To all Traders who have suffered losses

[pbrione]

[Incoming Transmission]
[Source: New Westminister]
[CommID: Foreign and Colonial Office]

To all concerned parties,

The Bretonian Government wishes to reaffirm its committment to remaining neutral in the tragic conflict between the Republic of Liberty and the Federal Republic of Rheinland. We respect the right of both Houses to impose restrictions on trade for their national interest, as they respect our right to do likewise. However, in the light of this "unfortunate" transmission, we wish to clarify that we seek to avoid at all costs an extention of any trade blockades to close off the flow of trade between Rheinland and Bretonia or Bretonia and Liberty, both of which are vital to both our and your national interests. Rheinland depends on Bretonian superalloys just as Bretonia depends on Rheinland-made engine components. Without such trade, neither of us can supply our shipyards. Similarly the Boron-Berylium trade is vital to both the Bretonian and Libertonian economies. Bretonian gold provides liquidity for the international financial markets. And so forth for many essential goods and services. We therefore approach with great caution any talk of blocking trade to Bretonia due to fears of circumventing the Rheinland-Liberty Embargo.

We of course recognise the right of both the Republic of Liberty and the Federal Republic of Rheinland to stop and search ships within their sovereign space and wider operational zones, which includes Magellan and Cortez for Liberty and Omega 7 for Rheinland under the Treaty of Curacao and Omega Trade Pact respectively, and to confiscate any cargo which they have good reason to beleive is being transported in violation of their blockades as they respect our right to do likewise. However, I urge both House governments and their respective navies to utilise such powers with restraint and due understanding that the Bretonian government may be forced to resort to retalliatory measures in response to any extreme acts of protectionism that result from this. We can take no responsibility for ships using our space to fly between Rheinland and Liberty, nor shall the Bretonian Armed Forces be used to enforce against such actions.

I would also like to point out that, despite what this fool says in his transmissions, Kusari and the Sigmas remains just as likely, if not more so, to be a source of blockade evasion than Bretonia does. In fact, I have been advised on consultation with our Intelligence Services that there is a possibility that the individual originally responsible for this transmission may in fact be a Kusari Kampetai agent attempting to discredit Bretonian trade routes in the eyes of your governments and distract attention from similar blockade evasion passing through Kusari.

Trusting your understanding on this delicate issue,

Yours in good faith,

Lord Charles Canning
9th Earl of Malmesbury
Foreign Secretary of Bretonia

[End Transmission]

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Sir Stanley Nelson




<span style="color:#000066">Charles Canning </span><span style="color:#000066"> Foreign Secretary</span>