American Mission to Belgium

[Markus Wilding]

The following message was sent to the People's Republic of Belgium;

Comrades,

The growing anti-Communist alliance in WEST must be further countered with a bloc of like-minded nations intent on mutual defense and political cooperation in all realms. Surely, the proletariat of the world would benefit from not just the power of American diplomacy and American military prowess, but from also quite plausibly Soviet, Belgian, Danish and even Italian strength of diplomacy and martial skill. It is the State Department's understanding that a previous offer of cooperation was rejected; we in Atlanta would like to revisit this with Belgium given recent world events.

[Markus Wilding]

The following reply was sent back;

American comrades,

The election of President Kaur has indeed piqued Belgium's interest in a potential renewed alliance. We are amenable to opening discussions for a potential joint agreement with the American people and others. We would see an American diplomat in Brussels forthwith.

[Markus Wilding]

With a reply in the affirmative (for once from Belgium) Secretary of State Renja Vukomanović made her way to Brussels. This was no job for a mere diplomat - this had to be done right, and done by her hand alone. She traveled to Brussels with only a minor stop before the meeting to see the sights and progress - to think this city had once sufferer a terrorist attack that'd blown up half a city block a few years ago - with an air of wonder and excitement. After all, this was the mark of President Kaur's renewed diplomatic offensive following the Cascadian situation. If she failed here, then she'd be failing more than just her friend. She'd be failing the entire American people.

[Markus Wilding]

The meeting place had once been the corporate headquarters for somesuch French company before the war and German Flu radically changed the world. Today it was where American and Belgian diplomacy would meet for the first time in a serious capacity that didn't include minor trade agreements and exchanges that resulted in little more than swapping pleasantries and useless trinkets. Belgian foreign minister Hadrien Vandekerckhove was a fellow that looked like a walking skeleton, mostly from his jaundiced cheeks and hollow eyes that would easily lead somebody to think he was already half-dead. His handshake wasn't much better - a limp thing that resembled more a clammy cadaver than a human being.

"I understand the American people are seeking an alliance of sorts with Belgium," he began once tea, coffee, water and other refreshments had been distributed. Translators and aides took down a flurry of notes as a brief pause filled the air for Vukomanović's translator to give her the summary. "Tell me, what is it Belgium can provide?"

[Markus Wilding]

"Simply put, Mr. Vandekerckhove, Belgium is a key part of President Kaur's diplomatic strategy in Europe. I'm sure Brussels is well aware of the anti-Communist stance of WEST, and their inclusion of Belgium's neighbors to their little alliance is proof-positive of that. They want to build up their coalition and isolate not just Belgium, but our French comrades as well. Working in disunity, independent of one another, the diplomacy of the wider Communist world is weak and with that weakness comes the oppression of the proletariat. We must stand together. So, to that end, we would like to invite Belgium to a summit that shall be held in Panama City in August, a meeting of like-minded nations intent on banding together for the common interest and seeking to advance the cause of the proletariat."

[Markus Wilding]

Hadrien Vandekerckhove took a long drink of his coffee, his face offering no clues to his thinking either way. The room stood at a standstill as the American and Belgian aides each waited for the Belgian foreign minister to say something, anything of substance.

"Very well. We will attend this meeting. In the meantime, is there something else the American people wish to negotiate?"

[Markus Wilding]

"Yes, we'd like to offer a basic Treaty of Friendship, Aid and Commerce which, in short, will provide for joint aid developments in times of civil crisis, loosened trade restrictions and general political cooperation in the international sphere as well as maintaining good relations between our countries."

[Markus Wilding]

"This is acceptable."