A Crisis of Words
February Another Month of Tension & Hostility

Despite the breakthrough agreement reached by the Ethnarch and the Prime Chancellor at the Natharctica Conference, tensions between the Nexus and the Confederacy remained high. In an effort to regain reputation in the eyes of the international community, President El Cid II of El-Hussaq resigned on February 8, 2001 to make way for the leader of opposition, Aladdin, to take the reins of power. The development in a press release was greeted with downright hostility in Lindsholm. Its fury resulted from a portion of the El-Hussaqi Press Release which implied that theWar of 2K1 was due to faulty information from a spy agency. Many believed the war to be a direct result of President El Cid II’s ambitions.

To the Supreme Viceroy, the statement bordered on a breech of Article I of the Riksholm Treaty, not to mention being an insult to the Republic. In the meantime, members of the Nexus and the Confederacy sent explorers to the east to acquire new lands. Reconstruction began at a slow but continuous pace and the entire Mapp slumped into an economic recession.

As conditions remained harsh in many nations which had participated in the War of 2K1, riots and civil unrest strained national police forces. In Marcusburg, where the unrest was markedly less pronounced, the Prime Chancellor attempted to channel the people’s hatred of the Confederacy into constructive action. In his press release on February 17, the Prime Chancellor profoundly changed Marcusburg foreign policy from splendid isolation to active intervention. With this final decree, the Prime Chancellor relinquished absolute control of the Fletplase (Parliament) and democracy resumed. In addition, the Empire Republic of Bendover also regained its sovereignty. Opinion polls gave the Prime Chancellor an 83% approval rating and delegates gave a standing ovation in the Fletplase. On the same day, the Secretary-General of Congressional Parliament released a scathing analysis of events which occurred in the War of 2K1.

In contrast, the situation in Lindsholm was far more violent and the populace’s hatred of the Confederacy was overt and bitter. Baring the brunt of the Confederate attack, the people were enraged with President El Cid II’s press release and pressure mounted on the Supreme Viceroy to take action. On February 18, a press release was issued in which Lindsholm declared it would relinquish control of Kamograd only after a formal apology was received from the Confederacy and a power from within that organization assumed responsibility for the war.

The declaration triggered accusations by the Confederacy of betrayal and stalling. In particular, President Aladdin was offended by attacks on his personal affairs in the press release. El-Hussaq demanded an apology over the incident, which was given a few days later. However, the Nexus held firm in their demand for honoring the Riksholm Treaty. In addition, the Prime Chancellor demanded war reparations to be transferred immediately.

President Aladdin then led a conference held on the border between Kamograd and El-Hussaq, as a sign of support for their occupied brethren. The El-Hussaq Conference, which lasted over a week, generated some results.

On that same day, the head of state of Natharctica received word of the Confederate payment scheme devised at the conference, which involved transferring A90,000K to the Nexus from the Natharctican treasury. Uninvolved in direct fighting in the War of 2K1, the head of state was not receptive to the reparations plan. Natharctica then decided to renounce El-Hussaqi protectorship. When President Aladdin received the renunciation, he immediately made plans to secure Natharctica’s current status. In the joint Confederate press release of March 1, 2001, El-Hussaq stated that the Confederacy would send troops into Natharctica in order to unite El-Hussaq and the former into a single nation, “Seinon”, with President Aladdin as head of state.

The press release also demanded that Lindsholm relinquish control of Kamograd. Within the same document contained an apology and an acknowledgement that El-Hussaq accepted responsibility for the War of 2K1. The Supreme Viceroy returned control of Kamograd to its President, who was in exile in Jenneva on March 2. However, Kamograd would not regain full autonomy until war reparations were paid.

El-Hussaq’s attempt to occupy Natharctica was met with extreme disapproval by the Nexus. After consultations with Gorditas, acting on behalf of the Nexus, the Natharctican head of state asked for assistance in the situation, citing that his sovereignty was being severely compromised. The plea for help did not go unnoticed as sympathy for Natharctica remains strong in the international community. With such strong sympathy, President Aladdin decided to delay the invasion and would negotiate with Natharctica before any firm action is taken. The El-Hussaqi move has the support of the Confederacy, which may act together as a cohesive unit for the first time militarily.