IMG Declaration of Neutrality

[beander2]

DIPLOMATIC ANNOUNCEMENT

The Independent Miners Guild declares its firm position of neutrality in the recently renewed conflict between the Bretonian Armed Forces and the Colonial Remnant. Under no circumstance, other than self-defense or enforcement of no-fire zones, will IMG vessels engage in combat on either side.

For clarity's sake, it should be understood that the Colonial Remnant is a separate organization from IMG proper, and does not per se represent the Guild or Guild policy in the Taus. IMG's interests in the Taus, as with the rest of our Zone of Interest, are first and foremost the peaceful and prosperous operations of our Guild membership.

This diplomatic announcement will be updated as events warrant.


Office of Guild Leadership
Peter Barrington, Guild Master

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Sir Alisdair Buchanan, KBE ~ Gateway)Trafalgar

[pbrione]

The Bretonian government welcomes this announcement by the IMG leadership. I wish to express my thanks to Guildmaster Barrington, with whom I have always been able to negociate rationally and calmly and, unlike his unfortunate Colonial Remnant neighbours, has always abided faithfully by all his agreements with us.

Naturally will fully respect the neutrality of the Independent Miners Guild in this regrettable conflict; no IMG nor IMG-affiliated ships or facilities, other than those explicitly displaying Colonial Remnant comm signatures or actively assisting the CR in combat against us, shall at any point be fired upon by lawful agents of the Bretonian Crown. All BAF personnel shall, insofar as possible, refrain from docking on IMG bases in using them as staging grounds for attacks against the CR, but we shall ensure that IMG targeting computers do not mark out BAF vessels as hostile, to avoid firing incidents. All freeport no-fire zones shall be respected.

Beyond this, however, we wish to affirm our right to hunt down and destroy Colonial Remnant vessels wherever we find them, in order to protect our main war effort against the Kusari Empire, though we will do our utmost to prevent diplomatic incidents between BAF and IMG vessels.

Naturally BAF will never request, explicitly or implicitly, the assistance of the IMG against the Colonial Remnant. Sadly it appears the Colonials are not yet fully appreciative of the IMG's neutrality, as evidenced by this: .
Nontheless, we will take it in good faith that the IMG will not respond to this kind of partisan behaviour.

Once again I reaffirm that this conflict is regrettable in the extreme, and I sincerely hope that the Colonial Remnant will have the good sense to abandon their impossible goals of disrupting our war effort, in order that peace may be restored at the earliest opportunity.

Yours in good faith,

Commodore Sir Stanley Nelson
BAF Diplomatic Officer
5th Fleet - HMS Suffolk

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Sir Stanley Nelson




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

[beander2]

*****GuildComm Activated*****

TO: Commodore Sir Stanley Nelson
FROM: Peter Barrington, GM
RE: Neutrality Declaration

Dear Commodore Nelson,

I believe you'll find shortly after the comment you excerpt our pilot's response to the Colonial request. You'll notice our position stated quite clearly.

All stations have been instructed to avoid involvement, and will target neither party at any time unless in self-defense. That said, you would do well to keep any confrontation away from our bases and mining operations as much as it is in your power to do so.

I will see you Sunday on Curacao.

Yours,

Peter Barrington
Guild Master
Independent Miners Guild

*****GuildComm Deactivated*****

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Sir Alisdair Buchanan, KBE ~ Gateway)Trafalgar

[swift]

This is Captain Swift, the pilot of the Flamewing Viper Mark II.
I just wish to, as one of the pilots in the Colonial Remnant, state that I respect the decision of the Independent Miners Guild leadership regarding this situation.
I understand your concerns, and have no objections to your wishes of maintaining neutrality in this awkward matter.
I speak here for myself, not on behalf of the Remnant.

Furthermore, I must point out, although I still await the official response of the Colonial leadership, that the Bretonian Armed Forces' leadership continues to pull comments out of context, showing us as the guilty party here.
Bretonia started these conflicts, by assaulting our peaceful trade vessels and killing innocent traders under the disguise of their privateers.

Secondly, this statement by me shown there is pulled out of context. The Bretonian Armed Forces did indeed assault our viper squadron in Tau 31, even after we tried to negotiate a peaceful solution.
Their squad leader ordered his soldiers to fire on us in the middle of our speech, and we had no other choice but to defend ourselves and were forced to eliminate the Bretonian threat, with 2 of their ships managing to retreat.

I asked for the assistance of the IMG vessel there, as I supposed the IMG would assist their long-time partners and allies.
The captain of the ship told me he was under orders not to interfere, and I left it at that.
I would appreciate the Bretonian Armed Forces' leadership to drop their snide and deceitful attitude and speak with sincerety and honor.
Right from the beginning you tried to warp the minds of the public, making yourself look the martyr in this, while it was you who commited these foul deeds.

With respect to the IMG leadership, and the utmost disapproval of Bretonian methods,
Yours truly,
Captain Swift, pilot of the Flamewing.

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<span style="color:#000000">All morons hate it when you call them a moron.

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