The Sottica Treaty

[Henry Silverhaus]

This is the basic treaty, which is not the final version that will be signed. This will eventually have Ocia listed as a signatory party and there are a few outstanding amendments that need to be resolved. But please feel free to review this treaty. Note that this applies only to the Bluelight Territory.

The Governments of the Kingdom of Babkha, the Adraisian Empire and the Kingdom of Lovely,

Recognising that it is in the interest of all mankind that Sottica shall continue forever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and shall not become the scene or object of international discord;

Acknowledging the substantial contributions to scientific knowledge resulting from international cooperation in scientific investigation in Sottica;

Convinced that the establishment of a firm foundation for the continuation and development of such cooperation on the basis of freedom of scientific investigation in Sottica accords with the interests of science and the progress of all mankind;

Have agreed as follows:

Article I

[Sottica for peaceful purposes only]

1. Sottica shall be used for peaceful purposes only. There shall be prohibited, inter alia, any measures of a military nature, such as the establishment of military bases and fortifications, the carrying out of military maneuvers, as well as the testing of any type of weapons.

2. The present Treaty shall not prevent the use of military personnel or equipment for scientific research or for any other peaceful purposes.

Article II

[Sottica an area of natual beauty]

Sottica is hereby designated an area of natural beauty and scientific interest. Accordingly, no efforts shall be allowed that may upset the natural order on the island.

Article III

[freedom of scientific investigation to continue]

Freedom of scientific investigation in Sottica and cooperation toward that end shall continue, subject to the provisions of the present Treaty.

Article IV

[plans and results to be exchanged]

1. In order to promote international cooperation in scientific investigation in Sottica, as provided for in Article III of the present Treaty, the Contracting Parties agree that, to the greatest extent feasible and practicable:

(a) information regarding plans for scientific programs in Sottica shall be exchanged to permit maximum economy and efficiency of operations;

(b) scientific personnel shall be exchanged in Sottica between expeditions and stations;

(c) scientific observations and results from Sottica shall be exchanged and made freely available.

2. In implementing this Article, every encouragement shall be given to the establishment of cooperative working relations with those international organizations having a scientific or technical interest in Sottica.

Article V

[territorial claims]

1. Nothing contained in the present Treaty shall be interpreted as:

(a) a renunciation by any Contracting Party of previously asserted rights of or claims to territorial sovereignty in Sottica;

(b) a renunciation or diminution by any Contracting Party of any basis of claim to territorial sovereignty in Sottica which it may have whether as a result of its activities or those of its nationals in Sottica, or otherwise;

(c) prejudicing the position of any Contracting Party as regards its recognition or nonrecognition of any other State's right of or claim or basis of claim to territorial sovereignty in Sottica.

2. No acts or activities taking place while the present Treaty is in force shall constitute a basis for asserting, supporting or denying a claim to territorial sovereignty in Sottica.

Article VI

[nuclear explosions prohibited]

1. Any nuclear explosions in Sottica and the disposal there of radioactive waste material shall be prohibited.

2. In the event of the conclusion of international agreements concerning the use of nuclear energy, including nuclear explosions and the disposal of radioactive waste material, to which all of the Contracting Parties whose representatives are entitled to participate in the meetings provided for under Article X are parties, the rules established under such agreements shall apply in Sottica.

Article VII

[area covered by Treaty]

The provisions of the present Treaty shall apply to the region of Sottica defined as the landmass intersected by the Antarctic Circle and located between 80oW and 55oW Longitude.

Article VIII

[free access for observation and inspection]

1. In order to promote the objectives and ensure the observation of the provisions of the present Treaty, each Contracting Party whose representatives are entitled to participate in the meetings referred to in Article IX of the Treaty shall have the right to designate observers to carry out any inspection provided for by the present Article. Observers shall be nationals of the Contracting Parties which designate them. The names of the observers shall be communicated to every other Contracting Party having the right to designate observers, and like notice shall be given of the termination of their appointment.

2. Each observer designated in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 1 of this Article shall have complete freedom of access at any time to any or all areas of Sottica.

3. All areas of Sottica, including all stations, installations and equipment within those areas, and all ships and aircraft at points of discharging or embarking cargoes or personnel in Sottica, shall be open at all times to inspection by any observers designated in accordance with paragraph 1 of this Article.

4. Aerial observation may be carried out at any time over any or all areas of Sottica by any of the Contracting Parties having the right to designate observers.

5. Each Contracting Party shall, at the time when the present Treaty enters into force for it, inform the other Contracting Parties, and thereafter shall give them notice in advance, of

(a) all expeditions to and within Sottica, on the part of its ships of nationals, and all expeditions to Sottica organized in or proceeding from its territory;

(b) all stations in Sottica occupied by its nationals; and

(c) any military personnel or equipment intended to be introduced by it into Sottica subject to the conditions prescribed in paragraph 2 of Article I of the present Treaty.

Article IX

[personnel under jurisdiction of their own states]

1. In order to facilitate the exercise of their functions under the present Treaty, and without prejudice to the respective positions of the Contracting Parties relating to jurisdiction over all other persons in Sottica, observers designated under paragraph 1 of Article VIII and scientific personnel exchanged under subparagraph 1(b) of Article IV of the Treaty, and members of the staffs accompanying any such persons, shall be subject only to the jurisdiction of the Contracting Party of which they are nationals in respect to all acts or omissions occurring while they are in Sottica for the purpose of exercising their functions.

2. Without prejudice to the provisions of paragraph 1 of this Article, and pending the adoption of measures in pursuance of subparagraph 1(e) of Article X, the Contracting Parties concerned in any case of dispute with regard to the exercise of jurisdiction in Sottica shall immediately consult together with a view to reaching a mutually acceptable solution.

Article X

[treaty states to meet periodically]

1. Representatives of the Contracting Parties named in the preamble to the present Treaty shall meet at suitable intervals and places, for the purpose of exchanging information, consulting together on matters of common interest pertaining to Sottica, and formulating and considering, and recommending to their Governments, measures in furtherance of the principles and objectives of the Treaty including measures regarding:

(a) use of Sottica for peaceful purposes only;

(b) facilitation of scientific research in Sottica;

(c) facilitation of international scientific cooperation in Sottica;

(d) facilitation of the exercise of the rights of inspection provided for in Article VIII of the Treaty;

(e) questions relating to the exercise of jurisdiction in Sottica;

(f) preservation and conservation of living resources in Sottica.

2. Each Contracting Party which has become a party to the present Treaty by accession under Article XIV shall be entitled to appoint representatives to participate in the meetings referred to in paragraph 1 of the present Article, during such time as the Contracting Party demonstrates its interest in Sottica by conducting substantial scientific research activity there, such as the establishment of a scientific station or the dispatch of a scientific expedition.

3. Reports from the observers referred to in Article VIII of the present Treaty shall be transmitted to the representatives of the Contracting Parties participating in the meetings referred to in paragraph 1 of the present Article.

4. The measures referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article shall become effective when approved by all the Contracting Parties whose representatives were entitled to participate in the meetings held to consider those measures.

5. Any or all of the rights established in the present Treaty may be exercised as from the date of entry into force of the Treaty whether or not any measures facilitating the exercise of such rights have been proposed, considered or approved as provided in this Article.

Article XI

[discourages activities contrary to Treaty]

Each of the Contracting Parties undertakes to exert appropriate efforts to the end that no one engages in any activity in Sottica contrary to the principles or purposes of the present Treaty.

Article XII

[settlement of disputes]

If any dispute arises between two or more of the Contracting Parties concerning the interpretation or application of the present Treaty, those Contracting Parties shall consult among themselves with a view to having the dispute resolved by negotiation, inquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement or other means of their own choice.

Article XIII

[amendment]

1. (a) The present Treaty may be modified or amended at any time by unanimous agreement of the Contracting Parties whose representatives are entitled to participate in the meetings provided for under Article X. Any such modification or amendment shall enter into force when the depositary Government has received notice from all such Contracting Parties that they have ratified it.

(b) Such modification or amendment shall thereafter enter into force as to any other Contracting Party when notice of ratification by it has been received by the depositary Government. Any such Contracting Party from which no notice of ratification is received within a period of two years from the date of entry into force of the modification or amendment in accordance with the provisions of subparagraph 1(a) of this Article shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the present Treaty on the date of the expiration of such period.

Article XIV

[ratification and accession]

1. The present Treaty shall be subject to ratification by the signatory States. It shall be open for accession by any State which may be invited to accede to the Treaty with the consent of all the Contracting Parties whose representatives are entitled to participate in the meetings provided for under Article X of the Treaty.

2. Ratification of or accession to the present Treaty shall be effected by each State in accordance with its constitutional processes.

3. Instruments of ratification and instruments of accession shall be deposited with the Government of the Kingdom of Babkha, hereby designated as the depositary Government.

4. The depositary Government shall inform all signatory and acceding States of the date of each deposit of an instrument of ratification or accession, and the date of entry into force of the Treaty and of any modification or amendment thereto.

5. Upon the deposit of instruments of ratification by all the signatory States, the present Treaty shall enter into force for those States and for States which have deposited instruments of accession. Thereafter the Treaty shall enter into force for any acceding State upon the deposit of its instrument of accession.

Article XV

[Babkha is repository]

The present Treaty, shall be deposited in the archives of the Government of the Kingdom of Babkha, which shall transmit duly certified copies thereof to the Governments of the signatory and acceding States.

In witness whereof, the undersigned Plenipotentiaries, duly authorized, have signed the present Treaty.

Done at Kamalshahr the xst day of Month, two thousand and eight.

[Matt Kovac]

Well it looks good so far. I am for the treaty as long as any new amendments don’t:

-Affect Ocia's Ability to Defend its Overseas Territory and Integrity

-Do not properly take measures to protect the Environment in the Region

-Impose unnecessary and excessive rules to the signatories

And that’s about it, thank you for representing Ocia.

[Henry Silverhaus]

A good portion of the treaty specifically calls for environmental protection, which is why I support it. As for overseas defense, Bluelight will have civilian security (security guards, park rangers, etc) but no standing military force. All of Sottica has been declared a demilitarized zone which, since everyone has to abide by it equally, I agree with.