Ibn-Battutah responds.
We have been in negotiations with the Sicilian King for some time but we have failed to find a resolution to our dispute over North Africa, which pre-dates our alliance against the Byzantines and was set aside at that time by mutual agreement.
It is unfortunate that we have had to take these steps to secure our rightful claims, and we regret having to insure our own victory by blockading Swabian ports. We are happy to lift the blockade should we receive an assurance of neutrality from the Swabian King and are able to negotiate certain other terms in private.
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