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+--- Thread: Adressed to the Council of Zoners (/showthread.php?tid=25465)
Adressed to the Council of Zoners - Sonja - 08-25-2009
This is a formal proposition to the Council of Zoners regarding Zoner-run installations around the nation of Liberty and future diplomatic relations between Liberty and the Zoners as a civilisation. Due to the increased threats in recent times from those with little or no regard for the law of the land, the government of Liberty feels that there is a solid ground for a new premise between you, the Zoners, and us.
Recently, we have experienced a startling increase in the use of Zoner-run outposts by criminals, including but not limited to, the Liberty Rogues, the Lane Hackers and the Xenos. Usually, this would not pose much more than a nuisance, but lately, the military has passed on reports of powerful raiding groups appearing to base from these stations. As you may know, the Liberty Navy, Liberty Police and the Liberty Security Force are all tasked with keeping the peace within the borders of our nation, and to remove any threat to that peace. However, we are well aware of the precariousness of the neutrality that the Zoners preserve, and thus the Department of State feels that a dialogue between you and us would be best suited to alleviate this new problem.
It is within my power to offer the loose confederation of people known as Zoners the following benefits, if an amicable agreement were to be reached:
-A limited amount of relaxation of the embargo law currently in force, exclusively for the Zoners.
-Easier access to the system of Pennsylvania for Zoner ships, both large and small.
-A measure of restraint by Liberty lawful forces and direct consultation with the Council of Zoners when Zoner vessels are found to be committing illegal activities within the borders of Liberty.
Other benefits can be proposed by the Council of Zoners during negotiations.
That said, due to the recent situation, the nation of Liberty would like to put forward the following proposition:
As piracy and terrorism spread through civilised space like an uncontrolled wildfire, we would receive passive assistance from the Zoners in territories already under partial control of the Liberty Navy. This would be the retraction of Zoner protection and docking rights for any criminals who attempt to take advantage of the imposed no-fire zones after having committed an unlawful act within any system under the house of Libertys protection. To this end, lawful agents and officers of Liberty would reserve the right to apprehend said criminals within those zones. We would not be invasive of the no-fire zones indiscriminately however. All of those innocent of violent crime* within our house would still be eligible for that protection, in some cases supported by the local Liberty authorities if needed or requested. It is worth noting that such unlawful acts are often directed against Zoner trading vessels.
In closing, the nation of Liberty would like to have a firm relationship with the representative body of the Zoners, the Council of Zoners. An agreement such as the one above would provide a firm foundation for ties between our two peoples, and would also show those Sirius-wide that the Zoners do not condone acts of violence amongst their fellow man.
*Violent Crime includes but is not limited to; Murder, Attempted Murder, Piracy, Theft, Assault and Grievous Bodily Harm.
Regards, Harrison McRemitz
The secretary of state for foreign affairs.
Adressed to the Council of Zoners - Doc Holliday - 08-26-2009
*incoming transmission*
Encrypted message.
Comm ID: [TAZ]Doc Holliday
To: Secretary Harrison McRemitz
Greetings, Secretary,
I just wanted to respond to your proposition. I understand your complaint and like your generous offer but for now, myself and the Council have so many issues on the table that we're not sure where to go next. Our first priority is avoiding conflict with some Privateers so bear with us. That will take some time I fear.
About those groups you mentioned. They were long ago told that the use of Freeport 2 and Ames Research is as a re-supply stop and nothing more. They were told that their criminal activities are not tolerated which they agreed with and have created bases of their own for such activities. I will have to contact the base commanders as to what is going on. I haven't been out that way myself in some time.
As I said, we have so many issues in Council as we speak so bear with us. In the interim, I will get someone on this matter. Thank you for your patience.
Dr. John Henry Holliday
Council Chairman
Adressed to the Council of Zoners - Sonja - 08-26-2009
We understand that criminals are, on paper, not allowed to use your stations as staging grounds for raids or attacks on the nation of Liberty. However, this directive is, the vast majority of the time, not adhered to. There is no enforcement of this rule of yours, which makes the job of the forces of Liberty much harder than it could otherwise be. Your current contingency of requesting evidence before any action is taken is often too time consuming when there are many offenders, with the added downside of little to no Zoner presence to stop said offenders from still using your facilities. The aim of this dialogue between Liberty and the Zoners is to shift the perogative of the enforcement of that law into capable and experienced military hands. With such a change, we would no longer need to worry about such raiding groups escaping unhindered, and you would no longer need to worry about opportunistic and violent criminals taking advantage of your hospitality time and again.
As you have pointed out that you have many issues on the agenda of your council, we are willing to wait a short while. Please contact me again once you have dealt with your issue with the Privateers, at the latest. I too am under pressure to get a mutually beneficial agreement passed as quickly as possible.
Regards, Harrison McRemitz
The secretary of state for foreign affairs.
Adressed to the Council of Zoners - Sonja - 08-28-2009
I would like to issue a friendly reminder to the Council of Zoners that this issue must move forward today. I find it hard to believe that it you prioritise your issue with frankly, a brigade of Bretonian thugs, as more urgent than to deal with than the house of Liberty. For amicable relations between our two peoples, we must first come to the table. Though you have promised 'someone' to get on top of this matter, I have yet to recieve any new correspondance from anybody with the approval of the Council of Zoners. Please rectify this as soon as possible.
Regards, Harrison McRemitz
The secretary of state for foreign affairs.
Adressed to the Council of Zoners - DAnvilFan - 08-28-2009
Dear Mr.McRemitz,
I apologize for any inconvenience you have received as a result of our delay. At the time that your formal proposition was announced, the Zoner Council already had over 7 items on its agenda list. No doubt your diplomatic proposal takes a priority over most of them, but we still have a number of issues to resolve before we can move on to this matter. Please allow me to assure you that we are doing the best we can to complete our other agenda items as quickly and effectively as possible.
We appreciate your patience,
CoZ Delegate
Adressed to the Council of Zoners - Sonja - 09-06-2009
Greetings, Zoners. I come to you again after a sizable period of inaction by both of us, due to your request for time to deal with the other issues being adressed by your council. Luckily, the forces of Liberty have thusfar been very patient with the delay, but it's running thin lately. They would like to see some progress, and so would I.
I will outline again what Liberty would like from a future agreement:
-The shift of the responsibility from the Zoners to the forces of Liberty to punish violent criminals proactively within Zoner no-fire zones, instead of relying on the unreliable and insufficient on-site presence by members of the Zoners to stop violent criminals fleeing and abusing your facilities.
-This would also cover the punishment of groups or individuals using Zoner stations in Liberty patrolled territory as bases for attacks on the forces of Liberty or the citizens within.
-The no-fire zones affected would be those around Freeport 2 in Bering and Ames Research Station in Kepler.
The Zoners also have things to gain, such as:
-Relaxation of the embargo law, specifically for Zoner ships.
-Easier access to the system of Pennsylvania for Zoner ships, including warships which are not currently permitted.
-A measure of restraint by Liberty lawful forces and direct consultation with the Council of Zoners when Zoner vessels are found to be committing illegal activities within the borders of Liberty.
I do require a swift response and the commencement of talks between us. As I said, the patience of the forces of Liberty is wearing thin, and I have a feeling that you would prefer to converse with me rather than a military leader.
Regards, Harrison McRemitz
The secretary of state for foreign affairs.
Adressed to the Council of Zoners - Doc Holliday - 09-06-2009
*incoming transmission*
Encryption: heavy for Secretary McRemitz.
Greetings, Secretary McRemitz,
We do appreciate your patience. It's been a very trying time for us of late. As we speak, we have a motion on the floor to alter some of our NFZ rules. I anticipate passage within a few days. In the mean time, I did have questions and observations.
Both Bering and Kepler are edgeworlds, bordering two houses. I have to ask, does Liberty and Kusari both claim Kepler as Liberty and Rheinland laying any claims to Bering? If yes to either, I think you will need to settle with those houses on that issue. We always felt it was shared space.
No, we haven't had a regular presence of our ships to watch over them in the past but we are working on it. With hostilities elsewhere, we've had to move ships where they were needed.
However, my shuttle has been on both Freeport 2 and Ames Research over last couple of weeks. We have monitored base logs for all incoming and outgoing vessels. Asides the stray Xeno, Hacker, Unioner or what have you coming for supplies, there has been no documentation of criminal activities from either facility.
I would also like to point out that these groups you have problems with have their own bases in which to operate from, some of them several bases. I have personally not visited any of them but do know they exist from informants. I do believe your large raiding parties are coming from those bases as I know they aren't coming from ours.
Another thing to consider about patrols not being there. We have had so much piracy trouble just getting to these facilities that most Zoners choose not to go near Liberty space. We have traders that get pirated multiple times and actually lose money on runs. We've even had fighter ships en route get pirated. If you want us to provide more assistance on this matter, we could use some help with this problem.
I would like to meet with you personally if possible, at a location of your choosing. If this is possible, do let me know. I await your response.
Yours In Eris,
Dr. John Henry Holliday
Council Chairman
Adressed to the Council of Zoners - Sonja - 09-06-2009
It is possible to meet personally, as this is by far the largest responsibility on my hands at the moment. My office in the State Department on Manhattan should more than suffice for such a meeting.
Regarding your other points...
Neither Kusari nor Rheinland have any legal control thusfar around the space of Zoner installations. If they did, then we would too and these talks wouldn't be happening. Their business in those systems is their own, as is ours. The forces of Liberty already exercise their right to patrol that space whenever they choose.
However, our concern doesn't lie only with those criminals, or their relative threat levels currently. The Phantom presence in particular within our borders has been on the rise, with many significant incursions costing the lives of civilian and military personnel. It is likely that they may have used Zoner installations as a stepping point into and out of Liberty, if they haven't found points within Liberty from which to stage their attacks. If criminal groups have their own bases and you know of their location which from your wording, you seem to know, please transmit the coordinates and I will relay them to the Military. Such a gesture would help us cut down a large portion of the criminal threat in Liberty by disposing of those bases.
I have been assured by the forces of Liberty that such raiding groups have been based from your installations in the past. If they are not currently within the short timeframe of a couple of weeks*, then perhaps there is a lull in their agressiveness towards military forces. However, I am a fan of pre-emptive action, especially when the lives of those serving and homing in Liberty are at stake.
Regarding your last point, yes, the piracy problem is rampant; perhaps those criminals are not being agressive because they are spending too much time filling their pockets with illegally gained credits. This is an ongoing problem, unfortunately exacerbated by the war. However, help with your problem would likely come if you helped us with ours.
I look forward to meeting you in person, Mr Holliday.
*If your shuttle has been in the area for a couple of weeks, we could have sorted this problem out a couple of weeks ago.
Regards, Harrison McRemitz
The secretary of state for foreign affairs.
Adressed to the Council of Zoners - SigCorps - 09-06-2009
**Incoming Transmission**
**Decryption Process initiating**
**Clear text reads**
To: Regards, Harrison McRemitz
The secretary of state for foreign affair
From: Samuel Nichols, CEO Omicron Supply Industries,
Representative of the Council of Zoners
Message reads:
Mr. Harrison,
Sorry to do this too you but Mr. Holiday is required somewhere else and does not have the time to dedicate to this issue. I do, so lets begin.
While we do allow anyone to make use of our facilities, we do have some strict rules on under what circumstances. Shortly these rules and laws will be published for all to see, we are doing the final tweaking now. We do not allow anyone to use our base as a launching point for an assault. If we find evidence of that those individuals will be banned form that station and if the violation is extremely bad then all of our stations and we will send the ZRT after them.
You have a claim that the Liberty Rogues and Xenos are stationed at our bases, Freeport 2 and Ames research station. Since you have brought this too our attentions we have had the situation monitored at both sites and have seen no evidence that this is so. I actually am wondering why the LR would use our stations when they have a plethora of their own within Liberty, as do the Xenos. They have little to no need to do so.
As for sending you the coordinates of their bases that would be against our nature, as I am sure you would not like us to send anyone the coordinates of any of the Liberty Naval bases. We Zoners walk a fine line. If we make exceptions for one group we end up making them for all.
For us to enforce our regulations on any of the we need proof that these folks are staging out of our Freeports. We can not approach individuals with just a say so. We need hard proof. Otherwise it becomes a he said, she said situation.
Reading over your previous correspondence with Mr. Holiday I want to go over what you ask us to do
Quote:-The shift of the responsibility from the Zoners to the forces of Liberty to punish violent criminals proactively within Zoner no-fire zones, instead of relying on the unreliable and insufficient on-site presence by members of the Zoners to stop violent criminals fleeing and abusing your facilities.
-This would also cover the punishment of groups or individuals using Zoner stations in Liberty patrolled territory as bases for attacks on the forces of Liberty or the citizens within.
-The no-fire zones affected would be those around Freeport 2 in Bering and Ames Research Station in Kepler.
Your willing to offer
Quote:-Relaxation of the embargo law, specifically for Zoner ships.
-Easier access to the system of Pennsylvania for Zoner ships, including warships which are not currently permitted.
-A measure of restraint by Liberty lawful forces and direct consultation with the Council of Zoners when Zoner vessels are found to be committing illegal activities within the borders of Liberty.
What your are asking for endangers our neutrality. What you offer, well is a bit lacking to do so. Relaxing the embargo would be beneficial to Zoners. Moving warships more freely would also be nice. As for the third part, we ask for no special consideration for Zoners that have broken house laws. They are adults and can take the repercussions for their actions.
As of right now you ask for us to violate one of out most core beliefs for very little. But this is just the beginning of negotiations, maybe we can come to a compromise that will satisfy both of us.
Sincerely
Samuel Nichols
CEO - OSI
Council of Zoner representative
Member of the SHIZL
**End of Transmission*
Adressed to the Council of Zoners - Sonja - 09-06-2009
Then what kind of compromise do you suggest? We are well aware of the current proceedure, and how it is both hard to enforce and hard to prove, and it has been found to be not acceptable by the leaders of the forces of Liberty. That is why I am here, to rectify that situation by the means at my disposal. Any compromise needs to make it easier for the forces of Liberty to pursue and destroy violent criminals as they are fleeing to your installations, not the current situation whereby the criminal gets to live to fight another day whilst we are left only to gather evidence against that individual.
Remember also, that it is not my claim, but the claim of those I represent in these negotiations. I don't fly at all, I have people to do that for me on the rare occassion that I leave the surface of Manhattan. Whether you have evidence of the actions of the Xenos, Rogues or Lanehackers, or other groups such as the Unioners or the Phantoms, is not my concern. It was an issue that was given to me to deal with, and I will deal with it.
Neutrality comes at a price. If you wish to be neutral to criminals, that is your perogative. But how many times has your neutrality been endangered by your trade vessels being attacked and looted, as Mr Holliday claims to be the case, in Liberty? It seems that its still worth it to be neutral, even though you get attacked by many of the more greedy persons in and around Liberty.
Regards, Harrison McRemitz
The secretary of state for foreign affairs.