth. Would a regime change in Dranland lead to an abrupt end to the apparent friendship between the governments of Hulstria and Dranland?

Foreign Minister James Brown:: Definitely not. As far as I can judge, Mr Butterworth's criticism did in no way question the legitimacy of the Septemberist government nor did it suggest that Dranland should arrogate to act as a judge on Hulstrian domestic policies. The DSP foreign affairs spokesman has actually quite explicitly clarified what his party was really meaning to say. I think the people in both of our nations are aware of the fact that democracy requires the maturity to co-operate across ideological lines.

Journalist: Will Hulstria and Dranland also proceed to co-operating on defence issues?

Defence Minister Geoffrey Fox: There have been no formal talks on this issue, however I believe that first of all we should await the completion of a full transformation to democracy in Hulstria - which the Hulstrian government is pushing for very enthusiastically - before putting forward the idea of a potential defence treaty, which I would generally indeed approve of.

[Martinulus]

Hulstria welcomes Dranish Delegation



Kien International Airport Heinrich I, Hulstria - The Dranish Delegation has been received with pomp and ceremony in what is hopefully the first of many state visits by friendly nations to Hulstria and Gao-Soto following the September Revolution. His Imperial and Most Illustrous Luthoran Majesty, Klaus Gustav VI of Hulstria and His Imperial Majesty, Okatori Kurosawa of Gao-Soto, along with their Governor-General Thomas Michels and Foreign Minister Sebastian Goddestreu, were there to greet the visitors as "Land of our Fathers" and the Dranish National Anthem were played by the Royal Hulstrian Marching Band.

Thomas Michels and Sebastian Goddestreu held their own press conference shortly after the official reception, before departing for Fliederbrunn Palace:

Governor-General, what are your feelings at the moment?
Michels: "I am obviously overjoyed to greet our Dranish friends, who have, as you might have figured, assisted the citizens of Hulstria and Gao-Soto in regaining their freedom and whom we consider to be close friends of ours. I have spoken with Their Imperial Majesties and you'll also be glad to know that they share my feelings of gratitude and friendship towards the Dranish. I feel that despite our different cultures, we share a lot with our Dranish cousins - in both our Gao-Showan and post-colonial heritage."

How do you feel about the chaos surrounding the assassination of Prime Minister Woodhall?
Michels: "It is obviously a very sad thing for a sitting, democratically-elected Head of Government to be shot for what seems to be political reasons. We are even more concerned because of the possibility of a radical Kyo or Hulstrian connection and I'm sure you will be glad to know that Agashi Tarumoto and I will do everything in our power to assist the Dranish authorities in investigating this Hulstrian connection. As Tarumoto has said earlier, if this is true, we will add this to Adolf Thälmann's list of charges when we finally haul him before a court to await justice."

Herr Goddestreu, you were instrumental in negotiating foreign support for the Septembrist Movement. What do you hope to achieve for the Septembrist Government?
Goddestreu: "I tend to take a more modest view about my role in all this. I was in Luthori at the time. *laughs* As for our hopes for this state visit, we hope to strengthen the bonds of free trade and cooperation between our nations. I understand Mr Fox will want to discuss a possible defence pact with my colleague, Tochikura Sotatsu: I'm sure I speak for both Sotatsu and I would welcome the start of such discussions. Our premier role as a government, however, is to get our own affairs in order, but we feel our allies will be able to help."

[Alain Delors]

State Dinner at Fliederbrunn Palace

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On the second day of their visit to Hulstria, the Dranish delegation was invited to a state dinner at Fliederbrunn palace, which is one of the most important cultural monuments in the Imperial Crownlands, hosted by both Emperors and Hulstrian and Gao-Showan government officials. After enjoying a five-course menu including many local delicacies and word-class Hulstrian wines, the party remained at the dining room for several additional hours for conversation over state affairs, Hulstrian and Dranish culture, perspectives for enhanced co-operation and economic exchange. "The Emperors and the Governor-General are indeed very good company, and I enjoyed this event very much", stated Prime Minister Adrienne LeCoultre-Overstraten afterwards without revealing details of their conversations. President Richard Branstead-Smith and Foreign Minister James Brown, who had withdrawn to the pump room for savoring several glasses of champagne together with Hulstrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Goodestreu, also affirmed their satisfaction with the dinner and assured that "we are very optimistic that we will work out an agreement aimed at strengthening our ties with our Hulstrian friends in order to promote the well-being and prosperity of both our people."

[Aquinas]

OOC: Brilliant RP here from Alain and Martinulus. Only one little thing: maybe someone should say something about the suspicions that some guns/explosives from Hulstria made their way to Dranland with the fall of the previous regime (see Dranish News).