Treaty of Curacao

The Treaty of Curacao was an agreement signed on 31st January 817 A.S. between Bretonia, Liberty, the Independent Miners Guild and Orbital Spa and Cruise concerning the governance and security of the Magellan and Cortez systems.

Signing Ceremony in Cortez

The Treaty

Preamble

We, the representative governments of the Republic of Liberty and the Realm of Bretonia, in order to establish free and unhindered travel of goods and people between our two nations, to fight the scourge of piracy and terrorism, to protect the rights and freedoms of all our law abiding citizens, and to bring security, order and governance to the Star Systems of Magellan and Cortez, do ordain and establish the following Treaty.

Article I - Governance

Clause 1: The Systems of Magellan and Cortez are to have the offical status of Joint Protectorates of the Republic of Liberty and the Realm of Bretonia conferred upon them.

Clause 2: The President of Liberty and the Monarch of Bretonia shall jointly receive the official titles of "Protector of the Independent Worlds of Magellan and Cortez".

Clause 3: A quartet of the Liberty Government, Bretonian Government, the Independent Miners Guild and Orbital Spa and Cruise shall, in council upon the Planet of Curacao, make any future decisions regarding the governance of these two systems, through amendments to this Treaty.

Clause 4: In these such meetings, each member of the quartet shall hold a single vote. In case of tie, casting votes for issues concerning only Cortez to be held by Orbital Spa and Cruise, casting votes for issues concerning only Magellan to be held by the Independent Miners Guild. For issues concerning both systems, no casting votes may be held; agreements would require an absolute majority agreement from 3 of the 4 parties. Abstentions are permitted.

Clause 5: The trade lanes within Magellan and Cortez are to be nationalised by the House Governments of Liberty and Bretonia. Trade lanes in the eastern half of both systems shall pass into the ownership of the Liberty Government. Trade lanes in the western half of both systems shall pass into the ownership of the Bretonian Government.

Clause 6: All property rights within the Magellan and Cortez are to be strictly protected by this Treaty. This includes all ships, stations, planetside facilities, satellites or mining installations under lawful private or corporate ownership. All natural resources within the systems are in the public domain, and shall remain free and open to private or commercial appropriation.

Article II - Rights

Clause 1: Liberty Navy and Bretonian Armed Forces vessels and warships, of any class, shall have full access rights to fly through and patrol any portion of space within Magellan and Cortez

Clause 2: Liberty Navy and Bretonian Armed Forces vessels and warships, of any class, shall have full docking rights to base themselves from Planet Curacao.

Clause 3: Liberty Navy and Bretonian Armed Forces vessels and warships, of any class, shall not have docking rights nor base themselves from Freeport 4, under penalty of a 250,000 credit fine to the IMG.

Clause 4: Liberty Navy and Bretonian Armed Forces vessels and warships, of any class, may under emergency situations only, dock on Freeport 4 for repairs or supplies without which their lives would be endangered. If possible, permission should be sought from Independent Miners Guild authorities.

Clause 5: The Liberty Navy and Bretonian Armed Forces retain the right to pursue outlaws caught in criminal acts within their home space into Magellan and Cortez, there to catch and impose punishment upon them.

Clause 6: The Liberty Navy and Bretonian Armed Forces retain the full rights to enforce within the systems of Magellan and Cortez, all the articles and clauses of this Treaty, and any subsequent amendments to it.

Article III - Laws

Clause 1: A no fire-zone with radius 5K around Freeport 4 is to be officially established and enforced. All vessels shall comply with this, with the exception of self-defence. This Law is to be enforced by official agents of the Independent Miners Guild.

Clause 2: Free Trade is to be fully open between Bretonia and Liberty. Any act considered to represent an Obstruction to Free Trade shall be considered a criminal offence in the eyes of Liberty and Bretonia. Obstruction to Free Trade shall carry an attached fine of 200,000 credits per offence, collectable by any lawful agent of the Bretonian or Liberty Government, half payable to the government of each nation.

Clause 3: Piracy shall be considered a criminal offence in both systems, defined as the extortion of money by non-lawful agents from any ships under threat of destruction or damage. Vessels found pirating in these systems shall receive kill on sight status in both Liberty and Bretonian House space, as well as in the Independent Worlds. This to be maintained until a fine of 4 million credits has been paid by the vessel in question, half payable to the government of each nation.

Clause 4: Terrorism shall be considered a criminal offence in both systems, defined as an unwarranted attack resulting in destruction or damage to any lawful vessel or space installation. Vessels found engaged in acts if terrorism in these systems shall receive kill on sight status in both Liberty and Bretonian House space, as well as in the Independent Worlds. This to be maintained until a fine of 6 million credits has been paid by the vessel in question, half payable to the government of each nation.

Clause 5: The trafficking of counterfeit software from Liberty to Bretonia is to be considered a serious offence by both Houses. Any vessel caught with counterfeit software anywhere in Liberty space, Bretonian space, or Magellan or Cortez space, shall be considered guilty of a crime against both Liberty and Bretonia. Any lawful agents of either government catching such offenders are to seize and destroy all such software, and impose a fine of 400 credits per-unit upon the vessel, half payable to the government of each nation. This to be done regardless of where the vessel in question was apprehended.

Article IV - Combined Operations

Clause 1: The Bretonian Armed Forces and the Liberty Navy may, at their discretion, patrol and enforce this Treaty in Magellan and Cortez acting independently in separate operations, and maintaining separate command structures.

Clause 2: At the request of the ranking officer present of either the Liberty Navy or the Bretonian Armed Forces, the total military forces present within the Independent Worlds shall become combined. All joint operations should use Combined Fleet status.

Clause 3: When in Combined Fleet status, the ships shall no longer act as vessels of the Liberty Navy or Bretonian Armed Forces, but as ships or fleets of the Naval Alliance Treaty Organisation, NATO.

Clause 4: When in Combined Fleet status, no operations in the partisan interests of the Bretonian or Liberty governments can be conducted. Only operations related to the enforcement of this Treaty can be conducted, without prior approval of both national governments.

Clause 5: NATO fleets may not engage national enemies of one or the other of the member nations (e.g. KNF) but if any NATO ship is attacked whilst in Combined Fleet status, regardless of the attacker, the entire fleet should respond to their defence.

Clause 6: When in Combined Fleet status, all military ships shall use the NATO Equivalent Ranking Command Structure (see appendix i). The ranking NATO officer may accept or deny requests for the fleet to separate again.

Clause 7: IMG and Orbital Spa and Cruise ships may, as signatories of this Treaty, also be admitted to serve alongside NATO fleets, at the discretion of the ranking NATO officer.

Clause 8: The Headquaters of the Naval Alliance Treaty Organisation shall be Planet Curacao.

Appendix:

i) Equivalent ranking chart

ii) Collected fines: All fines collected in payment for crimes against the Treaty are to be divided equally between Liberty and Bretonia - collecting officers should forward 50% to the following 2 addresses:

For Bretonia: QCG|Treasury For Liberty: [LN]-Armoury.001