01-04-2022, 06:07 PM
The email landed in the inbox with a little *ping*. After all, though they're often called cables or even referenced as letters, these days most official diplomatic communication is done by email, with the official documents or letters as attachments. Diplomacy has moved into the 21st century, though sometimes it may not feel like it.
The private secretary to the Sanctarian Secretary for Foreign Affairs noted the email, its contents, and its attachments and filed it into a folder marked "Secretary - Today". He printed off the official letter attached to the email from the Huenyan Vice-Speaker's office, and added it to a bundle of papers he kept beside his computer. He straightened his time, took a sip of coffee, and then watched patiently as the minute and hour hand on the clock opposite him slowly went from 8:59am to 9:00am. And, pardon the pun, like clockwork, Brian Young, Secretary for Foreign Affairs, waltzed into his offices anteroom, where the desks of both his receptionist and his private secretary were located. "Morning John", Young said cheerily. "What problems are going to ruin my day today?". Young opened the door into his own office and motioned for his private secretary to follow.
"Nothing as of yet, Brian, but I'm sure we'll take care of that in a hurry", John clapped back with a laugh. "The usual: recommendations of ambassador appointments, approval of some Sanctaria Aid funding, and ... oh yes, Vice-Speaker Tiacihitli of the Huenyan Federation responded to our opener for a naval base."
Young nodded. "Ok, great. That was certainly expeditious of them. Let's tackle the funding approval first, then we'll deal with the ambassador appointments. That's going to be a headache, you know what some of these career diplomats are like. Copy Tiacihitli's letter to DHS and ... yeah, better cc in the Chancellery and the Treasury too. Hendry will want to be kept in the loop, and we need to make sure Treasury aren't surprised when they see appropriation requests from us and DHS." The aide nodded and handed the first few papers to the secretary.
---
The clock edged closer to 6pm and John Evans, private secretary to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs yawned. Alas, though, he knew the day was far from over yet. He snapped back to attention when he heard his name being called from the other room. "You rang, m'lord", he said sarcastically. Brian Young, Secretary for Foreign Affairs, shot back a smile. "Email in from DHS" the politician said, nodding his head towards his computer. "Have a look, type up a summary of its needs, and put it in the diplomatic post for Huenya. Treasury said some base acquisition was already provided for in DHS' budget for the year so we shouldn't have any hold ups there."
John nodded. "Do you want to look it over before I shoot it out?"
"Nah, it's fine. Just pop in my e-sig."
---
The private secretary to the Sanctarian Secretary for Foreign Affairs noted the email, its contents, and its attachments and filed it into a folder marked "Secretary - Today". He printed off the official letter attached to the email from the Huenyan Vice-Speaker's office, and added it to a bundle of papers he kept beside his computer. He straightened his time, took a sip of coffee, and then watched patiently as the minute and hour hand on the clock opposite him slowly went from 8:59am to 9:00am. And, pardon the pun, like clockwork, Brian Young, Secretary for Foreign Affairs, waltzed into his offices anteroom, where the desks of both his receptionist and his private secretary were located. "Morning John", Young said cheerily. "What problems are going to ruin my day today?". Young opened the door into his own office and motioned for his private secretary to follow.
"Nothing as of yet, Brian, but I'm sure we'll take care of that in a hurry", John clapped back with a laugh. "The usual: recommendations of ambassador appointments, approval of some Sanctaria Aid funding, and ... oh yes, Vice-Speaker Tiacihitli of the Huenyan Federation responded to our opener for a naval base."
Young nodded. "Ok, great. That was certainly expeditious of them. Let's tackle the funding approval first, then we'll deal with the ambassador appointments. That's going to be a headache, you know what some of these career diplomats are like. Copy Tiacihitli's letter to DHS and ... yeah, better cc in the Chancellery and the Treasury too. Hendry will want to be kept in the loop, and we need to make sure Treasury aren't surprised when they see appropriation requests from us and DHS." The aide nodded and handed the first few papers to the secretary.
---
The clock edged closer to 6pm and John Evans, private secretary to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs yawned. Alas, though, he knew the day was far from over yet. He snapped back to attention when he heard his name being called from the other room. "You rang, m'lord", he said sarcastically. Brian Young, Secretary for Foreign Affairs, shot back a smile. "Email in from DHS" the politician said, nodding his head towards his computer. "Have a look, type up a summary of its needs, and put it in the diplomatic post for Huenya. Treasury said some base acquisition was already provided for in DHS' budget for the year so we shouldn't have any hold ups there."
John nodded. "Do you want to look it over before I shoot it out?"
"Nah, it's fine. Just pop in my e-sig."
---
Quote:Department of Foreign AffairsBruton HouseSanctusDivine Federation of Sanctaria
Vice-Speaker Tiacihitli
Huenyan Federal Legislature
Chuaztlapoc
Federation of Huenya
04 January 2022
Your Excellency, Vice-Speaker Tiachitli,
We received with great interest your acknowledgment of our previous letter, and look forward to completing negotiations.
We propose headquartering our fourth fleet, as previously mentioned at this naval base. This requires an office building for civilian and military staff - for national security purposes, we would require all civilian staff to be Sanctarian citizens, and this includes maintenance staff. The naval base will be required to be approximately 500 hectares, with a dry dock, numerous workshops, an ammunition depot and, of course, a fuel depot. The Divine Federation is happy to contribute to ensuring these facilities are created if not already in existence, or in the event they are, modified to meet our requirements.
We would not propose your nation ceding territorial sovereignty to the Divine Federation, so the proposition of a long-term lease is satisfactory to us. We request any monies spent, to be spent, by the Divine Federation in the general upkeep of the base be taken into account when determining a leasing fee.
The fourth fleet consists of two aircraft carriers, with associated aircraft, and eight destroyers and cruisers. Additionally, we have four amphibious ships, as well as their landing craft, and ten to twelve frigates, depending on fleet requirements. There are also numerous oilers, provision ships, and repair ships, but again these numbers depend on need.
The fleet also two dozen patrol boats, and four submarines, one of which is nuclear. For national security purposes, we are unable to tell you when a submarine will be in dock or in the base, but for transparency's sake, your being aware we intend to use the base for the submarines also is important.
The Divine Federation would require the area to be walled, with sight towers, which would by necessity be protected by armed members of the Sanctarian Defence Forces. Ingress and egress must be controlled by the SDF. Any crime committed on or within the naval base would naturally remain under your jurisdiction, however we would require members of the SDF military police be retained in a cooperative capacity. Further, while we acknowledge your jurisdiction in and on the base itself, the Divine Federation retains jurisdiction on and in any ship, boat, or equivalent vessel or vehicle of the Sanctarian Defence Forces. Should any crime be committed on a vessel, even that in dock and in base, the Divine Federation requires sole jurisdiction over such matters.
We confirm, however, the above notwithstanding, relevant authorities of your nation will not be denied entry, should correct due process procedures be followed, to the base proper or the buildings within and on the base, though they may be denied entry to, or boarding of, any of our vessels.
Both the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Foreign Affairs really do appreciate your assistance on this matter, and we hope our requirements meet your satisfaction. We understand the Huenyan Federation will have conditions of their own, and we look forward to receiving them.
With my kind regards,
Brian Young
Secretary for Foreign Affairs
Divine Federation of Sanctaria