The Malta Accord of 1912

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Please do not discuss this treaty in this thread. Use the comment thread here instead.

It has been hereof decided that the participatory states in this treaty, above named, shall abide by the articles of the treaty enumerated below.

Purpose: The interested parties agree that the Mediterranean Sea and its environs are of utmost historical, social, and economic importance to the well-being of all peoples and nations that dwell upon its shores and rely upon its bounty to sustain themselves and their livelihoods.  Under these circumstances it would be remiss for those nations that abide along its coasts and waterways to allow such an opportunity as this conference presents to attempt to provide for the safety and security of all peoples, nations, and their interests.  The Mediterranean basin has a proud history of serving the public good and providing sustenance and likelihoods for hundreds of generations, but allow with that great bounty also came great tragedy, and hundreds of conquerors and would-be-conquerors alike have used its waters and those of its tributaries as highways upon which they traveled to conquer and enslave their neighbors.  It is with this great historical tragedy in mind that the signers of this document wish to begin the process of moving forward into a new world, one in which the threats of the past shall remain in the past, and that we three great nations may live alongside each other in this great Mediterranean Sea in peace and harmony.



Article One: The signatory powers agree to the following geographical definitions to define the Mediterranean for the enforcement of this document.
   Section 1A: The Mediterranean is defined here to be the body of water encompassed by the European Continent in the north, the African continent in the south, and the Asian continent in the east.
   Section 1B: The Mediterranean is here defined to have the following routes of access to other bodies of water not governed by this treaty: The Strait of Gibraltar, The Sues Canal, The Dardanelles Strait & the Sea of Marmara. For the purpose of this document, these bodies or constructs are included within the waters of the Mediterranean.
   Section 1C: The Black Sea, defined here as the body of water to the north of the Dardanelles Strait & the Sea of Marmara, is explicitly excluded from being part of the Mediterranean
   Section 1D: Smaller bodies or constructs (eg, the Adriatic Sea) that exist within the area otherwise defined as the Mediterranean, are considered to be part of the Mediterranean for the purpose of this document.



Article Two: The signatory powers agree to the limitations of naval forces permanently stationed in the Mediterranean according to the following limitations:
   Section 2A: Each signatory's navy is to be allowed to permanently station or assign no more than two [2] capital warships, eight [8] warships, ten [10] heavy torpedo warships, and fifty [50] motorized torpedo craft in the Mediterranean. Additionally, any number of coastal & commerce protection craft are allowed.  See Annex 1 for definitions of the types described in this section.
   Section 2B: Exemptions from the above limits are allowed for all vessels traveling to and from dockyards, stationed in ports or dockyards for refitting, repairs, construction, or otherwise being worked upon with a presumption of being unable to engage in active service.  Additionally, newly constructed or repaired vessels undergoing sea-trials, and vessels transiting the Mediterranean on assignments to other parts of the world are also allowed.
   Section 2C: The signatories of this document will make timely arrangements to inform the other signatories of any instances of forces being present under Section Two B.



Article Three: In accord with the desires of the signatory nations to secure the peaceable environment of the Mediterranean Sea and its environs, the signatory powers desire the creation of an international body to uphold the tenets of this treaty, investigate any disputes, and make such suggestions for maintaining peace and security in the Mediterranean as are necessary against all bad actors, states as well as non-states. 
   Section 3A: The organization, hereafter known as the Mediterranean Arbitration Court Officials (MACO), will be headquartered on the island of Malta on land donated by the Imperial Roman Republic.
   Section 3B: MACO will be granted the equivalent of an embassy in the capital city of each signatory from which to conduct official business.
   Section 3C: The governing council of MACO will be constructed as follows: The Council will consist of five members. Three of those members are appointed directly by the legal government of the signatory powers. The fourth and fifth members are appointed jointly by all the signatories. These member serves a term of 20-years or until retirement or death. Other members serve at the pleasure of their respective governments. A simple majority is required for matters requiring approval of the governing council.
   Section 3D: The governing council will have the authority to construct, manage, and oversee the implementation of bureaucratic infrastructure to meet the mission or MACO
   Section 3E: The signatory parties will contribute equally to the funding of MACO.
   Section 3F: At the discretion of the Governing Council, the signatories will be allowed to negotiate temporary alterations to the funding structure defined in section three E.
   Section 3G: MACO will establish international supply facilities at the routs of access defined in section one A for use by all signatory nations and all international civilian traffic. Signatory nations military ships as defined in Annex 1 are forbidden for using these facilities to transit to and from active war zones in which the signatory is an involved party.

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Annex 1: Definitions of Warship Classifications

1)   A warship is defined as any ship that meets one or more of the following requirements
a.   Carries more than four [4] guns of a bore larger than 140mm
b.   Carries more than six [6] guns total
c.   Possesses torpedo armament of any quantity

2)   Additionally, a warship will be considered to be in one of the following classifications if any one of the requirements are met.
a.   Capital Ship
i.   Carries four [4] or more guns of a bore larger than 211mm
b.   Heavy Torpedo
i.   Possessing torpedo armament of eight [8] or more tubes

3)   Motorized Torpedo Craft are defined to be any craft that meets all the requirements below
a.   Powered by an internal combustion engine
b.   Possesses torpedo armament of any quantity

4)   Coastal & Commerce Protection Craft are defined by the following upper bounds
a.   Up to 1000t light displacement
b.   Up to two [2] guns with a bore no larger than 140mm
c.   Up to six [6] total guns

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Signed for the Imperial Roman Republic by Eustachio Gatti, Under-Minister of Foreign Affairs on behalf of the following
--Aloisio Landi, Minister of Foreign Affairs
--Josse Rousseau, Prime Minister
--His Majesty, Emperor Trajan VIII

[Jefgte]

The "Sultan of the Sublime Porte, Constantine XII" approves this treaty which guaranteed peace and prosperity in the Mediterranean.

In His Name, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mehmet Affousi and the Grand Admiral Izmar, Commander of the Fleet, paraphe "The 1912 Treaty of Malta"

[Darman]

Signed by Segismundo Dominguez, the Foreign Minister of the Empire of Iberia on behalf of his Imperial Majesty Jaime Al-Hafid