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Dispatch → Bulletin → Policy
by 
The Self-Administrative City of Tinhampton.
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203 reads.
Sparkalia & Sophia assent to The Treaty of the Isles - joint statement from heads of state!
Statement on the Treaty of the Isles
Contrary to popular belief, Philosopher-Queen Tinhampton Lydia does not have that big an office. She has a desk with quite a few things on it, several heaving bookshelves from the Auctor days that really need to be swapped out, and several memorabilia trinkets on the walls - from the Statement on the Development of Trovons, to the announcement of the Karma embassy closure, to some of the praise she's gotten from people elsewhere. But it isn't a big office.
There's a coffee machine in the corner. Lydia prefers to make her own from the kettle most days, but will use the coffee machine if she's bored, desperate or hosting guests. On this occasion, though, it was a very important guest.
"Hiya!"
"Hellooo!"
"Do you remember me? I'm Sparkles from Sparkalia! The ID card I have here says I'm 'High Queen Chaotic Sparkles,' but we've been talking for so long that we may as well be on a first-name basis. Well, not really first names, but you know."
"Thanks. I'm Lydia. Oh - nice boots."
"Yep. I checked the forecast in the paper a couple of days ago when I set off. Just a little coating around these parts - not a lot, not nothing either, but you get what you can take."
"I know. Nice truck. Heaven knows I have to deal with the hatchback I got fourth-hand from someone who used to be a roleplayer fifteen years ago - long, long before your time."
"Thanks. Ten to fifteen percent of the time, I question what Hecq's spending their budget on. This was one of those times but it's been damn well helpful for getting to most of those regions where you get maybe one or two dirt tracks in. Those exist, by the way. I'm glad your region has three stops off the expressway."
"By the way, don't stay here more than an hour. Foreign Minister Taray might ticket you if you're longer than that. You don't want to be ticketed by Taray."
"Shut up, Lydia. We need to talk about the treaty."
"That's the main order of business, anyway. We've both been meaning to write a joint statement on that for a while. Never mind that it's never actually been used - we've got to get on that at some point in February."
"Oh my god. That treaty has been in force for, what, three months?"
"November 10th... twenty, fifty-one, eighty-two... ninety-five days. Plus fourteen if you start working from when you lot signed it. Plus another fourteen if you start from when we agreed an actual draft text."
"...no. Just no. This needs to stop."
"I'll make it stop. You're in luck because in the second drawer of my desk cabineeeeeeettttt... I have multiple pens. I'll just use the standard black one for today; purple's nice but best if we use that for serious things. And reams of paper in the third. Actually, no, I'm going to put those back and get to my workstation in the next room, you conveyed me lots of e-signatures from Hecq to the original Treaty and it's best if we certify those. Come here, please..."
"Fine, Lydia. I'll do what you want."
About ten minutes later: "Here's what I've written. Mind changing anything, Sparkles?"
Another ten minutes later: "Yes, actually. How does this look?"
The Treaty is split into three Articles. Article 1 requires the current governments of Sparkalia and Sophia to recognise each other as valid, and not to take any action that would result in the removal of those governments or the destruction of current relations between them. Article 2 requires Sparkalia and Sophia to collaborate in the World Assembly where such collaboration is in their interests; such collaboration may take the form of joint recommendations, approvals, voting, and training programs. Article 3 is a technical article governing how the treaty is to be ratified, amended, and repealed - and clarifying that the treaty may be amended to cover subjects beyond mutual recognition and World Assembly work.
Sophia will not be joining Raider Unity as a result of this treaty. Sophia is a demilitarised region, and it is not the intention of the President of Sophia that her region organise a military - whether raider or defender - at any future point. She believes that a strong domestic presence in the World Assembly is infinitely more valuable.
Neither Sophia nor Sparkalia shall be bound to vote a specific way on any World Assembly resolution or proposal as a result of this treaty. Interregional WA collaboration is voluntary and must be in the interests of both parties. Where their interests align, it is sensible that a unified response results; this intuition is merely codified with this treaty.
This is Sophia's second interregional treaty, and Sparkalia's third. Sophia is known as a hub for knowledge and critical thinking, and Sparkalia for creativity, "violet and violence." While these may seem like distinct areas of interest, we share common passions as well: a desire for domestic peace and order; good-faith participation in the World Assembly; our respective dry senses of humour; Tinhampton. It is our hope that the Treaty of the Isles will not only reflect these, but serve as the first step in our budding partnership.
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The Treaty of the Isles itself was signed on October 26th 2023 by the following Court Officers of Sparkalia, and on November 10th by both members of the Government of Sophia:
Chaotic Sparkles, High Queen of Sparkalia
Choslow, Crown Princess of Sparkalia
Nacortuine, Chancellor (minister of foreign affairs) of Sparkalia
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Tinhampton: President, Philosopher-Queen, and Interim Holder of the Prime and Foreign Ministries in Sophia
Drymia, Entertainment Minister of Sophia
Under Title 3, Article 6 of the Constitution of Sophia, the President's agreement to the Treaty of the Isles - provided directly to Chaotic Sparkles on November 10th - constituted her signature of it. The Treaty is therefore effective.
This Joint Statement was authored by Tinhampton and Chaotic Sparkles, the signatory regions' heads of state. This does not mean that other members of the Sophian or Sparkalian governments object to its contents.
"Hmmmm... actually, this does sound like a good idea!"
"I'll put up a few copies in our community spaces so people can see. How about you?"
"My plans are for me. Not you. If we want to talk about those, we'll need to come back some other time and add Article 4 to the treaty."
The Treaty of the Isles: A bilateral agreement between Sparkalia and Sophia
Article 1: Non-Aggression
a. Sparkalia recognises the government of Sophia, as outlined in its Constitution, as the legitimate Sophian government. Sophia recognises the High Queendom of Sparkalia as the legitimate Sparkalian government.
b. Pursuant to Article 1a: Sparkalia must not attempt to invade or overthrow Sophia; Sophia must not attempt to invade or overthrow Sparkalia or its territories; and Sparkalia and Sophia shall maintain embassies, ambassadors and lines of diplomatic communication with each other.
c. Sophia agrees not to militarily oppose any operations which the Sparkalian military leads or actively supports. Should Sophia ever choose in the future to organise a regional military, Sparkalia agrees not to militarily oppose any operations which the Sophian military leads or actively supports.
Article 2: The World Assembly
a. Sparkalia and Sophia shall cooperate in the World Assembly where such co-operation is in the best interests of both regions. Such cooperation may take the form of voting for and against resolutions, writing recommendations on resolutions, and approving or not approving submitted proposals.
b. Access to the #headquarters channel of 
the Discord server of Sophia shall be extended to all members who reside in Sparkalia, although they shall adhere to that server's rules while partaking in it.
Article 3: Treaty Procedures
a. This treaty shall be ratified according to the usual procedures of both regions. Either region may leave the treaty at any time, so long as they inform their partner of why they are withdrawing as soon as possible after doing so.
b. This treaty may be amended according to the usual procedures of both regions, although edits that purely affect its formatting shall take effect immediately. An amendment to this treaty may include elements which aim at the signatories' cooperation in areas not covered by the treaty.
