Clarification of Member Obligations and Duties.

[Penguenia]

Penguenia feels that it is necessary to clarify that the sharing of allied systems’ locations is required under Section IV, Subsection A of the ESUS Constitution.

This measure would require that all member nations must share their star charts with their ESUS allies, and that no system or planet that holds a civilian population of any kind be closed to allied commerce and trade.

We feel that this is already required of member nations, in practice, however, is not. Furthermore, Penguenia feels that voting down this measure would be against the ideals put forth by this alliance’s great constitution and look forward to its passage into law.

ooc: This is basically to prevent people from unrealistically hiding their systems. Please note that this does not require the sharing of secret military installations.

[Torontonias]

Torontonias voted yes to this measure but remains with one question. What if a System is a Semi-Military/Political System which retains trade, but with trade being radically phased out and reassigned to a different system which is being developed as the Central Trade Hub.

Would it still be against the Alliance Charter to request that the system coordinates (Note Coordinates, not the actual space) be restricted and held from the alliance if absolutely no trade was to be conducted in this system?

OOC: Basically, as with the Civil War exposing the weaknessess in the Torontonian Defence Network (Which included not revealing the coordinates of the Capital System), Torontonias has been building a massive trade station and resupply center in the only other Torontonian System, the Nubia System, with all trade being directed there, good heading to Epsilon Prime or the Epsilon Indi System (Capital System) would be carried by "Torontonian-Only" shipping lines.

So technically all of Torontonias would still be open to trade, but part of the actual shipping would be monopolized by Torontonias. Also, the Captial System Coordinates would be asked to be purged from all extranational databanks as well as being horded by Torontonias, giving the location of the Capital System to who the deem fit.

[Central Facehuggeria]

In principle, we agree to the first part. However, we do not agree with the second notion, the unrestricted access to our civilians by allied traders. Specifically, we have a number of research colonies and outposts that are government maintained by run by civilians, and we do not wish for these sensitive locations to be revealed to anyone outside our government.

OOC: How about secret civilian ones? 'Cause I often use hired civilian help in my research colonies, so I'd have to logically give up their location since it's a 'civilian presence.'

[Metallinauts]

We vote yay

[Xanthal]

The Socialist Republic votes nay. We are not in the business of hiding our assets, but national and/or regional governments should have the ability to close civilian ports to trade, especially in the event of emergency.

[Rupil]

The Tkalgren Technocracy has nothing to hide. And we beleive that in the interest of trade, we must be willing to share with our allies. However, we also promise that any previously unkown information gained from this amendment will not be shared with the rest of the GTK.

As a trading nation, we believe it to be in our best interest to share all starcharts, but we also recognize the confidentiality needed by our allies to maintain their safety.

[Penguenia]

Everything outlined in the proposal is already required under the pretexts of the Constitution. This measure merely describes the points more clearly. You all already have, in essence, agreed to these terms.

ooc: Anything civilian that governments wish to keep secret are not going to become public, that's a fact of reality. I merely am proposing this so that member nations cannot unrealistically hide their important systems (such as capital worlds and systems).

[Siesatia]

OOC: Then say that.

We vote yay on all but the unnescisary disclosure of several worlds, including our military strongholds. We also will retain the right to close trade in the, but not limited to, event of an outbreak on either Siesatia, or any potential trade partners.

[Kanuckistan]

The Dominion votes Yay, but requests that 'civilian population of any kind' be amended to 'Atleast one million persons, or for military instalations, 25% of the base's population; whatever is more'. Thus small outposts and military bases employing civilian contractors or housing some family will be exempt.

OOC: Basically, as with the Civil War exposing the weaknessess in the Torontonian Defence Network (Which included not revealing the coordinates of the Capital System), Torontonias has been building a massive trade station and resupply center in the only other Torontonian System, the Nubia System, with all trade being directed there, good heading to Epsilon Prime or the Epsilon Indi System (Capital System) would be carried by "Torontonian-Only" shipping lines.

So technically all of Torontonias would still be open to trade, but part of the actual shipping would be monopolized by Torontonias. Also, the Captial System Coordinates would be asked to be purged from all extranational databanks as well as being horded by Torontonias, giving the location of the Capital System to who the deem fit.

OOC:
Just restrict it to 'liscenced' vessels, and make it unoffically 'difficult' for anyone you don't want to get said liscence. Bam; instant closed boarders without technicly closing the boarder, and thus not violating the constitution.

Of course, even if we did delete our coordinates(we're not; atleast not most of us. Even if I would, I can't make the civies and corperate interests comply), folks can still track your freighters, or bribe a crew member, or send a flyby probe through looking for broadcasts, or any of a thousand different things; heck, all they really need is a snapshot of the starscape and they'll know roughly where you are.

[Xenonier]

OOC: I was wondering when people would get around to something like this. Note, I'm assuming we all know about the consortium, given icly it's been raised as an issue before this proposal.

IC.

As the proposal stands, We vote YEA in that these are the terms agreed to by nations who do indeed apply and gain membership into the ESUS. Although Xanthal's concern over possible reasons that cause the closeage of trade is well founded, it seems foolish to assume ESUS members are so blatantly foolish as to ignore domestic and military sensibilities that may need to be taken in order to protect a nation from say, a virological outbreak. Besides, if people are that stupid, they need a good smack upside their head by their mother, or whatever equivalent.

This is highlighted all the more with the current "threats" to the ESUS as is. If a measure of sensiblity guides this proposal, everything should be fine.

A final note I would like to make on behalf of the Protectorate, if I may. Is it just me, or do you people like ignoring the fact Xenonian maps are uploaded in to the ESUS databanks and thereby we are open to trade? Hello!? We didn't start rearming and expanding our military capacities to defend something and then find nothing to defend you know!