[IC] Antarktikos Conference

Amidst the changing politics and climate of the modern world, the fate of the Antarktikos continent has become a matter of increasing international concern. Nations look to its unclaimed lands with all its resources, scientific potential, and increasingly endangered wildlife.

The nations of Artemia have been invited to the Resharan city of Letopolis to meet and discuss the continent. Observers watch and hope that they may come together in agreement on a landmark treaty that would ensure a lasting peace and stability for the continent.

Key Starting Topics

• Defining the land and marine regions to be affected by the agreement
  
• Status of existing claims to the region and future claiming of the region
  
• Exploitation of natural and resources, including mining, oil and gas, and fishing
  
• Scientific usage of the continent, including the ownership and construction of scientific installations
  
• Legality of military activity, including the stationing of personnel and military testing
  
• Conservation of the Antarktikos wildlife and environment
  

Letopolis, Reshara

A diplomat had arrived. His name, Materilus Ligupus. He was Fornoire's envoy to this conference that would decide the fate of Anatarika. In order to be respected diplomatically, and because the environmentalist forces in the government wished it, Fornoire decided to attend.

And so, Materilus arrived at Reshara. What now?

Teodor Hummel stood to address the gathered delegations.

"Welcome everyone to the Antarktikos Conference. On behalf of the Kingdom of Akarus I would like to thank you all for attending, and give a special thanks to the government of Reshara for agreeing to host this momentous event.

"The first matter on our agenda is defining the extent of the land and sea area of Antarktikos for the purposes of this treaty. Given the proposed subjects on our agenda exceptions to the treaty related to national boundaries and claims will be addressed later in this conference."

Teodor paused to pull up some data on the conference screen.

"Our team has assembled a preliminary proposal for the Antarktikos Boundary. Our proposal takes the Antarktikos Circle as its central boundary. Due to the topography our proposal adds four extension regions, following lines of latitude and longtitude, to cover any remaining Antarktikos land areas."

Councillor Garofalo carefully examined the map being displayed on the screen, and referring to the instructions that he had recieved on his briefing with the Foreign Councillor, pressed the button to signal his intent to speak.

"Sartoria has no problem with this proposal. We believe it properly reflects the territorial extent of Antarktikos. If any issues surface through the course of our negotiations, we believe it will be a good starting point for any needed revisions."

Once he finished talking, he began taking notes, both of the main details of the proposed map and of his own remarks. He could summarise all those notes, add his own commentary, and use MALZO -the internal network of the Sartorian Government- to send them to the Foreign Office for constant review and advice. He had full authority to lead the negotiations, but as a matter of principle, it was customary to ask for advice from the higher levels, in case there were policy developments to which he needed to adjust.

So far, he felt the Conference was off to a good start.