View from Benacia/Issue 62: Lorelei Negotiations Begin

This imported article was originally posted at http://viewfrombenacia.blogspot.com/2005/02/issue-62-lorelei-negotiations-begin.html at 02/24/05.

Negotiations over the disputed territory of Lorelei began yesterday in Attera, making the first step on the road to a resolution.

After the mutual exchange of provisional recognition between Transattera and Shireroth, Kaiser Mors IV and his chosen representatives were invited to talks in the Arbaat Imperial Palace, the home of His Serene Imperial Highness Mik'el Tzion I, Emperor of the Atterans.

The Emperor is negotiating in his role as King of Transattera, the same role in which he made his claim to Lorelei. The disputed territory was once part of Arminy, a micronation that was annexed to Shireroth as a Duchy. At the time of the annexation, the Emperor, who was a citizen of Arminy, was Baron of Lorelei, but had not voted in favor of the annexation. His claim derives from the fact that, as the only one to inhabit Lorelei in any fashion, it should pass to his control.

In the opening to the Lorelei talks, the Emperor expressed his hope that no permanent damage had been caused in Shireroth's relations with Attera, and gave his appreciation for the Kaiser's granting of provisional recognition so that the talks could begin. He also noted that Transattera would soon have an online presence; in the past, Transattera has not been active online, having no forums or website of its own.

The Emperor then went on to discuss Lorelei directly. While making it clear that both Transattera and Attera recognized the incorporation of Arminy into Shireroth, he reiterated his belief that as Lorelei's sole inhabitant, it is properly his decision as to where Lorelei should go, and that Lorelei has chosen to be Transatteran rather than Shirerithian. He noted, 'Of course, Shireroth is a pretty nice micronation, it just isn't my cup of tea, as I like a more "serious" approach to things, maybe it's due to a lack of humor.'

The Kaiser, then taking his turn to speak, began by expressing gladness that Transattera would soon be joining the micronational community, and assuring the Emperor that Shirerithian-Atteran relations had not suffered seriously because of the Lorelei issue. But he pointed out soberly that the dispute had caused "a certain amount of concern" among Shirerithians. He acknowledged the general reluctance of Shireroth to concede land, going on to say that

"The great and varied lands under the rule of the Imperial Republic are a source of pride and honor to all of us; not only as a marker of how far we have come since our humble beginnings, but as a symbol of the acceptance we have granted to the cultures associated with the lands we have gained - Hyperborea and Yardistan being the greatest historical examples, and now Arminy as well."

The Kaiser went on to address the nature of the questions raised agains the Emperor's claim. Choosing to forgo discussing the "specific points" in his opening speech, he instead noted that most of the counterclaims centered on the Emperor's relative absence. He is believed to have done little with Lorelei between the granting of Lorelei to him by Arminy (he did not show up for his acceptance speech) and his recent claiming of the territory for Transattera.

But Kaiser Mors then expressed his own understanding and sympathy for the Emperor's situation:

"I believe it was the good Ras Noseworthy who pointed out earlier on in a discussion over Lorelei that you had other, quite important, obligations to attend to... related to your service in the military, in Iraq (if I remember correctly?). I believe it can safely be said that you cannot really be blamed for not being able to invest a full measure of time into Lorelei."

He went on to add that the Emperor seems to have had ambitious and worthy plans for Lorelei, "including a map of its internal structure, and an economic system based on its resources", and noted that this meshed well with his own love of fleshing out details, as the Kaiser has done with Benacia.

In his closing statement, the Kaiser firmly reiterated Shireroth's desire to have Lorelei's territory, but refrained from taking a hard line on the subject, instead extending a possible compromise that may be only the start of the haggling over Lorelei: "...Shireroth and its people would, obviously enough, prefer to act as custodian to Lorelei if at all possible. But I believe it would be entirely just to recognize that you had, and most likely still have, the intention to do great things with it. And Shireroth would be more than willing to come to an arrangement in which you would retain a powerful say in Lorelei's direction, so that its potential would not remain untapped."

It remains to be seen what Emperor Mik'el Tzion's thoughts on this will be.