After going over this evidence you have compiled against Samura, I have some questions.
Are you sure that three sightings of ships carrying a commodity that is legal in Kusari over the last 15 months and the sighting of a Samura ship, far away from your claimed space, spotted by a known terrorist is adequate reason to declare war against Kusari?
What is it you hope to achieve with this declaration of hostilities against the people of planet Kurile, who you have offered no evidence of any wrong doing in the first place as well as the people of Kusari as a whole.
How does the Guild justify the breaking of previous treatise with Kusari?
Stipulating that my colleague from New Tokyo is correct about the reliability, or lack thereof, of the evidence from Omicron Gamma - is there any chance that these artifacts did NOT come from the Corsair Empire, a hostile foreign power with a history of piracy? Also, a follow-up - can you confirm or deny rumors of cannibalism among the residents of Planet Crete?
Be kinder than necessary, because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
J.M. Barrie
The GMG Representative addresses Yukiko Kichiba questions.
"The Guild has no position on the legality of Artifacts within Kusari space, except to say that what is considered legal for Kusari ends at the Kusari border.
Samura Corporation has no more right to move Artifacts through Guild space than they do through Liberty. Furthermore, Samura has failed utterly to heed to laws of the land - our laws - and action has been taken against them for this reason.
"As to the matter of treaties, the original Treaty of Aomori - signed by the Emperor - did not recognise Planet Kurile as Kusari sovereign territory. The GMG stands by its claim that Kurile is but a corporate satellite of the Samura Corporation. Attempts to retrospectively redefine the Treaty shall not be acknowledged by the Guild."
"The KNF claimed to have moved forces to Planet Kurile to act as a shield, and subsequently invoked section 2.6 of the treaty. For the record, let it be known that Kurile does not display a Kusari Police IFF, nor are there regular patrols by the Kusari authorities anywhere within the Sigma-17 system.
"As to the Treaty itself, it was declared null and void by the Emperor. Kusari broke the treaty of its own free will."
Sir, did the Emperor not dissolve the treaty once the GMG stopped following it's guidelines?
Quote:2.6 Cooperation. Neither entity initiates hostilities against compliant military or state police forces of the other.
Are not the officers defending Kusari citizens from all external threats regarded as compliant?
Are not those attempting to murder Kusari civilians not to be deemed as non-compliant?
Does not the term corporate satellite denote some kind of ownership of the planet in question?
Did the Guild at any time approach Samura to mediate any kind of settlement before initiating hostilities?
The GMG representative addresses Maeda Ichikari's questions.
"The volumes of illegal artifacts found to be carried by Samura ships go beyond the scope of any known - or indeed theorised - archeological sources. Only Planet Crete is historically known to be such a locale of xeno-archeological specimens.
"It is the sheer number of incidents, and the prolonged period of illegal activity, that have led to this situation. A small operation, or the work of a single trader, could have been discounted as isolated. As shown by the Fakuto Records these illegal activites are neither small, nor limited in scope.
"As for your last question, the Guild can neither confirm nor deny the dietary intake of the typical Corsair."
After the laughter died down, the floor was open to more questions
The GMG Representative addresses Yukiko Kichiba questions once more.
"The term 'corporate satellite' implies ownership by the Samura Corporation, not by any recognised police or military authority.
"Let it be stated here that from DAY ONE of Samura's illegal activites, they have been in breach of Article 2, Section 2.2 which obliges Kusari vessels to comply with Guild laws, whilst in their sovereign space.
"I shall also reiterate the fact that Kurile, and the Sigma-17 system, was not considered as being part of the Treaty of Aomori. Article 1 clearly lists the regions declared to be Kusari space in the terms of the treaty. The Emperor only declared an interest in Kurile AFTER the Guild moved forces into Sigma-17."