The Albright Building, The Office of Secretary of External Affairs Polnut

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

PRESS RELEASE

I am thankful to the President and to the Senate for their confidence in me. The job will be hard, but I have total faith in the department in their ability to assist me in the months ahead.

I will be leaving for a NATO summit on Monday where I will hold talks with my counterparts and ensure that Atlasia's foreign policy voice is heard clearly.


Secretary Polnut's Schedule
11-13 March - Berlin, Germany - NATO Foreign Minister's Conference
14 March - Istanbul, Turkey
15 March - Tel Aviv, Israel

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Mr. Secretary (And or the President if he wishes to have a say in this),

Are there any bills that you would like to see brought up in the foreign policy slot? Also, if you could post a priotized lists of bills for that slot, it would be most advantageous all around.

Thanks;
Senator NC Yankee,
Whatever I Am Currently (I haven't check the PPT election thread yet. )

[Donerail]

Oil prices declined as Atlasians have clearly begun to move away from record-high prices at the pump. The fall has also been bolstered by reports coming from Venezuela, which indicate rapid movement by Colombia to put in place a new government under Vice President Ramón Carrizales, seen to be far less radical than President Hugo Chavez, who has been detained by Colombian elite forces.

Ex-President Chavez was detained (nearly put on trial for war crimes too) by Colombian troops and removed from power several years ago. Just bringing this to the Department's attention.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Oil prices declined as Atlasians have clearly begun to move away from record-high prices at the pump. The fall has also been bolstered by reports coming from Venezuela, which indicate rapid movement by Colombia to put in place a new government under Vice President Ramón Carrizales, seen to be far less radical than President Hugo Chavez, who has been detained by Colombian elite forces.

Ex-President Chavez was detained (nearly put on trial for war crimes too) by Colombian troops and removed from power several years ago. Just bringing this to the Department's attention.

Well... that changes things...

[Napoleon]

Well, you spent a lot of time making these for us...edit the names?

Anyway my hope is to use the committees to advance a project that identifies major policy and timeline divergences from the US. If you're willing to help, even better. You too, Sjoyce!

[Donerail]

Anyway my hope is to use the committees to advance a project that identifies major policy and timeline divergences from the US. If you're willing to help, even better. You too, Sjoyce!

Atlasian Foreign Policy: A History? Count me in.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Anyway my hope is to use the committees to advance a project that identifies major policy and timeline divergences from the US. If you're willing to help, even better. You too, Sjoyce!

Atlasian Foreign Policy: A History? Count me in.

That would certainly help... not being fully active in Atlasia again until late 2009-early 2010, meant I probably missed a bit of that background activity.

Well, you spent a lot of time making these for us...edit the names?

Anyway my hope is to use the committees to advance a project that identifies major policy and timeline divergences from the US. If you're willing to help, even better. You too, Sjoyce!

I have plans which will certainly diverge from both the US's policy but also RL events.

[Napoleon]

Anyway my hope is to use the committees to advance a project that identifies major policy and timeline divergences from the US. If you're willing to help, even better. You too, Sjoyce!

Atlasian Foreign Policy: A History? Count me in.

Yes, essentially that.

The Northeast Special Election Debate featured high speed rail as a major issue- we need to do a better job making these sort of things accessible.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Anyway my hope is to use the committees to advance a project that identifies major policy and timeline divergences from the US. If you're willing to help, even better. You too, Sjoyce!

Atlasian Foreign Policy: A History? Count me in.

That would be insanely awesome and helpful.  Let me know what I can do.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Mr. Secretary? The bills please?

Mr. Secretary (And or the President if he wishes to have a say in this),

Are there any bills that you would like to see brought up in the foreign policy slot? Also, if you could post a priotized lists of bills for that slot, it would be most advantageous all around.

Thanks;
Senator NC Yankee,
Whatever I Am Currently (I haven't check the PPT election thread yet. )

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Would it be possible for the sponsors of relevant Bills awaiting attention to contact me privately to discuss the merits and I shall respond to Yankee ASAP.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Mr. Secretary? The bills please?

Mr. Secretary (And or the President if he wishes to have a say in this),

Are there any bills that you would like to see brought up in the foreign policy slot? Also, if you could post a priotized lists of bills for that slot, it would be most advantageous all around.

Thanks;
Senator NC Yankee,
Whatever I Am Currently (I haven't check the PPT election thread yet. )

Sorry for the delay, without question, the Bills on Ratification of the Geneva Protocols.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

PRESS RELEASE

Secretary Polnut is condemning the actions of the North Korean regime in firing a missile today.

"This regime needs to make a decision whether it is serious about being a part of the international community. This action is evidence that it has no interest in being anything other than a provocative, attention-seeking child"

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

PRESS RELEASE

Secretary Polnut has accepted the invitation of His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan to visit the country. He will arrive late on Sunday night local time and will spend Monday in meetings in Amman before personally inspecting a camp housing refugees from the conflict in Syria on Tuesday.

He will leave Amman before meeting with a delegation of officials of the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. He will stop in Brussels, Belgium for meetings at the NATO Headquarters and will return to Nyman on Friday morning.

Secretary Polnut's Schedule
24 - 26 March - Amman, Jordan (side trips included)
27 March - Abu Dhabi, UAE
28 March - Brussels, Belgium

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The Foreign policy slot will soon be open again. What bill do you want placed in that, once it is?


Also, if you want the bill recently introduced by Ben, that could go into the emergency slot instead if that is desired.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

I will double-check with sponsors, and I would support Senator Ben's Bill being placed in the emergency slot.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

PRESS RELEASE

Secretary Polnut welcomes the ratification, by the Senate, of the Geneva Protocols.

"We are a great nation, with strong values and principles. We needed to ratify these protocols, not because we can't be trusted to do the right thing without them, but to join with the rest of the civilised world to ensure that we place our values and principles on paper and are willing to sign our names to it."

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

PRESS RELEASE

Secretary Polnut will be leaving Amman within the next few hours and will be returning immediately to Nyman.

He has personally extended his deep apologies to those who he was scheduled to meet with in Abu Dhabi tomorrow and in Brussels on Thursday.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

PRESS RELEASE

In addition to the press release issued earlier, Secretary Polnut will be departing Amman, Jordan at 6am Wednesday morning local time. It is anticipated that he will arrive in Nyman some time around noon Wednesday, also local time.

He will not be making any public statements on arrival.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

PRESS RELEASE

Secretary Polnut issued this statement tonight.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I have worked from the day I arrived in Atlasia to make it work better, to make its people more active and to engage in real debates on policy that matters.

Over the past few months I have seen a period of extreme pettiness that I have rarely witnessed in my time here. One of the reasons I was concerned about the original move to dissolve the two major parties, the JCP and the RPP, was concern over what that future would mean. But equally, what made me want to see that dissolution, was a desire to see activity and engagement trump zombie recruitment.

We went through what I call one of the few Golden Ages we've seen. A vast array of parties, including the one I joined, the Liberal Party.

But now, we're seeing the return of old and dangerous practices. Massive recruitment of zombie voters must stop. Despite what many might think about the TPP, it was an experiment of what can happen when a party is full of active and engaged people, a party of 15 was able to hold numerous Senate seats and the Vice Presidency. All parties should be about the people, not one person or a small collection. Once you focus on yourself and your future, how are you supposed to look out for those who put you where you are.

One could argue that I've benefitted from zombie voters, and I have. But I was wrong, it is a dereliction of what this place should be about. Now, I hear lots of people complaining about political has-beens with the comfort of their elected days behind them. That's fair, but I do have the luxury of experience and a different perspective from those still engaged in the battle.

Many assumed that I returned from my trip to resign from the Cabinet, even to endorse the revolutionaries. But I believe in honouring my commitments, not just to the President, but to the country. I do not believe that revolution is what we need, we need engagement and activity. We need voters who are engaged, not just corralled and paraded like beauty pageant contestants, in many ways, we've become an example of quantity over quality.

So I am taking a leave of absence for the next few days, and I will resume my duties on April 4. But I will be resuming my duties. This country needs stability and I intend to do my job to support the President in those efforts. 

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

PRESS RELEASE

Secretary Polnut will be resuming his duties tomorrow and will be flying to Tokyo to meet with his South Korean, Japanese and Chinese counterparts on Friday (local time).

He has also issued the following statement in relation to the present circumstances in North Korea.

Like all people around the world who treasure global security and stability, I continue to condemn the incendiary rhetoric and and actions of the North Korean regime.

I will be travelling to Tokyo tomorrow morning to ensure that there is a collective will that North Korea cannot ignore.

I have never believed in sabre-rattling nor making empty threats. It is time for the world to show this regime that it either wants to be a real actor in the world or remain a pariah with the inability to feed or support their own people.

I will not be advocating for an authorisation of force at this stage, let alone any sort of blanket authority. But my role is only to advise, that is primarily an issue for the President and the Senate.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

TRANSCRIPT

Secretary Polnut's door-stop
Narita Airport, Tokyo
Friday April 5 - 7am (local time)

R: Mr Secretary, do we need to authorise force against North Korea?

SP: The President has made his position clear that he will not seek that authorisation from the Senate until such time as it is necessary.

R: What will that threshold be?

SP: Let's hope it doesn't come to that, and I'm not going to get into hypotheticals. The fact is this, North Korea is in a situation of a body-builder who's good at flexing muscles, but has little idea of what to do with them. I have seen nothing, either public or confidentially, that suggests North Korea is in the position of imminent threat to us or our friends in the region. But, we remain vigilant and prepared to act if they compel us to do so.

R: Mr Secretary, I don't think you answered the question...

SP: That was my long-winded way of saying we will examine each situation as it presents itself. That's the sensible and correct course of action.

R: Many Atlasians and their representatives in the Senate are being very bellicose about the need to prepare immediately for military conflict... can you hold back the tide?

SP: Well, I hope cooler heads prevail. We are not dealing with a threat of nuclear obliteration of Seattle or Honolulu, or even Tokyo for that matter. We have gone down the path of panic before and we need to pull back. The problem is that the public tend to buy the image of North Korea it presents to the world, not the reality. To say that the regime is not any threat would be naive to the extreme. But to act that it is a fundamental threat would be an overreaction of the highest degree.

R: Senator Clarence, in particular, has been calling for action to avoid any future development of that threat coming to fruition, what's your view on that?

SP: The Senator and I, have always held each and our views with respect, even when we disagree. And in this case, we strongly disagree. I don't believe the way to avoid a future war is to have one now, when the consequences and geo-political ground-game is so tenuous. There is a delicate balance here, between acknowledging their existing capacity but at the same time avoiding over-exaggeration and risk inflaming the situation even more. The view of we're good, they're bad = we must fight them... has shown, especially in this day and age, to be a highly problematic strategy.

R: Your here to meet with the Foreign Ministers of Japan, China, South Korea and Russia, what is the point of this meeting?

As I said in my press release yesterday, we're meeting to show the North Koreans that there is an overwhelming international will to make them see sense, and realise that the consequences of any action will be returned 100 fold on them from all angles. The will of the rational world on this is clear and if North Korea was unsure, they damn well will be soon. 

R: On another topic, do you support the economic union with Canada?

SP: The President and Prime Minister Harper have been talking honestly with each other about the options and benefits of such a union. I don't think anyone is walking around with their eyes shut about what this is and what it would mean. There are going to be sticking points and if the negotiations are positive and successful then greater economic bonds will happen. I'm working with the President on those negotiations, in fact, I will be in Vancouver next week to discuss options.

Sorry guys, I've got to go.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

PRESS RELEASE

Secretary Polnut will be taking a leave of absence until the end of this week for personal reasons.

He will be returning to full duties on Friday 3 May 2013, when he leaves for a conference in Brasilia, Brazil.

He will be making a complete statement on the current Drug laws Bill before the Senate later this evening.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

PRESS RELEASE

I have been asked to make a statement on the Bill currently before the Senate when it comes to our adherence to particular international agreements.

I believe this current debate is not driven by evidence, but by an ideological drive. I respect it and understand it, but I believe the approach of this Bill is clumsy, short-sighted and unnecessary.

As Secretary of External Affairs, my view is that if we are dissatisfied with the consequences of a particular international agreement, we should be doing what we can to argue for a re-negotiation, not a blanket cut. I would be extremely disappointed if the Senate took this unnecessary step.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

PRESS RELEASE

Secretary Polnut will be adjusting his schedule and will be leaving Friday afternoon from Boston for a meeting of Arab League Foreign Ministers in Rabat, Morrocco on Saturday to discuss the Syrian situation.

He will immediately leave for Brasillia on Saturday evening, in order to participate in trade talks.