First I must place on record that Bakkermaya believes that Heyra does not permit slavery however its loose regulation of banking and other financial services does allow those who do permit and practice slavery to potentially thrive. We therefore fully understand the stance or Rokkenjima attempting to halt that possibility.
To our view every nation is empowered with the sovereign right to determine for itself its own trade and economic policies. Some choose to do this as independent nations while others do so as part of organisations and blocks. The Ardian Assembly itself includes regulations on trade and commerce and as such we would hope all those who have willingly and freely signed up to the charter to honour it. In our view there is, to the best of our knowledge nothing that Rokkenjima has done that would be "illegal" we however invite Heyra to communicate with us the relevant law that has been broken if they believe one has been.
We also believe that it is the right of any nation to establish rules or regulations on the goods and services permissable in their nation. For example should Rokkenjima instigate rules about the use of steriods in meat production then Bakkermaya would be bound to conform with them if exporting beef for example. It would be the duty of the Bakkermayan exporter to provide evidence to prove to Rokkenjima that the meat being exported was inline with Rokkenjiman standards and rules. In this regard we believe Rokkenjima have the same right to impose a duty on anyone wishing to export goods to Rokkenjima or to conduct financial services to prove they comply with Rokkenjiman rules. If Rokkenjima are of the belief that businesses operating either in or through Elysium are involved in practices that would be outlawed in Rokkenjima, such as slavery, then it would fall on those businesses to comply rather than be the duty of Rokkenjima to prove they are. Should a nation be engaged in practices deemed by one to be unethical or immoral then naturally they have a right to impose sanctions until whichever conditions are placed are meet.
What does concern us however is that to the best of our knowledge the financial dealings that are of concern to Rokkenjima are carried out by a private and not state bank. We therefore believe placing sanctions on a whole nation is disproportionate assuming our premise about the nature of the businesses in Elysium hold true.
With these matters laid out as best we see them at the moment I would hope both parties would accept the following compromise.
1. Rokkenjiman to communicate a list of businesses they believe are engaged with or associated with slavery. Upon receipt of this list Heyra will have 7 calendar days to show that these companies are capable of obtaining a Silver Freestone Mark. Sanctions labelled Section 2 & 3 are with-held until this deadline has passed . Sanctions labelled Section 1 however begin immediately.
2. At the time of the deadline sanctions come into full effect unless the following criteria are meet.
a) Businesses identified can prove they have no assets or connection to businesses in Tamora
b) Businesses identified have obtained the Silver Freestone Mark.
c) The government of Heyra have put in place observable safeguards to ensure no business in Elysium has connections with slavery.
3. Should these measures be meet all sanctions will be lifted with immediate effect.
4. Should these measures not be meet all sanctions will come fully into force.
It is our belief that while Heyra can have the right to naturally ensure confidentiality and little regulation exists in their banking systems they must as a result live with the consequence that at times they will be viewed with suspicion and that their police of Free Trade may not be possible with all nations.
We hope that this matter can swiftly be cleared up between the two nations.
Duke Hugo Lascelles