SLU Free Travel Area

[Avaerilon]

The Social Liberal Union Free Travel Area

Fellow leaders,

I have called this conference to discuss the possibility of a free-travel area in the SLU. This would allow citizens of signatory states to travel across the region without the need for a VISA, or other official documentation save their passport, or equivalent identification. This would, my government believes, lead to closer co-operation between the states of the region, and allow for easier exchange of cultures.

Before any proposal is drafted formally, we seek fellow signators to this agreement, as well as input on the agreement's content from fellow SLUan states.

As for my own government's input, the following are proposals made by Avaerilon and her allies:

• Any citizen from a signatory state not deemed a serious security threat, or wanted for a felony, is permitted to travel to any signatory state
• No signatory state shall prevent any citizen, save such persons as mentioned above, from doing so
• Border staff in signatory states shall only require the passport, or other equivalent documentation to hereby be recognised of a citizen from a fellow signatory state upon entering and/or leaving a signatory state
• Citizens travelling to another signatory state may spend up to three months in their destination country without need of any permit
• Citizens travelling to another signatory state may be required by their destination country to apply for an official permit to say in the afore-mentioned nation longer than three months
• Carrier services, of land, sea, or air, shall not impose additional duties, fares, or fees upon passengers seeking to travel to another signatory state
• Citizens seeking to travel to a signatory state are not required to apply in-advance for permission to travel to their destination country

Best wishes,

[Deleted]

I support all of those measures, but also advocate for the following:

All of the memeber states will work towards the creation of an easily accessible database of felons and security risks living in the region

Any tourist, student, foreign worker, or anyone else that takes advantage of this program must report all of their income within the nation they are staying

[Avaerilon]

I can happily report my agreement with your proposals, which are sensible and practical additions to what has already been discussed.

Best wishes,

[Deleted]

My nation is willing to join the SLU Free Travel Area, however, there is one issue that several Francish ministers want to be addressed: immunization policy. There are several immunizations that Francs get before they start school. In order to protect the populations of the Free Travel Area members, we would like for all member states to create a uniform immunization policy, and for all school children in those nations to follow that policy.

[Avaerilon]

(OOC: BUMP!)

[North American Republics]

Naran Telegram Company

Gov't restructure  delayed messages  people's commissar Bryan  peaceful election.

[North American Republics]

Open Communique from the Desk of the People's Commissar

To the Avaerilonian Minister of Foreign Affairs,

Our records are disorganized at the moment, so please refresh our collective memories. Does Iago Penderyn remain the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Avaerilon? If not, I would very much appreciate contact information. We had our differences in the past, but always managed to work things out.

On to business. Is the creation of a Free Travel Area necessary for the region as it is? The October Revolution left key portions of the region in ruins and rushing into such a pact may lead to further instability. We as a region have much left to pursue if we wish to come back together once more as a united power. This is clearly seen in our decrease of regional power in the world. We do not even have proper economic relationships anymore among several key states. I say that if we want the benefits that states with close relationships have, we need to do the hard work to set up a relationship first. As it stands, the North American Republics is in desperate need of more iron. The revolution cost much in terms of resources. We would be willing to hear out trade offers for steel from the community. We have NAR Bills to offer along with our industrial capacity.

Sincerely,
- People's Commissar Bryan

[Avaerilon]

Dear People's Commissar,

First of all, I would like to congratulate your good self once again on your successful re-election. I look forward to your participation in these talks. I can confirm I remain Minister of Foreign Affairs for Avaerilon.

My government believes creating an FTA will benefit the economies and ties between nations of the SLU, and be especially beneficial to those SLUans eager to see more of their region. I quite agree that rushing any wide-ranging legislation such as this would cause insurmountable problems, but I also believe we ought not to leave it too long before proceeding. As long as there is no great security risk to the various populations of our region, and nations desiring to become involved are able to manage incoming and outgoing people, then there is no reason to not press-ahead with this idea. People being able to freely travel the region will promote understanding, tolerance and a greater sense of unity; these things are what our region sorely needs at present, in my government's view.

I find myself in-agreement with the need to re-establish key economic ties and the suchlike, which will surely make an FTA worthwhile. On this note, I can confirm that the Magnificent Kingdom of Avaerilon is quite willing to provide large amounts of high-quality steel (composite, carbon or stainless) for 30% below the current market price. We believe we can easily meet any demand for it that the NARan industry currently requires. My government is quite happy to receive NARan bills in-exchange. As for other economic matters, it might be worthwhile eliminating tariffs on certain goods signatory states import, and opening up equal exchange of certain products. We should also clarify, if duty-free items are available in, for instance, airports, what items are commonly made duty-free by potential signatories, and create a universal array of items not subject to additional taxes, to encourage travelling and purchases made abroad. 

I look forward to your reply, and may I wish you a Happy Hogswatch and a prosperous New Year.

Best wishes,

[North American Republics]

   
Dear Iago Penderyn,

I am Lakesha Clark, the new Minister of Foreign Affairs for People's Commissar Bryan. He has asked me to relay this message to you:

"I am glad to see that King Aubrey the Dragonheart has not yet let go of a voice of reason. I do hope these talks will prove to be more than just that, though. Our countries are not in good standing with the other, that is clear enough, but Ms. Clark should be able to take up my mantle when it comes to dealing with foreign affairs. She has some good ideas and I am getting quite tired from the running around I have had to do in recent weeks. Just thinking about heading down to the 'Ministry of Foreign Affairs' gives me more joint pain than it would be worth. Very well. I will keep this message short and allow Ms. Clark to state her ideas."

There is no doubt within my mind that the creation of a Free Travel Area within the SLU would benefit economic and other ties between nations. Discussions with the Cabinet have led to that conclusion more times than not; we are in agreement there. It is merely an issue of the time-frame this would be accomplished within and the impact it would have on carefully controlled economies. We would like to see the details for this plan hashed out by a month from now. It is how long we expect to see the conflict with antagonistic elements on the island to last. The lack of communication from nations involved in our most recent conflict as well as the history of this region has led us to believe that we are not ready yet for a Free Travel Area to be created. We still remember Blackacre and the plague that spread from there, Michutopia's problems within their mega-cities, and last but not least, the ever present radical elements within the region.

The visa process has been one that is very important for the North American Republics. We have lax laws regarding migration, but we like to adhere to them as they have served us well for many years now. People are free to travel to any country so willing to allow them, but they must pledge to abide by that country's laws or be prosecuted without access to embassy staff or any other NARan government help. We also allow any person to travel here to the North American Republics so long as they have not been prosecuted for anything that counts as a felony here in the North American Republics. We have had our influx of "criminal" refugees from countries all over the Social Liberal Union, but we have treated them fairly.
Having open borders would set a precedent in the North American Republics where our highly valued and often considered progressive stances on migration would be open to attack by conservative elements. The people of the North American Republics are still wary of most Social Liberal Union countries even as we communicate.

You talk about "promoting understanding, tolerance and a greater sense of unity" as being benefits from the creation of a Free Travel Area, but these benefits can be found in less expansive negotiations. Cultural exchange programs have been done in the past and have worked wonderfully in areas. Funding one's arts within another's country would also lead to understanding, tolerance, and a greater sense of unity. I am sure Avaerilonians would be delighted to see a beloved NARan movie "47 Rebels" or read Toils of a NARan Soldier by Michael Allen. The latter happens to be one of my favorite novels.

We thank you for your offer of steel. We will require nearly five-hundred thousand tons of low-carbon steel, another ten thousand tons of medium carbon steel, and one thousand tons of stainless steel. We hope that Avaerilon can meet this demand easily.

While I cannot offer to reduce tariffs now, upon discussion with the cabinet and subsequently the Workers' National Council, Avaerilon will be able to hear about any progress made to those ends. I can state, definitively, that I will attempt to make the Avaerilonian case as best as I can to the cabinet and start a duty-free goods discussion.

Thank you for your well-wishing and a Happy Hogswatch and New Year to you, too.

Sincerely,


Lakesha Clark, Minister of Foreign Affairs

[Deleted]

Zunkwentania is willing to join the FTA, provided that we find a way to deal with immunizations.

[Kanoria]

As is Kanoria, under the same circumstances as Zunkwetania, with the added caveat that all arriving persons must sign, as citizens and travelers from other places, the agreements of 'Environmental and Circumstantial Betterment' and 'Rightful Acceptance and Tolerance'. Other TLHT territories likewise agree with the same protections in place, excluding Gaetinn Ey. Gaetinn Ey is placed under special environmental protection and only residents of a Traust Leysa nation may travel there without special dispensation or a shipping license marked with GE DEP. All SLU citizens may overharbour in Gaetinn Ey or deliver and collect goods to or from Gaetinn Ey, provided they do not leave the port districts.

Nothing in the above statement shall be taken as a guarantee that policy will not change as all TLHT territories reserve the right to withdraw with no notice. likewise, though the immigration program is rapid and simple to TLHT territories nothing in the statement above guarantees any right to any 'Citizen Rights or Privileges' over and above the universal basic declared by the SLU, TLHT and the territory in question. All prohibited items and all objects of a live, dormant or necrotic nature are still prohibited without prior consent to import.

This is also not an agreement to join any free trade area, or to host any duty free areas on any TLHT soils or waters, including ports and airports.

[Deleted]

Selkouel wishes to express an interest in becoming part of this Free Travel Agreement.

[Deleted]

Dear Iago Penderyn,
As the American minister states, a free trade agreement would be greatly beneficial to the SLU. While, for example, Zunkwentanaia has a shortage of steel, we have an abundance of thorium, and an FTA would greatly help nations with excess steel or or a shortage of energy. We sincerely would like to thank you for the proposal,
Diego Valquial

[Deleted]

The Commonwealth of Aertaseren will be proud to support a Social Liberal Union Free Travel Agreement.

It is our official opinion that the original proposal by the Magnificent Kingdom of Avaerilon is more than adequate, and additional restrictions are unnecessary. If we may be so bold as to state our honest opinions, we would like to address some of the concerns raised by other nations.

• We cannot agree that infection is a serious concern. The immunization rates in the Commonwealth are excellent, which almost eliminates threats of outside infection. It is hoped that any new virulent diseases will be identified early and localized. Although there is a risk of cross-border infections, this risk will always be present to some degree, even if a nation's borders are officially sealed.
  
• We believe that free travel is quite important to the long-term well-being of the region, and should be implemented as soon as individual nations are ready and willing, even if free travel is not yet region-wide.
  
• We feel that due to the overall ideological similarities among member nations of the Social Liberal Union there is little security threat from the citizens of other nations of the region. We, at least, are open to a very wide range of views, whether political, cultural, economic, or religions.
• We agree that there will be economic benefits for the nations involved, however our economists are doubtful that this change will have a large influence or threaten our economy in any way. We do sympathize with nations who are concerned about a Free Trade Agreement. Free trade, although largely desirable, will require much more careful planning.
  
• We do not understand concerns regarding the migration of peoples. It is our understanding that the Free Travel Agreement would not include provisions for permanent residence, only for travel.
• We consider it only natural that all nations would wish to prevent the importation of prohibited items, but we wish to emphasize our hope that this issue will not become a tool for preventing the legal free movement of people.
• We firmly believe that issues such as reporting income or the movement of criminals are solely between that person and their nation of residence. While we have no special desire to become a refuge for the undesirables of other nations, we are reluctant to attempt enforcing the laws of another nation on people living within our borders, citizen or visitor. And for ourselves, we do not fear others because of their past crimes. (We just watch them more closely...)
  

Thank you.

Your humble servant,
MFA The Commonwealth of Aertaseren

[Deleted]

Open Communiqué from the Desk of the Minister of Foreign Affairs

To the Avaerilonian Minister of Foreign Affairs

The goverment of Estein hereby ask to Avaerilonian Minister of Foreign Affairs to join the SLU Free Travel Area. accept all the conditions set by the following treaty, but we would like to apply a subjection of law to the treaty. The subjection contemplate that any Estenian citizen can travel in all member countries of the FTA in possession of any identity document that is not a passport.
The Esteinian legislation indeed provides that the passport is a document to be used for travel to non-SLU members countries.
At the judicial level, the passport is a source of law superior to the identity card, and the procedures to be incurred to obtain it are long, unlike the identity card, owned by all citizens.
Also we would like to know the stance of FTA on other issues of priority importance

• Does the FTA provides for the coordination of the states in the fight against international organized crimes?
• Does the FTA provides for the integration of national police forces databases into a single database, to check the criminal records of travelers within the FTA, and monitor for possible illegal immigrants?
• Could Estein not admit citizens of member countries that have not attained mandatory vaccinations?

The Esteinian government would be really happy if Avaerilon answer to these questions. The government also praised the initiative, believes this is a great example of civilization attained by our Region.

We await news.

Alessio Pancrazio, Minister of Foreign Affairs

[Avaerilon]

Dear Minister Pancrazio,

Thank you for your communiqué. Currently the Free Travel Area has not been implemented, and merely stands as a proposal. Furthermore, it is envisaged as a scheme that each signatory nation would be an equal voice in, and thus my nation is not in-control of membership; membership is open to all members of the region.

On the subject you raised about passports, I can confirm that as per the original proposal, any recognised and legitimate form of proof of identity would be accepted, and thus there is no need to seek a special provision for your nation in this regard. However, it may be preferable in-practice when, hopefully, the FTA is established, to use passports, as they are universally recognised and accepted forms of identity, and generally more difficult to forge. However, as the FTA is currently something being discussed, we will raise your point with other member states to see what the consensus on identity documents is.

With regards to your questions, the answer to the first two is a definite no; any matters specifically pertaining to regional cooperation of police and the suchlike would be dealt with in a separate proposal. On the third query: the position on vaccinations is currently being discussed, and my government awaits further input from other member states on the subject of vaccinations. It may be that individual countries will have their own rules for incoming citizens; my own government, for instance, does not see the need to require any vaccinations, at this present stage in time.

Thank you for your kind words and for expressing your interest in joining this proposed agreement.

Best wishes,

[Deleted]

My nation would enjoy to sign on with this, although would my Nation retain the right to deny access of passage in cases of national quarantine (as outlined in WA resolution 'rights of the quarantined') or wartime?