Post by nes on Dec 19, 2006 5:07:55 GMT -5
The Foreign Dispatch from Great Britain and Ireland[/font]
Winter Edition
18th December 2006
Greetings to all the nations, regions, and readers of the world from the desks of the Foreign Office of His Majesty --Great Britain--, King of Great Britain and Ireland and all her Dominions and Colonies. The Foreign Dispatch is written by North East Somerset, the Foreign Secretary of GB&I, with the assistance of His Majesty's Government, Members of Parliament, distinguished ambassadors and guests, and loyal British Citizens. Special thanks to the Prime Minister for helping with this edition. Please enjoy!
Election results produce quality government for GB&I
After a lively election, which produced much discussion, and filled the Hustings front page with over 15 Manifestos, the number of votes which formed the 10th Parliament of Great Britain and Ireland hit a record high, with 29 British citizens voting.
It was heralded as the election to decide the direction of GB&I’s future, and the decision was certainly made very clearly, with diplomatic, imperial and military expansion supporters R3naissanc3r, North East Somerset and Posul leading the votes.
The Votes at the end of the election looked as follows:
Posul (Independent) [ 14 ]
Lethen (Independent) [ 7 ]
Riddim (Independent) [ 9 ]
North East Somerset (Independent) [ 15 ]
Fenchurch (Independent) [ 7 ]
Trividium (Independent) [ 5 ]
Allmark (Independent) [ 4 ]
Schnecke (Independent) [ 5 ]
Windsor-Bainbridge (Independent) [ 8 ]
The Venerable Vendetta (Independent) [ 10 ]
Klopstock (Independent) [ 15 ]
British Allies (Independent) [ 6 ]
R3naissanc3r (Independent) [ 16 ]
Killtron (Independent) [ 10 ]
The final results of the general election meant the following citizens were elected as MPs: British Allies, Fenchurch, Killtron, Klopstock, North East Somerset, Lethen, Posul, R3naissanc3r, Riddim, The Venerable Vendetta and Windsor-Bainbridge.
Windsor Bainbridge speaking upon his election as an MP
Soon after the election the elected MPs gave their confidence in the House of Commons to R3nnaissanc3r to become Prime Minister, the State Opening of Parliament was announced by the Monarch. The Prime Minister took this opportunity to announce his Cabinet:
Home Secretary: The Venerable Vendetta
Foreign Secretary: Klopstock
Colonial Secretary: Posul
Minister of Defence: North East Somerset
After less than two weeks, previous Prime Minister Klopstock announced his resignation from Cabinet and Commons, due to RL constraints. He has served GB&I well, and held the positions of Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary to distinction when he has had enough time to do so. He was replaced with North East Somerset, moving Posul to Minister of Defence, and Windsor-Bainbridge to Colonial Secretary.
Later on Posul, whom has served GB&I for just over a year, came under attacks by Windsor Bainbridge for his criticisms of ACCEL, and by the Earl of Manchester, Olde Delaware. Posul initially defended his position within the region, but then decided to resign. His loss was felt across the region, although he says he will continue to make regular appearances outside of the Commons.
Posul under pressure
The Cabinet that came in to replace Posul included the new addition of Riddim, who has served well as UN Delegate for 100 days now, and her placing as Home Secretary marks the return of an old GB&I tradition of having the same UND and HS. The Venerable Vendetta takes the Minister of Defence position in Posul’s stead. The Cabinet thus looks as follows:
Home Secretary – Riddim
Foreign Secretary – North East Somerset
Minister of Defence – The Venerable Vendetta
Colonial Secretary – Windsor-Bainbridge
As the end of term approaches and the next set of elections draw closer, it is hoped that this Cabinet will pull together a few more successes, in what has already been a relatively productive and successful term.
New Treaties place GB&I at forefront of NS Diplomacy
Since the last update the government have been busy implementing the policy of expanding the diplomatic influence of GB&I. Under Foreign Secretary Klopstock initially, whom was replaces after two weeks by North East Somerset, the signing of several treaties has been the predominant driving force behind the advancing GB&I Diplomatic force.
Initially the Treaty of Cambridge between Great Britain and Ireland and Catlandatopia was put together by negotiations between both sides, because we both believed that an alliance would be beneficial to both sides. The Treaty included Non-Aggression, Defence of Signatories, Counterattack, Non-Transmission of Information to Non-Allies, Intelligence Requests, Training Exercises and Diplomatic Support clauses, and was very comprehensive. GB&I government has already started to work closer with Catlandatopia, and we know that there will be great benefits to both sides of the Treaty, as it becomes more and more integrated. With the signing of this treaty, and its ratification in parliament on the 13th November, GB&I and Catlandatopia have become closer allies, and will continue to do so within the great scope that this treaty gives.
The Treaty of the Four Realms was signed between Great Britain and Ireland, Empires of Earth, The New Inquisition and the Land of Kings and Emperors, and then later ratified by the Commons on the 13th December. It was initially conceived as a replacement for the Quad Alliance, between GB&I, Flavian Amphitheatre, GRA and Empires of Earth, due to the collapse of the second, and instability of the third. However, it has become more than that, with the simplified treaty creating the Congress of Sovereigns, allowing further integration in the future between the four regions which have so much in common and so much to gain from each other. The Treaty encompasses Non Aggression, Defence of Signatories, Counterattack, Military Support, Non Transmission of Information, Intelligence Requests as well as setting up the Congress of Sovereigns.
The Treaty has already been utilised as GB&I sent help to a LKE/TNI defending force. In particular, even though GB&I were defending one of her dominions at the time, and the Chief of Imperial General Staff was unable to issue orders due to RL, we still managed to send seven UN units to their aid. GB&I hope to build on this, and work ever close with all the signatories in the future, to create a really beneficial and successful alliance.
Following those two treaties, another major diplomatic document, The Great British – Pacifican Compact was signed between the New Pacific Order and Great Britain and Ireland, after much discussion between the two signatories, of which both have great hopes for it. The idea was much discussed between GB&I Representatives and Pacifican Senators, before a Compact was agreed upon that covered Non Aggression and Mutual Defence. The agreement is seen by both sides as a landmark in relations between them, which have always been good, and the idea discussed before, although put off till now. Our joint values of Sovereignty, Monarchy and Diplomatic direction are building blocks on which we can create an alliance of great worth in the future, and we look forwards to progress in further co-operation being made in the future. The Compact was ratified by the Commons on the 16th December.
The Prime Minister signing The Great British-Pacifican Compact
Finally, a Pact between Great Britain and Ireland and The Non Aligned States was signed by both parties, and then ratified by the Commons on the 16th December. It encompasses Non Aggression, and we hope that it will be the start of a progressive friendship between our two regions.
Foreign affairs vibrant
Progress on the general front of Foreign Affairs outside of the signing of the Treaties has also been positive, with the Trafalgar Embassy Square constantly active. New embassies have been granted for LKE, The Inquisition Republic and Americana recently. Klopstock was replaced by North East Somerset as Foreign Secretary two weeks into the term.
The Foreign Secretary North East Somerset upon hearing his appointment
The Blades of Conquest organisation which recently closed issued an apology near the start of term for its invasion of Ceylon:
“Upon further consideration of the invasion of Ceylon on 13 September 2006, Blades of Conquest wishes to apologise for the unprovoked attack against the Empire of Great Britain and Ireland. We recognise that it did not serve our interests and that the incident caused only harm to us. We apologise for the attacks and renounce them, and wish to build further relations with Great Britain and Ireland in order for a spirit of goodwill to emerge between our two organisations as we move forward to pastures new.”
Also, the LKE Founder, Lucius Magnus Rex apologised to GB&I for the harsh way in which is spoke to the region, upon his leaving a few months ago. The apology, below, opened new opportunities for co-operation between our two regions which have so much in common, and so little to argue about:
“I must apologise for previous actions that I have made. I know that it may have left a stain on my reputation for you all, and I accept that I made some rash errors in judgement. However, I was unfortunately influenced by players who had no thought for the consequences of their actions, and I have come over time to learn to respect the rules and regulations of other regions. That is why I apologise to you all today, and hope that we can put this sorry incident behind us.”
Meanwhile, re-organisation in the Foreign Office and specifically Ambassadors Office itself has been underway. A new numeration system which allocates a number for the embassy as to the current status of relations, and another for the desired status of relations has been introduced. Hopefully this will be make the ambassadors task more clear. The Ambassador Roster has been updated, and almost 90% of the positions on offer have been filled.
It is hoped that in the near future an Ambassador Reporting and Instruction system to replace the current temporary instructions and Q102-Canada Protocol will be introduced, making the system more efficient and useful than ever before.
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The Foreign Office has been busy
The Monarch Awards Honours
On November 13th, in the first Investiture ceremony since June 2006, His Majesty --Great Britain— awarded the most meritorious servants of Great Britain and Ireland for their contributions to the region.
Loyal British Columbia, former Baron, was promoted to the title of Viscount for "his lasting and exemplary loyalty and service to the region". Los Cielos and Zeon-x, both former Cabinet members, were also elevated to the nobility as Barons. In his speech, His Majesty praised those citizens long-lasting commitment and contribution to the region, through various Cabinet positions.
Along with their titles, the three peers were granted a seat in the GB&I House of Lords, in compliance with regional law.
In the ceremony, His Majesty invested Posul, twice Prime Minister, as Knight of the Order of the Garter, the highest honour in GB&I's honours system. His Majesty referred to Posul as "one of our most distinguished citizens". Posul is only the third citizen to ever receive this honour.
The insignia of the Order of the Garter
Killtron, former Cabinet member and currently Head of Ambassadors, was made a Commander of the British Empire. His Majesty made special reference to Killtron's services to GB&I as a member of the region Enfield, now a Dominion of GB&I.
The Venerable Vendetta and Trividium, Home Secretary and Commissioner for Constitutional Affairs respectively, were named Officers of the British Empire for their commitment to the region as Ministers as well as outside the Cabinet. Windsor-Bainbridge, Colonial Secretary and Chairman of ACCEL, also received the same honour, for his services to GB&I as the region's representative in the Alliance.
Concluding, Bilrow and Lethen were made Members of the British Empire, for their contribution to the region and especially its Immigration Service.
After conferring the honours, his Majesty closed the ceremony by personally congratulating the recipients and expressing his hopes that with, their work, they will "secure the everlasting future of Great Britain and Ireland".
It is worth of note that the nobility titles and honours are bestowed to citizens by His Majesty at the nomination of the Cabinet.
People's Awards Released
The 5th "People's Awards!" of Great Britain and Ireland concluded on the 16th November, with the announcement of the winners by r3naissanc3r. The awards were again welcomed by the citizens of the region with sheer enthusiasm, indicative of the broad acceptance and the prestige this scheme of the Department of Statistical Affairs enjoys. This fifth volume was marked by an all-time high turnout of votes, with the 22 ballots received almost equalling the number of voters in the last General Election. Furthermore, in this fifth volume, a new category of awards was introduced, as they were separated into GB&I-related and Real Life-related awards. The full results for the former are presented below.
The crowd in the Trafalgar Square gets restless, as the time for the announcement of the results approaches
Most beloved King of GB&I: --Great Britain--
Favourite GB&I Member: r3naissanc3r
Most Evil GB&I Member: North East Somerset
GB&I Member with the Best Chat Generally: BigThunderRumbleFishhh
GB&I Member You Would Trust Most in a Crisis: r3naissanc3r
Most Dignified Member of GB&I: Posul
Most under-rated member: Allmark
Biggest Spammer: Lethen
Best Avatar: Killtron
Best Foreign Ambassador: Most Great Britannia
Best Signature: The Kingdom of Paquerettes
Best RPer: King John of Gililand
Best Individual Thread: "Revolution in Posul" by Posul and "The People's Awards!" by r3naissanc3r
Worst Individual Thread: "Blairvillage's Party Name" by Blairville
Best Spam Thread: "Word Survivor" by North East Somerset
Best Newspaper: The Free People's Gazette edited by Lethen
Most Creative Member: Urstadge
Best Quote: "Great Britain and Ireland Prevails" by Chancellor Adam Butler
R3naissanc3r and North East Somerset retained their titles as "Favourite" and "Most Evil GB&I Member(s)", respectively, despite the intense campaigning of their competitors. Lethen was voted "Biggest Spammer" by a wide margin; while Killtron's many and imaginative avatars won him the award for the "Best Avatar". A few new members won some of the awards, while the infamous and usually met in the GB&I forums "Great Britain and Ireland Prevails" (in its coloured version) was voted as "Bet Quote". The entire scheme once again received commendatory comments and was a focal point for the region's attention for a period of two weeks.
From the good folks at Hansard
Parliament remains at the forefront of regional improvement
Both the Chambers of the Parliament have been relatively busy during the last month. Other than ratifying the Treaties the Cabinet had signed, numerous new Bills have been discussed and passed.
In the House of Commons, the Military Appointments Amendment Bill was introduced by the Rt Honourable R3naissanc3r. The Bill amends the procedure for the appointment of the Chief of the Imperial Staff of the Great Britain and Ireland military and moves the authority for the appointment from the Parliament to the Cabinet. The Bill went through its first reading and was passed by the House.
The Decolonisation Bill was originally introduced by the Rt Honourable Windsor-Bainbridge. The Bill was introduced in order certain dominions of Great Britain and Ireland to be rejected from the Empire. A second and third reading was later introduced by R3naissanc3r, with the last one being passed by the House.
One more Bill was presented to the Lower House by R3naissanc3r, the Interim Government Amendment Bill. As the title indicates, the purpose of the Bill is to allow the incumbent Cabinet to remain in office and act as Interim Government after a General Election, until a new Cabinet is appointed. The first reading of the Bill is currently being debated.
In the House of Lords, the Slander Amendment Bill, originally introduced by Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford, King John of Gililand and later amended by the House of Commons on the proposal of R3naissanc3r, was passed by a unanimous vote. The Upper House also passed significant Bills, like the Foreign Affairs Bill, the Intelligence Affairs Bill and The Empire Bill, all previously passed by the House of Commons.
Both the Houses have also ratified the "Repeal of the Treaty of Ellis Bill", proposed by R3naissanc3r, which nullifies a treaty between Great Britain and Ireland and Coconut Island.
Other Regional News
Activity in the forums is as high as ever as the forums post count flies past 90,000. Regional population holds steady above 200. The outlook on the future remains vastly positive as GB&I’s 2nd anniversary on the 23rd December approaches.
The list of new Citizens continues to be healthy, even with the higher activity standards set by the Home Secretary, with the following Britons having recently become Citizens:
Trauma 118
Primegenia
Lickabrickia
Baldrick
Borkwood
Al Tira
Islavaca
Blairville
Soccersian II
The Kingdom of Paquerettes
Sirale
Riddim continues her job as UN Delegate for GB&I with dedication, and interest in the UN Affairs department remains excellent. Interest was highest in the Repeal Sexual Freedom and UN Fair Wage Convention votes, with considerable debate about the latter. The resolutions votes held since the last Dispatch are listed below:
In vote: Environment Protection Act
For (7-2) Mutual Recognition of Borders
For (5-2) Repeal Due Process
For (7-2) Repeal World Heritage List
Against (12-5) UN Fair Wage Convention
Against (8-2) Unconventional Arms Accord
For (6-2) Repeal Public Domain
For (9-5) Repeal Impaired Aid Act
For (12-8) Repeal Sexual Freedom
Against (11-2) Sustainable Agriculture Center
For (9-2) Chemical Transport Standards
The future of GB&I remains bright.
Goodbye from the Foreign Dispatch Team till the next update in January 2007.
God Save the King![/SIZE]
