Announcing The Concert of Democracies
A Message To the democracies of Mundus
Greetings and best wishes to my friends and counterparts abroad, I hope this message finds you well.
While we have seen the promise of a union of nations based upon representative government in the Network of Republics I feel that this concept, at least as represented by the Network, is flawed and neglects to represent the many forms of democracy that exist upon Mundus. It is for those reasons that I propose the "Concert of Democracies", an institution I feel shall address the shortcomings of the Network and provide for an association of democratic states which reflects the many interpretations of representative government which exist upon Mundus. Together we shall address the many challenges which exist to maintaining our democracies and, I hope, in providing a network of support for democratic governance across Mundus in a manner which is, to date, presently lacking, I offer what is, my admittedly, bare-bones concept for the Charter of the COD, so that we may fill in the blanks together in strengthening the democratic institutions of Mundus:
1. The Parties pledge never to use military force, and never to plan to use military force, against one other except in the event of a coup or revolution within a specified member nation.
2. The Parties commit to hold multiparty, free, and fair elections at regular intervals.
3. The Parties commit to uphold internationally recognized civil and political rights for all their citizens and to make these rights enforceable by an independent judiciary, including rights recognized by the MCUR and Abrahamic Declaration.
4. The Parties recognize that sovereign states have a responsibility to protect their own citizens from avoidable catastrophe - mass murder and rape, ethnic cleansing by forcible expulsion and terror, and deliberative starvation and exposure to disease - but that when they are unwilling or unable to do so, that responsibility must be borne by the international community.
5. The Parties undertake to contribute to the further development of peaceful and friendly international relations by promoting liberal democracy as a model of government and by bringing about a better understanding throughout the world of the principles upon which democratic institutions are founded.
6. The Treaty does not affect, and shall not be interpreted as affecting in any way, the rights and obligations under any pre-existing obligations to the same pursuits.
7. Action pursuant to article four and consistent with the purposes of presently existing international law, including the use of military force, may be approved by a two-thirds majority of the parties.
8. Action to enforce the purposes stated henceforth in the wake of a threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression, may be approved by a two-third majority of the parties.
Democracy itself is a delicate force, but one which is most powerful, harnessing the collective voices of a People is no easy task, equally so, no institution which seeks to aid and support democratic governments may form itself without a diverse cast of voices and rationales behind it. It is the hope of this First Empire that we may join together to protect democracy, to support it beyond our boarders, and to be wise stewards of the present to present to those who follow in our steps a roadmap something better. I hope we can join together, in Pytettania, to discuss the terms necessary to establish such an organization. And I hope, together, we can defend democracy, whether it is strong or in its nascent steps.
I look forward to your reply. Yours, in friendship;
Empress of the First Empire of Rokkenjima
