FICT General Assembly of May 4, 2013
On 4 May 2013, a General Assembly of the Forum for International Cooperation and Trade (FICT) will be held in Ashtinok, Adzhatia. It will be the third regular summit of FICT since its establishment in 2011 and the first regular summit to be refered to as General Assembly.
Agenda
- 1) Opening and welcome.
- 2) Approval of the agenda.
- 3) Summary of the situation and developments in Tarmorya since the Special General Assembly that was held in January 2013.
- 4) Admission of Guelphia. (C3.1)
- 5) Financing conditions of FESD. (C3.2)
- 6) Schedule of FICT Games and FICT Fairs. (C3.3 and C3.4)
- 7) Location of the main offices of FSTE, FESD, FSTS and FSCH. (C3.5, C3.6, C3.7 and C3.8)
- 8) Specification of the terms of office of directors of FSTE, FESD, FSTS and FSCH. (C3.9, C3.10, C3.11 and C3.12)
- 9) Appointing of directors for FSTE, FESD, FSTS and FSCH. (C3.13, C3.14, C3.15 and C3.16)
- 10) Proposed abolishment of the Juridical Committee of the Forum. (C3.17)
- 11) Any other business. (C3.18)
- 12) Scheduling of the next General Assembly. (C3.19)
- 13) Closing.
Participants
- Adzhatia: prime minister Eigĕń Hameen and foreign minister Astrid Kŭćma
- Île de Romanhe: president Aristide Faroz-Zaran and prime-minister Guimarc Bonamy
- Kaupelan: prime minister Aswini Ruikawahi and foreign minister Wasahi Aramduhun
- Tarmorya: ambassador to FICT Yassine Burzkabram
- Voskia: prime minister Luçia Apavia and foreign minister Luvidz Ūrtiazes
- Yukland: prime minister Rœslin Óstfjœrd and foreign minister Gabrjæl Kristjanssœn
- Yutyrama: president Francisco Matos Oiampi
- Guelphia: prime minister Matthew Jones and foreign minister Tony Moore
Summary of the situation and developments in Tarmorya
Mr Guimarc Bonamy (the FICT mediator that was appointed on the Special General Assembly of 19 January) has been travelling to Tarmorya several times now, having had talks with both sides. As there was a cease-fire since February, all fighting has actually stopped in the country, which is the good news. The bad news is that there seems to be no will to end the conflict diplomatically, as both sides probably still believe they can win by force.
The African Union may be sending troops to Tarmorya. Until then, mr. Bonamy stays on as mediator.
Decisions
C3.1: admission of Guelphia
The kingdom of Guelphia applied for membership of FICT on 2 April 2013.
If admitted, the Guelphian membership will enter into force after it has ratified the Ísðor Treaty in accordance with the constitutional procedures that apply in Guelphia. (art. 56)
Speach of mr. Matthew Jones, Prime Minister of Guelphia, prior to the vote: "I would like to take this opportunity to thank the General Assembly for the opportunity of allowing Guelphia to speak here today. As delegates would no doubt be aware, Guelphia applied to join FICT last month. We believe that the time has come for Guelphia to emerge from its isolated position in the South Pacific, and engage with the international community in forums where our voice can be best heard.
"Indeed, the recent events in Tarmorya have demonstrated the time is right for Guelphia to re-engage on the world stage. No modern and affluent nation can stand idly by whilst those less fortunate are allowed to suffer when there are skills and expertise on hand to alleviate the situation.
"We hope, that with your approval, and the approval of our people in a referendum, Guelphia will be able to take its place in FICT as a fully active member, willing to help others, and exchange ideas, people, and knowledge for the betterment of all member states."
Decision: Guelphia is admitted with all member states voting in favour.
The Guelphian membership will begin after the Guelphian people has approved it in a national referendum, and after the subsequent assent by the Guelphian King.
C3.2: financing conditions of FESD
The FESD budget forms 80% of the total of the member state's annual contribution to FICT, as approved on the second Council Meeting.
Kaupelan proposes that FESD could act as a real financial bank. In this sense, the funds would not be given to sponsor a specific project but loaned for a period of time. So, the help will be in terms of low or zero interest rate, but keeping intact the capital of FESD for other projects. The amount loaned, the interest rate and the period for the payback would be defined by the board of directors of FESD for each specific case.
No decision reached: after questions by the Voskian delegation whether such the Kaupelanese proposal would require the annual contribution of 80% of FICT budget to continue in its current form, it was decided to further discuss this in the Conference of Ambassadors in preparation of the next General Assembly.
Schedule of FICT Games (C3.3) and FICT Fairs (C3.4)
- FICT Games : There is a proposal/offer from Yutyrama to host a first edition of the FICT Games in November 2013, which shall focus on one sport only (e.g. male soccer/football); the Games can be elaborated thereafter.
Decision: This proposal was accepted with six member states voting in favour and one abstaining (Tarmorya).
- FICT Fairs : A possibility is to have the member states organise them as their own initiative at a moment chosen by that member state, after which FICT (and/or the appropriate FICT Secretariat, depending on the theme of the Fair) will facilitate the fair's accessibility to all member states.
Decision: The Fair design mentioned above is agreed upon by all member states.
Location of the main offices of FSTE (C3.5), FESD (C3.6), FSTS (C3.7) and FSCH (C3.8)
- FSTE : Voskia's largest city of Rāģidz is the Voskian candidate to host this Secretariat; Voskia is prepared to pay a part of the housing costs of FSTE.
Decision: FSTE headquarters will be located in Rāģidz (Voskia).
- FESD : Port de Boiguehenneuc, the capital of Île de Romanhe is candidate to host this organisation. The Yukland financial centre of Vítgarð also candidates.
Decision: FESD headquarters will be located in Vítgarð (Yukland).
- FSTS : La Mère à Boire (Île de Romanhe) is candidate.
Decision: FSTS headquarters will be located in La Mère à Boire (Île de Romanhe).
- FSCH : Yukland proposes the suppression of the FICT Secretariat of Cultural Heritage (FSCH) and the "Juridical Committee" (FJC), preserving the Secretariats of "Tourism and Sports" (FSTS) and of "Trade and Economy" (FSTE) and the "Fund for Economic and Social Development" (FESD).
Decision: The FICT Secretariat for Cultural Heritage is abolished with four member states voting in favour. Kaupelan is against and Adzhatia and Tarmorya abstain.
Specification of the terms of office of directors of FSTE (C3.9), FESD (C3.10), FSTS (C3.11) and FSCH (C3.12)
Decision: the term of office of directors of the FICT Secretariats (except FSCH, which was abolished) and FESD are determined to be three years. He or she can be reappointed once.
Appointing of directors for FSTE (C3.13), FESD (C3.14), FSTS (C3.15) and FSCH (C3.16)
- FSTE: Candidates: former director of the Adzhatian Central Bank Igoŕ Seħćik (Adzhatia), former prime minister Luc Pálssœn (Yukland)
- FESD: Candidates: former prime minister Germain Karg (Île de Romanhe), former director of the Adzhatian Central Bank Igoŕ Seħćik (Adzhatia)
- FSTS: Candidates: minister of culture and sport Ramiru Sendereh (Kaupelan), chairwoman of the Voskian Swimming Federation Mivia Ģioliti (Voskia)
- FSCH was abolished
Appointments
- Mr. Seħćik was appointed director of FSTE with four votes against three votes for mr. Pálssœn.
- Mr. Karg was appointed director of FESD; mr. Seħćik withdrew, as he was already appointed director of FSTE.
- Mr. Sendereh was appointed director of FSTS with five votes against two for ms. Ģioliti.
Proposed abolishment of the Juridical Committee of the Forum. (C3.17)
Yukland proposes the suppression of the Secretariat of "Cultural Heritage" (FSCH) and the "Juridical Committee" (FJC), preserving the Secretariats of "Tourism and Sports" (FSTS) and of "Trade and Economy" (FSTE) and the "Fund for Economic and Social Development" (FESD).
The Juridical Committee of the Forum (JCF) is mentioned as one of the organs of FICT in the Ísðor Treaty (artt. 28d & 51). This proposal is effectively a proposal to amend the Treaty, for which artt. 60 and 61 apply: "Amendments to the present Treaty may be adopted only at a General Assembly meeting convened for that purpose. Amendments may be adopted only by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Member States. Amendments shall enter into force in accordance with the terms and the procedure set forth in article 57." (And art. 57 stipulates: "The present Treaty shall enter into force among the ratifying States when two-thirds of the signatory States have deposited their ratifications. It shall enter into force with respect to the remaining States in the order in which they deposit their ratifications.")
No decision reached: this discussion will be debated more thoroughly in the Conference of Ambassadors.
Any other business (C3.18)
There was no other business.
Scheduling of the next General Assembly (C3.19)
The next regular General Assembly will be held in the spring of 2014.