I might as well start a formal thread on this topic, given that we have discussed this issue on multiple occasions on several private channels on TSP's Discord servers, which is our future in the World Assembly. As it currently stands, there appears to be only one major voting bloc in the WA and that is the World Assembly Legislative League (WALL) between Balder, Europe, Europeia, the IDU, and TNP.

So, here's my opinion on the matter. I think that we should form our own bloc in the WA, but not as broad as the WALL. We should form two blocs in the WA — one that is General Assembly-oriented and another that is Security Council-oriented. I don't know if we're ready to discuss the GA yet, but I think many of us would agree that a defender bloc in the SC would be beneficial to TSP.

Here is a list of potential regions that we could form a defender bloc with:

• The Rejected Realms (embassy and treaty)
  
• 10000 Islands (embassy and treaty)
  
• Union of Democratic States (embassy and treaty)
  
• Free Nations Region (consulate but no treaty)
  
• Wintreath (embassy but no treaty)
  
• Sonindia (no embassy and no treaty)
  
• Spiritus (embassy and treaty)
  

Crunching the numbers, a theoretical defender bloc consisting of the listed regions above and including our region would have at least as much or greater voting power than the WALL in the Security Council, which would make such a bloc immensely powerful and send a powerful message in R/D. A defender bloc with TSP at the helm would also give our region a lot of sway and influence.

I think it would be in the best interest of TSP to pursue an agenda of forming a defender bloc in the SC.

4× Cabinet minister /// 1× OWL director /// CRS member /// SPSF

My History

(This post was last modified: 06-04-2020, 02:44 PM by Jay Coop.)

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I am able to answer questions relating to WALL as I was Balder's WA Minister and WALL representative from February 2019-February 2020.

I think this would be a very smart thing for TSP to pursue, and a good way to increase our sway on the international stage.

EDIT: I think if we end up being serious about this; we should spend the next cabinet term building embassies and treaties with the major defender regions (that we don't already have treaties and embassies with), as well as lay the groundwork for the new org.

-Griffindor/Ebonhand
-Current Roles/Positions
-Legislator 2/24/20-
-High Court Justice 6/7/20-
-South Pacific Coral Guard 11/17/20-
-Minister of Engagement 6/17/22-

-Past Roles/Positions
-Legislator 7/3/16-4/10/18
-Secretary of State 4/3/20-2/24/21
-Chair of the APC 9/24/16-5/31/17
-Vice-Chair of the APC 6/1/17-4/10/18
-Local Council Member 7/1/17-11/17/17
-Citizen 5/2012-12/2014 and  2/26/16-7/3/2016

(This post was last modified: 05-20-2020, 12:02 AM by Griffindor.)

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I'm a fan of this idea, in general, though there's certainly a lot to work out.

Perhaps add Sonindia (again, no embassy or treaty) to the list?

~ Aumeltopia ~

Raccoons are bandits! First they steal your food . . . and then your heart/identity!

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Perhaps add Sonindia (again, no embassy or treaty) to the list?

Done.

4× Cabinet minister /// 1× OWL director /// CRS member /// SPSF

My History

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What's our opinion on The Order of the Grey Wardens?

4× Cabinet minister /// 1× OWL director /// CRS member /// SPSF

My History

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There was potential plans for this with TSP, TRR, TEP, and NPO a couple years ago but a ton of crap happened then so nothing ever happened. Even in a different arrangement of groups, I'd like to see this idea reborn,

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What's our opinion on The Order of the Grey Wardens?

They don't really do WA. They may be defender but as far as voting goes I don't think they're too relevant.

~ Aumeltopia ~

Raccoons are bandits! First they steal your food . . . and then your heart/identity!

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What's our opinion on The Order of the Grey Wardens?

They don't really do WA. They may be defender but as far as voting goes I don't think they're too relevant.

What if we allowed a theoretical defender bloc to grant observer status so that regions such as TGW can have a seat at the table and participate in SC decisionmaking? This would allow us to grow our sphere of influence.

4× Cabinet minister /// 1× OWL director /// CRS member /// SPSF

My History

(This post was last modified: 05-20-2020, 12:44 AM by Jay Coop.)

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There was potential plans for this with TSP, TRR, TEP, and NPO a couple years ago but a ton of crap happened then so nothing ever happened. Even in a different arrangement of groups, I'd like to see this idea reborn,

I feel like I was involved in some of this way long ago. As we already have an alliance with TEP and TRR, they might be good starting points?

One sidenote, while I clearly see the writing on the wall here, I'd encourage us to not alienated TNP.

-tsunamy
[forum admin]

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Howdy,

I want to provide some context and diplomatic reality to this situation. I am wary of any kind of bloc that does not have a very limited mandate. Simply put, we don't vote in tandem with TRR and/or XKI anywhere near 100% of the time, and a bloc would compromise our ability to dictate our own WA policy. When we signed the XKI Treaty there were a few conversations about the potential for us to work with them on SC Liberations, ignoring the condemn and commend aspect of the SC. That, of course, did not materialize but I would recommend we start with something exceptionally limited if we want to do something and then think about expansion later on. 

Second, we need to note that forming a bloc will be seen as a threat to hegemony for TNP. That needs to be dealt with delicately and will require many overtures of friendship and cooperation to be made to them. I am glad we have a treaty with TNP and that we guarantee their security just as they guarantee ours and we would need to make sure we can preserve that alliance as it is one of the most important in ensuring diplomatic stability for us. That alliance falling apart would be seen as Defenderism "failing" TSP diplomacy which would not be a good look for us as we would try to reach out to new regions.

On the point about Defender leadership, I think that is important and there are ways to propagate it without a WA voting bloc. Large pan-Defender events, while difficult, would be a big boost to the unity of the ideology and the publicity around it. Increased cultural cooperation is definitely something that should be looked into. I am inclined to believe, however, that is we did create a bloc of any kind it could risk becoming a gate-keeping organization for the Defender ideology which is not what I want to see from the ideology. I want Defenderism to be accessible to as many as possible without gatekeepers determining who is "truly" Defender.

Finally, the TEP treaty I will be bringing forward which this Assembly granted me their blessing to pursue will be the last treaty I do this term. Any kind of negotiation about a bloc of this kind will need to be a task for the next Cabinet term and will require effort from all Ministries and the Assembly. If this is something we want to do, we need to keep having these conversations and make sure we are positive this is a path we want to go down. None of this is to say I am opposed to such a bloc, I just want us to fully understand some of the downsides to this as the upsides I think have been made clear. So let's be thoughtful about this because these are the types of debates that could change our role in NS for years to come.

Above all else, I hope to be a decent person.
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CoA: August 2016-January 2017
Minister of Foreign Affairs: October 2019-June 2020, October 2020- February 2021

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