Over the past few weeks, the Cabinet has been negotiating with The Rejected Realms, a fine region and fellow GCR. We want to expand our existing alliances, to ensure that we're connected to most active regions and the strongest military forces that could protect us if we even need it. (Hopefully we won't!)

TRR is part of a fairly large military organization, called the Founderless Regions Alliance. They have leverage that could help get the rest of the FRA to aid us in a time of need. If we were to be couped again, we would want as much help as we can get.

TRR also has a lot of opportunities for cultural exchanges. For example, they have one of the most read newspapers in Gameplay, so they could help SPINN with technical stuff, or could collaborate on big issues.

Some may oppose this treaty because of our existing alliance with The New Inquisition, who is currently at war with The Rejected Realms through their war with the Founderless Regions Alliance. This was a major point in negotiations. We stressed that TSP will not be dragged into a war we think is as fruitless as it is expansive.

To that end, we agreed only to protect The Rejected Realms if anybody were attack the region proper, just as we are are asking them to do with us, and as all of our treaties do. That is the cornerstone of our all our treaties, because only by recognizing and protecting the sovereignty of all GCRs can we protect our own. There is a line even our allies cannot cross.

When it comes to other military missions, we went with the standard protocol. We will cooperate whenever it's in our interests, meaning whenever it will provide an opportunity for the SPSF to be active, without having severe consequences for our foreign affairs.

One other thing to mention is that this treaty adopts the position we took with Europeia. If TRR and TSP were to meet on the opposite sides of the battlefield, that would not constitute hostility or attack. This allows us to defend and raid, which is another standard of our foreign affairs.

This treaty would let people know that we are truly independent, and we do whatever is in our best interests. What better way to do that then to be allied with multiple regions that differ in alignment on the whole R/D thing?

Ultimately, our regional interests are best served by having good relations with all of our fellow GCRs. We have treaties with Balder, TNP, and Lazarus. So we should expand our relations with GCRs and encourage peace and cooperation among all of us. We all have the same common interest of protecting our regions from attack. This treaty is on the right step with our others in ensuring that!

Without further ado, the Cabinet presents the following treaty for the Assembly's consideration!

Quote:Treaty of Peace and Amity

Preamble.

The South Pacific and The Rejected Realms, endeavoring to promote the ideals of unity and peace among Game-Created Regions, ensure good relations and cooperation between our two great regions, and recognize the legitimate governments of each other, have agreed to the following Treaty of Peace and Amity.

Article I. Mutual Recognition of Government Legitimacy.

Section 1. The parties to this treaty recognize the government of each region, based upon its constitutions and laws, as legitimate, and will not extend that recognition to any government that comes to power through means not proscribed by law, which shall be determined by the legitimate government in question.

Section 2. Should the government of either party fundamentally change, but not violate the terms of the previous section, the parties may adopt a memorandum of understanding extending the provisions of this treaty to the new government.

Article II. Non-Aggression.

Section 1. The parties to this treaty vow neither to attack the home region of the other party nor participate in any action with the intent to overthrow their legitimate government.

Section 2. Both parties will refrain from conspiring, either directly or through a third party, to destabilize or overthrow the legitimate government of either party.

Section 3. Both parties will refrain from conducting clandestine operations, espionage, or other forms of spying against either party.

Section 4. Both parties will, in good faith, report any known threat or concern related to the other party's security, to the appropriate security organs.

Article III. Mutual Defense.

Section 1. The parties to this treaty may seek assistance for their self-defense by lodging an official request with the appropriate officials.

Section 2. Both parties agree to aid each other against attempts to illegally overthrow the in-game Delegate of their respective home regions.

Section 3. All other requests for aid will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and subject to Article V's conditions.

Article IV. Cultural Exchange and Cooperation.

The parties to this treaty will endeavor to conduct communal cultural activities, to the benefit of the people of both parties, and to strengthen the institutions of peace and liberty.

Article V. Cooperation on Military Affairs.

Section 1. The parties to this treaty agree to work with each other, from time to time, and as circumstances permit, on mutually beneficial military operations, including training missions and confidence-building measures.

Section 2. In pursuing cooperation in military operations, both parties agree that participation on the opposite sides of a military engagement do not automatically constitute hostility or an attack on either party.

Section 3. Both parties agree to keep classified any information regarding military affairs, and only publish that information in a manner mutually agreed upon.

Section 4. Both parties agree to share intelligence as circumstances permit.

Article VI. Peaceful Settlement of Disputes.

The parties to this treaty undertake to settle any and all disputes between them through peaceful means and to refrain from using the threat of force or sanction against one another while this treaty is in force.

Article VII. Deposit and Clarification of Terms.

Section 1. This treaty shall be deposited in a publicly accessible area of the community forums of both parties.

Section 2. The parties to this treaty may, from time to time, clarify the terms of this treaty through memorandums of understanding, which shall be posted alongside the treaty.

Article VIII. Suspension of Terms and Termination of the Treaty.

Section 1. Either party may suspend the terms of the treaty, if the other party has materially breached its terms, until such a time that both parties peacefully settle the dispute and adopt a memorandum of understanding that the treaty is again in force.

Section 2. Either party may terminate the treaty with five days notice, posted publicly in the forum of deposit in both regions, after which the terms of treaty are no longer binding on either party.