http://www.unitedstatesofarcadia.org/images/plough-shares.jpg
“International politics, like all politics, is a struggle for power”
“When diplomacy ends, War begins.”
“Let us beat Swords into Plowshares”
[hr]
THE FIRST URTH CONVENTION
for the ratification of the
Charter of the Coalition of Nations
Visaelitia, President’s District, Aelitia
The Convention began with a lengthy state dinner and social, with dignitaries from across the Urth representing their nations on this momentous occasion. A dull hum
encompassed the ballroom of the Presidential Estate, many languages and cultures contained within one overarching collective. A parallel to the purpose of this Convention
did not escape some of the attendees; an overarching international political architecture to bring together all voices of Urth.
The Convention was a culmination of the efforts of officials from the Republic of the Grand Pacific, the Dominion of Aelitia, and many others.
The Coalition of Nations itself is an extension of the existing framework of two treaty organizations between the RGP and Aelitia; and have been built upon and revised to accommodate an international political body of the Coalition. The two organizations, VICTOR (military) and VISTA (economic), were previously exclusive arrangements between the founders, but have now been absorbed as independent units represented within the Coalition infrastructure.
The Coalition of Nations is to consist of three arms-
The Council of NationsThe International CommissionThe International Judicial Tribunal****The ‘Legislature’ of the Coalition which consist of two delegates from each Member and will craft and debate international lawThe ‘Executive’ of the Coalition which consists of elected officials and representatives from the two associated organizations which will collectively oversee international lawThe ‘Court’ of the Coalition which is arbitrate any disputes which arise from international law, or are submitted to it by member-state parties
Membership in the International Coalition is open to any nation on Urth, as accepted by the other member states. Original signatories will not be subject to this oversight.
Membership to the associated organizations is separate from the membership of the Coalition, as to preserve the neutrality of the Coalition on matters of military or economic policy. States seeking these memberships must make a case to be accepted.
The Charter consists of Administrative Articles which regulate the Coalition as a whole; Articles which impact only those nations which choose to become part of VICTOR or VISTA; and Articles on the Application Process which regulate membership once the Coalition is ratified. [hr]
Delegates to the Conference were moved to the Dominion Room, a grand oval-shaped hall which featured a lavishly decorated ‘Ratification Dais’ upon which a delegate would sit to formally affix their signature to the Charter. Upon each of the seats in the gallery sat a tablet which was loaded with the Delegate’s name and country; and an interactive app to explore the Charter once more.
A Delegate picked up the tablet, and it greeted them by name; opening the application-
[spoiler]Victoria-Visaelitia Charter
on the Coalition of Nations**
**
Preamble
[spoiler]
The Parties to this Charter reaffirm their desire to live in peace and prosperity with their neighbors and all peoples and governments of the world. They are determined to safeguard the freedom of their people, the principals of democracy, and the rule of law. In doing this, they seek to provide security and stability to their fellow members and themselves.
They are resolved to unite themselves in this common purpose and therefore agree to abide by a singular document in addition to their own Constitutions and Charters, to which the right of members to possess shall not be infringed.[/spoiler]
[spoiler]
Article I
Each member state shall send two representatives to serve in the Council of Nations. The Council will be chaired by the President of the Coalition or a Speaker of the Council. The Council has the express power to propose new legislation or conventions not related to economics or defence to be vetoed or enforced into international law by the International Commission. All votes are by a simple majority, ties decided by the President.
To retain voting rights, each member must fulfil the annual due requirement as set by the International Commission and accepted by the Judicial Tribunal, as determined via a means-based quota system.
Article II
The International Commission (hereinafter referred to as the IC) is the de jure executive body of the Coalition. The members each have specific administrative or political duties. The IC shall be made up of the following titled individuals, to have the portfolios and selection procedures as set out in Coalition Statute.
President of the Coalition
Undersecretary to the President
Commander of VICTOR
Commissioner of VISTA
Auditor General
External Affairs Secretary
Votes of the IC shall be made by simple majority, but the full right of veto is held by the President of the Coalition. The Auditor General retains this right in relation to an investigation on Coalition spending only.
The representatives for VICTOR and VISTA retain the right to refer any policy to the Judicial Tribunal if they have reasonable grounds to believe it infringes upon the exclusive policy powers of the respective organization.
Article III
The International Judicial Tribunal is the de jure and supreme judicial body of the Coalition. The court shall be constituted of three legal professionals as confirmed by the Council of Nations, one from each of the Coalition Founders and a third from another member. The Tribunal is empowered to hear and make binding decisions on matters arising from Coalition law or practice, as well as any other legal dispute which both parties expressly consent to arbitration. The Tribunal may order the expulsion or suspension of any non-founder member state, if necessary.
Article IV
The Coalition shall have institutional association with the Victoria Treaty Organization (VICTOR) and the Visaelitia Treaty Association (VISTA), and shall not make policy within the exclusive jurisdiction of these affiliates. Membership in these organizations is independent from the Coalition, exempting that the Founders are mandatory full members of each.
By a two-thirds vote in quorum, the Council of Nations may form new organizations within the Coalition that draw upon resources in order to serve the Coalition as a whole.
Article V
Amendments to the Coalition charter require the support of at least two-thirds of respondents in the Council of Nations in order to be enacted. Amendments may be vetoed by a majority of the International Commission.
Article VI
Elections for Council representatives shall be a democratic vote conducted in the member state. A majority of voters must select the two representatives before they are legally declared members of the Council of Nations.
Article VII
Member states are expected to comply with extradition requests by fellow Coalition members. Should a dispute arise surrounding extradition, the case must be brought before the Judicial Tribunal, where a simple majority will settle the case.
Article VIII
Contributions to the Coalition treasury by member nations shall be stripped of all nationality upon being transferred to the Coalition, and will be allocated by the Auditor General according to the approved budget.
Article IX
The Council of Nations shall be based in an internationally designated site as determined by the first Council.
The International Commission shall be based in an internationally designated site in the city of Princeton, Grand Pacific.
The Judicial Tribunal shall be based in an internationally designated site in the city of Rubaetna, Aelitia. [/spoiler]
[spoiler]
Article I
The primary goal of VICTOR being to protect the territorial sovereignty and freedom of her member’s citizens, member states shall maintain the ability to protect themselves from armed attack.
Article II
The Executive will consist of a military designate from each member state, co Chaired by voting delegates from each founder state. The Executive of VICTOR has the authority to declare a state of conflict in line with the articles laid down their statute.
Article III
Should a state of conflict be declared, it is the duty of every VICTOR member state to comply with the order, submit to the Commander, and treat the foreign threat as it was a threat against their own nation. No nation may choose to ignore the threat lest they risk expulsion from VICTOR. If a nation is for any reason physically unable to come to the assistance of an ally, they may be exempt from this rule.
Article IV
The VICTOR defense structure is triple-tiered. National militaries maintain unilateral independence from the alliance, but may be called upon as per Article III. For situations where total war may not be the proper course of action, a Special Forces deployment will be comprised of volunteer soldiers and will be placed under the command of the Grand Pacific Supreme Military Commander. Finally, VICTOR installations (as explained in Article VII) will be established in areas deemed by the Supreme Military Commander to be unstable or susceptible to attack by foreign threats. This is to allow for quick alliance reaction to potential attacks on member-states.
Article V
National militaries will gradually adopt the VICTOR military standard. This is to ease logistical troubles inherent in separate militaries fighting together.
Article VI
A series of VICTOR-run installations will be established in select member states. The staff will be made up of international soldiers, fighting under the VICTOR flag as well as their own. This is made possible by quasi-integration of national militaries, as outlined below.
Article VII
Militaries from member states should be comfortable with each others organization and customs on a basic level. It should be noted that English is the language of VICTOR, and the Coalition in general when two or more nations are concerned, as well.
Article VIII
VICTOR shall be establish a naval service encompassing all alliance naval assets from individual member-states. During times of war, assets in this service may be called upon by the Commander.
Article IX
The official VICTOR brevity code will be used in wartime situations involving the alliance. Individual brevity codes may still be used in non-alliance situations, and during peacetime.
Article X
No two nations in VICTOR may engage in hostilities with each other under any circumstances. If they do, the aggressor nation shall be expelled and treated as any other foreign power would be.
The Judicial Tribunal of the Coalition may expel a member from the Coalition should they be expelled according to this Article.
[/spoiler]
[spoiler]
Article I
The goal of VISTA being the economic integration and well being of all members. Tariffs and non-tariff trade barriers shall exist upon the ‘Most Favoured Nation’ principle. Whenever possible, tariffs between member-states should be abolished entirely.
VISTA shall function as a regulator in the World Trading sphere, and members shall not engage in activities against VISTA policies with any state, regardless of membership status.
Article II
This Charter shall not infringe upon the right of member states to engage in trade with non-VISTA states.
Article III
Trade between member states shall be free of quotas, discriminating regulatory legislation, and subsidies which seek to give certain factors of production an advantage over others.
Article IV
Policies shall be made according to the general policy outlook as set by the most recent Ministerial summit, and be dictated by an Executive consisting proportionally of shareholders in VISTA and two voting co-chairs, each from a founder state. The Commissioner shall be the Aelitian as decided upon by a summit called expressly for that purpose, and may exercise veto powers over VISTA and oversee a commission for the regulation of VISTA shares.
VISTA members may make international economic policy or convention by majority at any VISTA summit, subject to review by the VISTA executive.
Article V
Member states shall endeavor to keep sea lanes free of piracy, and neutral merchant shipping shall not be subject to boarding or interception unless a credible threat to life or property, public or private, exists. States, regardless of membership, engaging in activities counter to this principle may be subject to economic sanctions of varying degrees.
Article VI
Investments made by an investor from a member state into another are granted a number of guarantees, including fair and equitable treatment, protection from expropriation, and free transfer of means.
Article VII
Laborers and professionals from an VISTA member state shall have the right to enter to another member state temporarily for purposes of employment. The time in question shall be decided by the individual state, but must exceed six months and cannot exceed two years.
Article VIII
Unemployed or employed workers from an VISTA state have the express right to seek employment permanently in another member state free of hindrance, as long as the immigration process is legal by the states laws.[/spoiler]
[spoiler]
Article I
In order to be considered for Coalition membership, a nation must first undergo a screening process, ensuring that they have shown a determination to safeguard freedom and democracy, protect the weak, and live in peace with their neighbors.
The applicant must also provide to the Coalition a sum equivalent to 0.005% of its GDP upon applying.
Article II
The application process to the affiliate VICTOR and VISTA organizations shall be determined by their own statute.
Article III
Nations must prove that they are able and willing to defend their fellow member states by making available upon application, a contingent of no less than 1000 Armed Forces members with Army members being at least half that number, to the Supreme Commander of VICTOR for inspection and approval. This contingent, if approved, may be called upon to serve the organizations to which the state is party, within reasonable time.
Article IV
Prospective members shall have their applications reviewed by the Council of Nations and a simple majority shall be used to decide on application. A tie always goes to the negative in the application process.
Article V
Observer status may be granted by a two thirds majority of the International commission. Observers must provide annual membership dues equivalent to 0.008% of GDP.
Article VI
Rescindment of membership in the Coalition or affiliate organizations is subject to a 30-day concilliation period in which the withdrawing state will engage in dialogue with the other members regarding the reasons for their withdrawal. Withdrawal is official after this period. [/spoiler]
http://pastebin.com/8wYg6g5s[/spoiler]
The President of Aelitia took the stage, a hearty smile on his face and announced to his fellow delegates,
“It is my deepest honour to open the Ratification Ceremonies of the Coalition of Nations; and I look forward to the new era of international law which we are surely embarking in! The Dominion submits no formal reservations or objections to this document, and welcomes its friends and colleagues to join in this journey!”
He takes the premier seat at the table flanked by his Prime Minister and various advisers, and signs the Charter.
X…http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d1/Manuel_Oribe_Signature.svg/120px-Manuel_Oribe_Signature.svg.png
…
The next Dignitary to take the stage was the Delegate from the Republic of the Grand Pacific, who affixed his signature with a boisterous smile. He was followed by a slow series of other delegations.
X…http://i.imgur.com/8H0pQF0.gif
…
[hr]An overhead projection sparks to life with a live feed of the Member States as they ratify. The ‘Dominion of Aelitia’ blinks onto the screen in the middle column, soon to be followed by the other delegate’s countries.
[th colspan=“3”]Member States in order of Ratification[/th]http://i.imgur.com/BzjafQq.png
http://i.imgur.com/F92MQSp.png
http://i.imgur.com/V8T1S5f.png
VICTOR
Victoria Treaty OrganizationCOALITION OF NATIONSVISTA
Visaelitia Treaty AssociationRepublic of the Grand Pacific
Dominion of Aelitia
Federated States of Severisen
Dominion of Aelitia
Republic of the Grand Pacific
Vekaiyu Holy Republic
Socialist Republic of Listonia
Laiatanese Federation
Federated States of Severisen
South Hills Area Council of Governments
Republic of Really Nice Hats
Free Democratic Republic of Bachtendekuppen
[hr]ADMITTED OBSERVER STATES[hr]Vekaiyun State of South Dveria
Tsinuk Nation of the Grand Pacific
Grand Duchy of Dragonia
Empire of Xoriet
Socialist Federation of ZeorusDominion of Aelitia
Republic of the Grand Pacific
Republic of Really Nice Hats
