Romano-Turkish Peace Talks: BC Hotseat IC thread

[The Lemongate]

Smiling coyly, the Roman head-delegate calmly answers:

Please await the Caliph's permission to speak, Armenian. As for compensation from the Latins, it is by your wishes and those of the Turks that they are not present at these discussions. We will not take up their burden in these matters and your rights to claim reparation from them remain whatever the outcome of our negotiations.

I am sorry if I have spoken out of turn Great Caliph.

[Ferret]

The Ghorid ambassador bursts in half naked and with a young slave girl in tow. When he sees the men talking seriously in the room he turns red faced and leaves as quickly as he entered.

OOC:sorry I couldn't resist

[Askthepizzaguy]

Enjoy your revelry while you can, mutters the Turk with a frightening scowl on his face...

[phonicsmonkey]

The Caliph's brow is furrowed in concentration.

To distill this exchange to its essentials, can it be said that the Romans have made the following statement?

- If the list in clause R1 is not reinstated in full, clauses R2 and A4 will be dropped and the following will constitute the Roman position:

- They modify clause T1 - Heraclea will remain Roman.

- They accept clause T2, the return of Ikonion, and clause A1, the return of Antioxiea/Adana on the condition that either clause T1 is dropped (and those three settlements returned to Roman control), or suitable compensation is paid to Rome.

- If clause T1 is dropped the Romans will also accept clause A5, Seleukia to be Armenian.

- They accept clause A5.

- They reject clauses T3, A2 and A3.

- Clause R3 remains agreed by all parties, subject to 'clarification', which I interpret to mean 'verification'.

I assume from the Armenian delegate's outburst that they reject the Roman position.

But we should hear from the other party before we proceed - what is the Turkish response to the current position?

[Askthepizzaguy]

The Turkish delegate proposes the following terms, as a man of simple Islamic learning, the Caliph's well educated negotiator has him a little lost.

Rome is to pay 10,000 florins to Turkey for reparations, over a two year period.

Ikonion is to be returned to us immediately.

They are not to claim Cilicia, and because of that, the Armenian delegation will most likely have nothing more to say in the matter. The Romans are also to return the Armenian city they still hold and withdraw peacefully, by ship or through Turkish lands, and we will not attack them.

In exhange for this, an immediate cease-fire is to be called and a peace treaty honoured. Our forces will have safe passage out of Nicomedia, and we will withdraw from our assault on Constantinople which is scheduled to occur next season. Roman forces will also have safe passage through our lands, so long as it is in the direction of their borders.

This opens the path for new treaties:

The Romans have demands as well, and a seperate treaty is in order for that matter. They desire Heraclea, and we desire Heraclea. We also desire Sinop and Trebizonid, all three of which are either no longer in Roman control or are about to become Coalition possessions.

Reparations will be paid to Rome for Sinop and Trebizonid as they have demanded from Georgia. However, since Georgia is not present, the Turks are offering to pay that 2,000 silver pieces on their behalf.

Heraclea can then be sold to the Romans for the purchase price of 2,000 silver pieces whenever they please. Also, if the Romans desire Sinop or Trebizonid, we are willing to discuss the sale price of these possessions in the future. For now, we would like to occupy the land to bolster our finances, and perhaps sell them later.

When this second peace accord becomes active, further negotiations will be possible. For now, our borders are defined as Heraclea, Ankara, Ikonion, and all points east until claimed by allied or friendly territory. The Armenians are defined as Karaman and Seleukeia and all points east until claimed by allied or friendly territory. and the Romans are defined as Nicomedia, Dorylaeum, Amorium, Attalia, Nicosia, Famagusta, and Constantinople, and all points south until claimed by the Ayyubids, who can discuss their claims in Africa with the Romans seperately, and it is not a matter for these proceedings.

The Romans and the Turks both claim the Kypchak domain, however a third peace accord will divide our claims amicably at that time.

Does the Roman agree with the First Peace Accord?

Does the Roman agree with negotiating or signing the Second Peace Accord?

Will the Roman desire to discuss the status of the Kypchaks in the Third Peace Accord?

Finally, as I have discussed with Armenia, with their homelands reclaimed, I ask that they bow out of these proceedings. Once the First Peace Accord is signed, they are no longer a party to the negotiations. In order for this peace to be achieved, they will not be getting reparations directly from Rome. I will personally help with the reconstruction, and if they will honour the Treaty of Adana, that should be good enough.

[phonicsmonkey]

The Caliph laughs.

Apologies friends, it seems that in trying to make things simpler I have simply made them more complicated!

What say the Romans to the Turk's re-structured offer?

[The Lemongate]

Your help is extremely appreciated noble Caliph.

Rome agrees in most part with the Sultanate's offer, but would make the following modifications (to be taken as a single block):

1- Herakleia is to be returned to Rome without any price attached to it.

2- Seleukeia is to be under Roman jurisdiction.

3- The final amount of money to circulate between the Sultanate and Rome is 8000 to be payed over a 2 years period to the Sultanate (Rome owes the Sultanate 10,000 while the Sultanate, in Georgia's name, owes Rome 2000)

If these minor changes are agreed upon, I believe we have a deal.

As for Kypchack lands, Rome claims none apart from Krimeia. The rest can be freely taken by all comers, the Sultanate included. Let us note that Roman sovereignty over Krimeia has not been contested here, we hope this does not pose a problem.

Hopefully, the resolution of the current conflict is near.