Lodamun

[imperialpearl]

Although previous administrations have been extremely hostile to the idea of reconciling and thus resetting Lodamun’s relationship with Luthori and the broader Luthorian Commonwealth, the Menkyn Administration has stated that notwithstanding the otherwise justifiable schism between the once two close nations, mounting challenges within the international community and within the Artanian region nonetheless necessitated that the nations renew cooperation on numerous aspects of their once unshakable relationship including security, trade and diplomacy. The announcement came on the latter end of Merchant-General Hank Wexler’s visit to Dundorf, via an online press conference held by Whitehall owing to Wexler’s absence in Kensington. In recounting the nature and the subsequent collapse of Lodamun’s relationship with Luthori and the Luthorian Commonwealth, he stated that the administration’s effort to reconcile and reset its relationship with the Artanian power ought not to be viewed as Kensington “bending the knee” to Fort William in a “macabre” gesture of subveriance or in a manner that would somehow suggest Luthori’s superiority over Lodamun. “It is time that we bring this decades-long, if not centuries-long long stalemate to its conclusion as it would be better for everyone if we [Lodamun and Luthori] were to cooperate on those historic matters,” President Menkyn said. 

Lodamun’s relationship with Luthori collapsed as a result of numerous factors, including the latter’s decision to side with nations such as Beiteynu in the first Migrants Pass conundrum. The unexpected and unanticipated Luthorian rebuttal and subsequent expulsion of Lodamese forces from the nation left a lasting impression on Lodamese foreign policy makers for the preceding decades, as it became clear that the nation could not have been relied upon. “Luthori maintained this “way” about themselves whereby at the sight of trouble they’d rather cut you loose and run instead of standing firm by their convictions. We stood by them and actively helped them bring the Artanian Sea under control. During the era of empire-competition, it was Lodamun that stood with Luthori when Mordusia wasn’t even in the picture,” Dr Patrick Stafford, a Professor of International Relations at the University of St. Christopher, explained.

What followed was a major paradigm shift in the Luthorian Commonwealth. As Lodamun had been one of the more active members of the grouping, owing to Hutori and Mordusia’s inactivity, its withdrawal from the grouping ultimately came as a major blow to the commonwealth’s standing. Aside from losing one of its closest partners in Terra at the time and losing preferential access to one of the largest consumer markets on the Seleyan continent, Luthori lost its foothold on the Seleyan continent as Lodamun gradually shifted away from the Commonwealth and into the embrace of Kalistan and the Anantonese Empire. To supposedly “seal the deal” and thus cripple Lodamun’s relationship with Luthori, subsequent Merchants-General have imposed significant tariffs on Luthorian exports, and actively sought to exclude the nation from its broader ambitions towards greater economic cooperation as part of a now declassified policy simplicitally coined, “All But Luthori”. 

Under that policy, which secretly existed under Merchant-Generals including Charlotte Farr and Hector Garza, Lodamun, which had primarily traded with Luthori on the Artanian continent, actively sought to diversify its trade relationship with other nations on the continent, including Dorvik, Endralon, Ikradon and Malivia. The tariffs imposed by the Harrington Company targeted key Luthorian exports, including energy and automotives, both of which were being imported in large quantities by Lodamese consumers prior to the schism. It was reported that the Haney administration contemplated barring Luthorian financial institutions from interacting with Lodamese firms on the international market, and explored options aimed at making its increasingly difficult for Luthorian capital to flow into the country. However, such actions were ultimately abandoned as the administration’s term ended. Thus, the two nations existed in a quasi-stalemate wherein, unlike Kalistan, Lodamun did not openly articulate its hostility/apprehension towards Luthori, but its was ultimately evident that such animosity existed purely from the actions of subsequent Lodamese administrations to transform the schism into a permanent decoupling.

It ought to be understood that the Artanian Sea is of significant importance to Lodamun, as the vast majority of the nation’s trade transits through the body of water, be it rare earth minerals from Vascania, crude oil and natural gas from Aldegar or uranium deposits from Saridan. It is this dynamic which has necessitated Lodamun’s historic involvement/role in the Artanian Sea via Operation Barracuda, the Lodamese Coast Guard’s long-range patrols along the western edges of the Seleyan continent; from the Mad Dog Ocean to the South Ocean. Numerous security analysts and the Director of National Assessments have noted that the uncertainty which has been allowed to grow within the Artanian Sea amidst the Kundrati conflict remains a factor which future Lodamese defence planners must account for, especially when one contemplates the renewed efforts of the DoD to enhance the nation’s footprint in the region. 

“Stability must be restored to the Artanian Sea, and the Lodamese Navy is prepared to augment the efforts of the Lodamese Coast Guard in conducting active maritime patrols throughout the length and breadth of the body of water. However, the feasibility of such ambitions is largely dependent on matters related to the range of our maritime patrol aircraft,” Bruce Golden, an analyst at the Halleck Institute. “Certainly, in reconciling our relationship with Luthori, potentially basing Lodamese maritime patrol aircraft there once more should certainly be on the table.” Secretary of Defence Roy Baker, who is expected to meet MG Wexler in Fort William, was extremely tight-lipped on the prospect of a revitalised Lodamese-Luthorian Security Pact, but noted that once there was an appetite for it in Fort William, anything was on the table.

MG Wexler has noted that his discussions with his Luthorian counterpart, including Prime Minister Reginald Weston, will likely cover numerous areas related to trade, including relaxing or removing the HC’s tariffs on Luthorian exports and revitalising negotiations towards a free trade agreement between the two countries. Previously, former Merchant-General Charlotte Farr proclaimed that a long-negotiated free trade agreement between Luthori and Lodamun was “not a priority” at the moment and that the nation would have sought to establish new relationships with other nations on the continent. Wexler has noted that in the spirit of renewal, the free trade agreement would be renegotiated. Secretary of State William Tillman is expected to sign a diplomatic agreement with his Luthorian counterpart to re-formalise the diplomatic relationship between the two states as Lodamun remains outside of the Commonwealth Treaty, a fact which President Menkyn has stated will remain for the foreseeable future.