Iberia News 1907

[miketr]

OOC,, does this reach France in any official channel?

OOC It gets out in General... its just a little time in doing so.  Hence why I waited to post this.  More is to follow later today.

[swamphen]

If there's an Agent of Abwehr in the audience, you can rest assured that when he reads NS Point #7, Count von Bülow's ears are steaming, after #8 the steam is boiling out his office window, and after #9 he's ready to burn down the NS Embasssy himself...

[Borys]

OOC
Due to long going ties - the Carlista branch spent 30 years of exile in Austria - the Madrid and Vienna courts leak like a sieve to one another, and news/gossip sloshes between them at the speed of light :)

I venture 48 hours for Graf von Bulow to get ... agitated
:)

Borys

[P3D]

Due to long going ties - the Carlista branch spent 30 years of exile in Austria - the Madrid and Vienna courts leak like a sieve to one another, and news/gossip sloshes between them at the speed of light :)

Borys,

the spread of rumor can exceed the speed of everything else. Including the speed of light.

;)

[Borys]

OOC
You mean that it can reach - gulp - ludicrous speed?

[P3D]

Sometimes rumors are true even before the actual things happened.

That's what I call speed. ;)

[Desertfox]

But that's impossible according to physics, you see objects approaching Light Speed approach infinity mass! And if they cross the Speed of Light they go...(gulp)...back in time!

So that's how the Germans found out about the Swiss Terms before the Swiss stated them! :P

[miketr]

Jamie meets with both delegations during the several hour long recess behind closed doors.  Once the two sides return a large note is passed from the Netherlands Delegation to Jamie.

"Gentlemen now that the two parties have returned this talks are back in session and I have a reply from the Netherlands delegation.  The New Swiss Republic has no statement at this time but wishes to here the response of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

With respect to the following term, #1 A 10 year non aggression pact between NS-Siam and Netherlands be signed.

The Kingdom of the Netherlands agrees.

With respect to the following term, #2 Netherlands must return the captured warships or pay their equivalent (Perch, 2 x Fritz), in exchange NS will return all captured Dutch vessels

The Kingdom of the Netherlands does not hold any forum ships of the New Swiss Republic, the only ships captured was handed over to French survivors and sent to Sri Lanka.

With respect to the following term, #3 Netherlands must return ALL New Swiss prisoners, same with New Swiss.

The Kingdom of the Netherlands is willing to hand over all Swiss prisoners of war.

With respect to the following term, #4 Netherlands must recognize the Kra Canal as de facto, and pledge itself to take no action against it.

Acceptable on the condition that the canal will be limited to a width of 20m, that is large enough for all mercantile traffic.

With respect to the following term, #5 Netherlands must pay for repairs to all damage to underwater telegraph lines

The Kingdom of the Netherlands feels no obligation to pay maintenance for NS underwater lines.
With respect to the following term, #6 Netherlands must fully apologize for spreading lies about NS (civilian conditions aboard merchants)

Impossible demand as no lies have been told.

With respect to the following term, #7 Netherlands must not interfere with New Swiss merchant marine in Dutch East Indies waters and give New Swiss merchants preferred status in the Dutch East Indies.
Acceptable, and impossible. The Kingdom of the Netherlands has not in living memory interfered with any merchantmen, from any nation.

No merchant ships of any nation (Including the Netherlands) enjoy any special privileges in the Netherlands East Indies, and most major ports are free ports anyway.

With respect to the following term, #8 Netherlands must recognize New Swiss control and sovereignty over all DEI Islands to the East of the Makkasar Str and East of Java, perhaps in addition the Nicobars and Natuna in exchange for other terms.

The Kingdom of Netherlands will not recognize the occupation of any Netherlands territory
With respect to the following term, #9 After meeting its National needs the Netherlands must give New Switzerland 1st purchase rights to the DEI Oil."

Impossible, the Oil industry is in the hands of private companies, and the Government of the Netherlands does not interfere in private business unless they are in direct threat to the security of the state.  If the New Swiss want oil, they will have to buy it from Mr. Deterding as everybody else.

The New Swiss Delegation talks briefly among themselves and then there head stands to address the room, "I need to communicate the response of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to my government.  If we could recess till tomorrow?"

Jamie looks at the Dutch delegation head who nods, "Very well we are agreed till tomorrow afternoon then."

Next day once again in the meeting room

Time slowly passes as the two delegations file in and the Iberian diplomatic corps meets them and escorts them to their tables.  Once everyone is seated Jamie stands and address the room, "We are in session once more and I hope some progress can be made today.  Does the New Swiss Republic have a reply to the statement of the Kingdom of the Netherlands?"

"We do your Highness, in the interest of time I shall give it myself, if that is acceptable.  I of course have written copies of my governments position."

"By all means your Excellency..."

"Thank you your Highness, *cough* The Republic of New Switzerland cannot accept the proposal of the Kingdom of the Netherlands as it stands, but can accept a modified version of our own and will consider the Iberian one. My government is going to wait till the end of October at least before replying further."

Jamie and the Iberians were shocked by the statement and said nothing for nearly a minute, "Perhaps we could talk your Excellency I am sure...."

"With respect your Highness my instructions are very clear."

Jamie pauses before speaking and then says, "Very well unless there is some change in the situation we shall await the verdict of Mars.  Iberia stands ready to resume these talks at anytime."

[swamphen]

And the balloon goes up.

[Desertfox]

My government is going to wait till the end of October at least before replying further

Now Im really confused. ???

[swamphen]

(Perhaps the talks convened on the 16th and failed on the 19th?)

[miketr]

My government is going to wait till the end of October at least before replying further

Now Im really confused. ???

Its from your message to me... 

Michael

[Desertfox]

Im confused as to the date.

Well to finish this (19th October),

"Your Highness I have received a message from my Goverment, we might be able to accept the Neatherlands proposal, if we could just consider the following poi..."

(messenger walks in)

"Hmmm (Ambasador pales) umm Your Highness I take back what I just said, It seems that more players are involved, the playing board has changed. We can not negotiate at the present time. However we would like to ask if your offices will be available in the future.

What is the World coming to?"

 

[miketr]

Palace in Madrid
Meeting of Council of State

Present:
Prince of Asturias, HIRH Jamie
Prime Minister of Iberia, Don Felipe González y Márquez
Head of the Army, General de Ejército Manuel Gutiérrez y Mellado
Head of the Navy, Almirante General Pascual Cervera y Topete
Foreign Minister, Miguel Moratinos

The Prince enters the room and took his seat, "Gentlemen I understand there is some type of update to the situation with the Dutch-Swiss war.  So what have the Swiss done now?"

Miguel pulled out a folder and handed it to the Prince, "Not the Swiss your highness the Dutch."

Jamie caught by surprise and confused be the statement quickly reads the information within the folder.  "They can't be serious can they?" 

"Totally your highness, I have been exchanging messages trying to resolve this for the last few days but if they don't budge we are going to have to take action." 

Jamie disgusted closes the folder and passes it back to the Foreign Minister, "God I knew that signing that treaty with the New Swiss was a mistake I never expected something like this though.  Do they really think we want to help the New Swiss?"

Don Felipe steps in with, "I don't believe it's a question of the Dutch thinking we want the Swiss to win as to they are worried and are looking for any way to cripple the Swiss efforts."

"And crippling our industry in the Philippines and denying the Dons caviar does this how?"  Jamie considers reaching across the table for the folder again but doesn't.  "I don't understand they were so reasonable at the peace talks and I spoke with them a number of times."

"Your Highness their fear is that the goods are going to end up in New Swiss hands and so..."

Jamie slams his fist on the table, "Lawyers legalist double talk! Its food and coal those are not weapons even it does end up in New Swiss hands it doesn't matter a bit."

The Foreign minister tries to be conciliatory "True but there is no formal universally accepted list of contraband goods for war time and so..."

"Its food and coal not bullets and guns this is ridiculous and we are not going to stand for it!  My father broke his health to restore the nation and I will not see his worked trampled into the dust by other nations riding rough shot over us no matter the cause." Jamie pauses and looks Almirante General Pascual, "Admiral what do the Dutch have left in the Atlantic basin in the way of naval forces?"

Alarmed Moratinos and Don Felipe share shocked glances before Moratinos says, "I think we are getting a little a head of our selves your Highness.  The Dutch haven't done anything yet and we haven't received an ultimatum for that matter I am still talking to them."

Jamie stops and visibly pulls back his anger, "Your right Minister... I have been distracted by my fathers health..." 

"I understand and I hope we can work something out..."

"As do I minister but you have handled this the way my father would have wanted to.  I don't want you to back down; this is for the Honor of the Nation.  It may not be time to for us to take action of our own but I want us to be ready.  General, Admiral assemble a staff and draw up some plans for some type of escort system or whatever you and the Minister thinks is necessary... and a worst case series for if this gets totally out of hand."

....

[Borys]

Vienna, early November
Vienna is upset that the Netherlands are making unreasonable demands. The Habsburgs hope some sort of agreement can be worked out between the Hague and Madrid, and are working (unsuccesfully) behind the scenes to come up with some sort of arrangement.