BETA SIM IC THREAD

[Tyyr]

The Cardassian Union has a proposal.

Weapons capable of destruction far beyond any militarily useful scope have long existed. Weapons that have no purpose but terror and murder that hold nations in the grip of fear over their use. In this day and age these weapons have advanced to the point where the slaughter of entire worlds and even star systems is possible with the use of a single weapon, from a single ship. Worlds can be stripped of life or stars destroyed. No sane and civilized society would ever condone their use, they are beyond the pale.

Therefore we believe it is in the best interests of all civilized societies to do all we can to curb the spread and hopefully even the existence of such weapons. We are proposing a three step process.

The first step is a non-proliferation treaty. No nation possessing these weapons will sell examples of them or their technology to any other nation. No nation currently not possessing these weapons will not attempt to purchase them.

The second is a test-ban treaty. In this no nation possessing these weapons will test them in attempts to develop them further. No nation currently not possessing them will be allowed to develop them.

The final step is an all encompassing ban. These existence of these weapons will be completely outlawed.

Our current list of weapons are:

1) Directed radiation weapons which only affect biological targets and over wide areas such as tholaron radiation emitters.
2) Trilithium based weapons, "Star Killers"
3) Forcible terraforming weapons, "Genesis Device"
4) Biological weapons
5) Chemical weapons

Formal verbiage will be drafted of course but this is the crux of the proposal. At this time the second and third steps, the test-ban and the total ban, are only conceptual at this time. We would prefer to focus solely on non-proliferation at this moment.

[BigJKU316]

The Federation largely agrees with the spirit of this proposal. Indeed we have made private inquiries to various powers to that end. However to this point we are highly worried about the actual implementation of such a treaty. It would necessitate an openness of all powers to inspection of all ships and facilities on a regular and ongoing basis. It would necessitate collective action in the event that efforts were detected to either manufacture such weapons or possibly hide them from detection.

In any event the Federation does and will continue to abide by the first two steps of this proposal. If others feel a treaty is necessary we would sign it in those aspects even though it would not change our policy in regard to such things.

As for step three we have many concerns. Many powers in this region are highly private and do not allow visitors, let alone teams of experts and ships packed with sensors to fly through their space year after year. As we share a border with almost all powers of note in the region we cannot possibly agree to such a treaty without them consenting to an inspection and enforcement regime that consist of, at minimum, the following.

1. Passage through and around sovereign space for the purpose of scanning for the existance of such weapons by other signatories conducted on no more than 24 hours advanced notice of the arrival of such a team.

2. Annual full disclosure AND auditing of each nations financial expenditures, including full disclosure of all R&D expenses, military expenses and inter-galactic weapons transactions to prevent powers from attempting to develop weapons not covered by this treaty that can have the same effect or deploying such weapons they already have the capacity to create.

3. Full inspections of any and all facilities and starships for the purposes of determining that such weapons do not exist and have not been deployed. This would necessitate full disclosure of every nations fleet composition and bases to acheive. Such inspections would be allowed with 24 hours advanced notice.

4. Explicit provisions for collective action in the event of violation or obstruction of the above three provisions that at minimum compel all powers to cease any and all trade without powers found to be either in direct violation, working to obstruct inspection or providing false information with their disclosures to other powers.

If we are unable to make an agreement to these minimum enforcement provisions the Federation would not be able to consider taking step three and will be forced to continue to maintain a deterrent either of the weapons themselves or the ability to manufacture such weapons quickly to discourage any such attack as we suffered from the Scimitar.

[Tyyr]

The Union is very aware of the issues with implementation and enforcement of any provision of this proposal. Hoping for a complete ban for these horrific devices might be too much to hope for but it is our sincere belief that taking steps in that direction, at the very least curbing their spread, is a worthy goal. Given the difficulties inherent in implementing the later stages the Union is at this time only formally proposing the first step, non-proliferation. The other two were only put forth so that the rest of the nations in our area of space may know where our line of thought is headed. While I am sure that we all have policies and beliefs inherent to our own nations in regards to these weapons and their spread we believe that formalizing our opposition to their spread in a treaty is a demonstration of solidarity and another point of common ground upon which other understandings may be based.

[BigJKU316]

The Union is very aware of the issues with implementation and enforcement of any provision of this proposal. Hoping for a complete ban for these horrific devices might be too much to hope for but it is our sincere belief that taking steps in that direction, at the very least curbing their spread, is a worthy goal. Given the difficulties inherent in implementing the later stages the Union is at this time only formally proposing the first step, non-proliferation. The other two were only put forth so that the rest of the nations in our area of space may know where our line of thought is headed. While I am sure that we all have policies and beliefs inherent to our own nations in regards to these weapons and their spread we believe that formalizing our opposition to their spread in a treaty is a demonstration of solidarity and another point of common ground upon which other understandings may be based.

The Federation will agree to a non-proliferation treaty. Indeed we are fully ready to sign a test-ban treaty as well.

[Tyyr]

If there is additional support for a full test-ban treaty we will amend our proposal to include a full test-ban, but only if significant support is evident.

[Reliant121]

The empire respects the ideal of this treaty. Weapons of Mass Destruction, while an effective way of gaining power, are a cowards way to rule where they are not strong enough to oppose. They are a weaklings tool.

However, We will not allow our space to be violated by any sovereign nation's ships in search of these weapons, nor shall we provide accountancy details regarding our RnD expenses. We will not reveal Imperial Guard information that might threaten the empire. Any ship attempting to scan our vessels illegally by Klingon sector law will be treated as hostile.

[Mark]

THE THOLIAN EMPIRE AGREES IN PRINCIPLE WITH THIS PROPOSED TREATY AND IF A REALISTIC MEANS OF ENFORCING SUCH WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE, WE WOULD BE WILLING TO DISCUSS IT FURTHER. THE FEDERATION AMBASSADOR HAS SEEN TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER HOWEVER. THE THOLIAN EMPIRE WOULD NEVER ALLOW ITSELF TO HAVE ITS INTERNAL WORKINGS SO CLOSELY EXAMINED BY OUTSIDE POWERS. AS IT STANDS, THE ONLY NON THOLIAN OR GORN CITIZENS ALLOWED WITHIN OUR BOARDERS ARE AMBASSADORS AND TRADERS. OTHERS ARE IMMEDIETELY ARRESTED.

[Reliant121]

While outsiders are allowed in our territory, we will most definitely never allow military or police vessels to penetrate our space, no matter how good the reasons may be.

[Mark]

WE HAVE BECOME MORE PROGRESSIVE OVER THE YEARS. IN WHAT HUMANS CALL THE 22ND CENTURY, NON CITIZENS HAD NO RIGHTS WHATSOEVER, AND OUR GOVERNMENT STILL PRACTICED SLAVERY. WE HAD QUITE THE SLAVE FORCE AT ONE TIME OF TRESSPASSERS. HOWEVER, IT BECAME TO COSTLY TO MAINTAIN CARBON SLAVES ON OUR WORLDS, AND THUS THE PRACTICE WAS ABOLISHED.

[Tyyr]

For the purposes of a non-proliferation treaty there will be no need for foreign powers to enter other nation's space. Border patrols and regular trade inspections will be sufficient to ensure enforcement.

[Reliant121]

If this affects civilian transport ships, and ships entering other powers borders then fine. if it means inspection of our military service ships then it is not acceptable.

[Tyyr]

Preliminary verbiage for consideration:

Dorvan Non-Proliferation Treaty

1. The signatories of this treaty agree that weapons of mass destruction serve no useful military purpose. These weapons exist solely as instruments of terror and genocide and have no place in civilized society. The signatories further agree that it is in the best interests of all civilized peoples that these weapons do not spread.

2. Weapons of Mass Destruction are defined as weapons that can destroy planets or stars in their entirety, who have the power to destroy all sapient life upon a planet, or can render subspace impassible. Weapons that will be covered in these treaty are, but are not limited to, directed radiation weapons such as tholaron radiation emitters, trilithium based weapons, subspace weapons, biological weapons, and chemical weapons. These article may be amended to include new classes of weapons with the consent of all signatories.

3. In order to halt the spread of these weapons the signatories of this treaty agree to neither sell nor purchase any weapons of mass destruction or the technology to construct or research them to or from any other entity be it a nation state, organization, or individual be they a signatory of this treaty or not.

4. If any attempt is made or offer received to sell or purchase these weapons by or to a signatory the signatory shall publicly disclose the event as well as the parties involved immediately.

5. To enforce this treaty the signatories shall reserve the right to search any foreign ship be it trade, warship, or private, of another nation that crosses into its territory. They may use whatever means they deem appropriate to conduct the search. Signatories do not have the right to conduct searches or scans on vessels inside another nation's territory.

6. If the transfer of banned weapons or technology is discovered the signatories have the right to take what steps are deemed necessary to halt the flow of these weapons or technology.

7. Signatories of this treaty may withdraw at any time with public notice of their intentions.

[BigJKU316]

Section 1 is meaningless and should be excluded.

Section 2 should contain an exemption for Tri-Cobalt torpedoes. They are loosely related to subspace weapons but exhibit none of the destructive qualtiies of true subspace weapons.

We are unclear if section 3 prohibits reaserch internally or simply prohibits one from purchasing the ability to research a certain weapons system.

Section 5 needs to be ammended. Whatever means necessary would seem to imply that one would have diplomatic immunity if they elected to simply slaughter the crew of a freighter in order to board it.

Section 6 should be more specific. What steps are to be taken in what order. Are they compulsary on all signatories or may each make its own course of action? If it is compulsary what makes it so? Do we take a vote on if an infraction has occured? How are votes counted and what level is necessary to find an infraction that would compell all powers to follow the same sactions?

[Tyyr]

We fail to see how a statement of purpose is meaningless. Providing some context for the treaty is useful in framing the treaty as more than a list of do's and don'ts.

Section 2 will be amended.

We will clarify section 3 but it is not our intention to prohibit internal research. This treaty will not involve the internal matters of a nation, only transfer of materials or technology outside of them.

Section 5 will be ammended. However if a ship of another power enters anothers space without prior diplomatic allowance or trade intentions it is typically up to a power how to deal with the interloper.

Section 6 will be ammended to make it more specific. It is not our intention however to shackle the hands of the signatories as to how they can deal with violations that pose a direct threat to their nations. We would expect that trade sanctions or embargos would be the most likely courses of action.

[Reliant121]

If a freighter crew willingly transports weapons technology against this international treaty, then they are little more than criminals in service of the government and should be arrested or if they resist destroyed.