12-22-2019, 05:10 AM
President Sakzi nodded in President Tyagi-Kennedy's direction, giving her a smile and a thumbs up. United New England was Zamastan's most loyal and important ally in this conference, and he wanted to be sure that his colleague knew what she was doing was valuable. He leaned over to one of his aides and whispered,
"Set aside some time for President Tyagi-Kennedy and I to talk one on one," he said, "I would like to establish some ground for our bilateral moves."
"Yes sir," his aide said, scribbling down on a notepad. "I'll meet with her aides in a little while once we've been dismissed by President Liu."
"Good," Sakzi concluded.
Secretary of State Avi Tremblan, who was one of the longest serving secretaries of anyone in the Presidential cabinet (serving since President Zacharias Castovia, beginning in January 2016), spoke next in Sakzi's ear. "Sir, if I may, we should be able to set up a meeting with President Liu and her delegation as well. I see the Laeralites having their neutrality as a threatening force to us."
"In what way, Avi?" President Sakzi shot back, quietly.
"In the way that their neutrality threatens economic purposes and security. President Liu is smart, and I'm sure she'll follow along with us in agreement, but I believe that bringing all our most potentially aggressive foes to the table is not great for our underlying goals."
"You told me this before we left, Avi."
"I know, sir, but I'm reiterating. Seeing them bring up things in mutual agreement is a worry for me," Secretary Tremblan said.
"I would sympathize with those concerns, Mister President." Secretary of Defense Curtis Fondaden whispered over Tremblan's shoulder. "We at least need to talk with Liu. Nothing critical of her at all, just an affirmation that Laeral's standing with Zamastan is consistent with past precedents - like with Bishop's and Castovia's administrations."
Sakzi nodded. "Deal. Set that up too, please."
"Yessir," his aide acknowledged once again.
"Set aside some time for President Tyagi-Kennedy and I to talk one on one," he said, "I would like to establish some ground for our bilateral moves."
"Yes sir," his aide said, scribbling down on a notepad. "I'll meet with her aides in a little while once we've been dismissed by President Liu."
"Good," Sakzi concluded.
Secretary of State Avi Tremblan, who was one of the longest serving secretaries of anyone in the Presidential cabinet (serving since President Zacharias Castovia, beginning in January 2016), spoke next in Sakzi's ear. "Sir, if I may, we should be able to set up a meeting with President Liu and her delegation as well. I see the Laeralites having their neutrality as a threatening force to us."
"In what way, Avi?" President Sakzi shot back, quietly.
"In the way that their neutrality threatens economic purposes and security. President Liu is smart, and I'm sure she'll follow along with us in agreement, but I believe that bringing all our most potentially aggressive foes to the table is not great for our underlying goals."
"You told me this before we left, Avi."
"I know, sir, but I'm reiterating. Seeing them bring up things in mutual agreement is a worry for me," Secretary Tremblan said.
"I would sympathize with those concerns, Mister President." Secretary of Defense Curtis Fondaden whispered over Tremblan's shoulder. "We at least need to talk with Liu. Nothing critical of her at all, just an affirmation that Laeral's standing with Zamastan is consistent with past precedents - like with Bishop's and Castovia's administrations."
Sakzi nodded. "Deal. Set that up too, please."
"Yessir," his aide acknowledged once again.