Biotopia International Relations
Contents
Overview
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is responsible for implementing Biotopian foreign policy, co-ordinating international representation and diplomatic functions. Traditionally Biotopian foreign policy is cautious and based on upholding peacetime neutrality, military non-engagement and strengthening international economic relationships. Biotopia is frequently self-referenced as a “middle power” based on its long-standing policy of avoiding military coercion, rejection of super-power ambition and the use of multilateral and bilateral engagement at the international level. There are seven constitutionally defined characteristics of Biotopian foreign policy;
- Maintaining peacetime neutrality
- Upholding Universal Humane Rights
- Encouraging international non-capitalism
- Observing international law and participation in the United Nations
- Pursuing international disarmament of Weapons of Mass Destructon
- Refusing co-operation with states that brutalise Universal Humane Rights
- Promoting international conflict resolution, sustainable development, social justice and democratic sovereignty
Constitutionally these terms are broad enough to allow for each government to engage with these conditions based on the ideological, social and political context of the day. Liberal, progressive, conservative and radical governments have each upheld these constituently defined limits to Biotopian foreign policy to achieve different and even contradictory aims. These conditions were created to secure the standard of living in Biotopia, protect its international reputation and curtail military transgression into foreign policy as a means of avoiding conflict and domestic disturbance.
Neutrality
Historically Biotopia has been threatened by external powers who desired access to natural resources, control over the central government or extermination or subjugation of the species. Placed on the eastern gateway to Aperin and as a socialist non-human nation there has been a consistent threat of international conflict, terrorism and espionage. Wishing to avoid entanglement with the alliances of Aperin and confrontation with the powerful anti-socialist and fascist alliances Biotopia maintains a policy of Total Defence and peacetime military neutrality. This policy has protected Biotopia from direct attack and deterred foreign aggression. It has also freed Biotopia to establish working diplomatic relationships with states outside the traditional socialist sphere of influence (for example Knootoss).
This has been a cause for tension between Biotopia’s international friends and economic allies who have been unable to co-operate or have even had antagonistic relationships. Despite this Biotopia has seldom severed ties with any of the states it has shared diplomatic relations with and has resisted international and regional pressure from various states and interest groups to decidedly settle in either camp. Although this has at times been frustrating for Biotopian international diplomacy it has also exposed Biotopia and its citizens to the best and worst of both socialist and capitalist systems. Biotopians generally consider this to provide them with a more rounded world-view than many of their friends on either side of the horizon.
Non-Capitalism
Biotopia does not pursue an active policy of anti-capitalism but prefers a policy of non-capitalism by demonstration. The anti-capitalism of the Coalition of Anti-Capitalist Economies and other organisations has been cited as the cause for years of confrontations and stand-offs between powerful alliances threatening the lives of billions. There has also been domestic resentment against the perception that Biotopia has been threatened because of the actions by other states participating in the cat-and-mouse games of international diplomacy. This policy of non-capitalism by demonstration has directed diplomatic attention to providing foreign development assistance, participation in democratisation missions and assisting in international conflict resolution and disarmament.
Foreign Aid
An official policy of “socialist foreign aid” is the foundation for the Biotopian international assistance program. This assistance is divided between humanitarian-aid with relates to immediate relief and assistance for short-term crises such as natural disasters and epidemics and development-aid which focuses on long-term sustainable development initiatives for under and over-developed states. Most typically this assistance is directed at under-developed states that lack the infrastructure, capital and qualifications to successfully implement sustainable development enterprises. Some of these programs include forest-management, micro-finance, organic faming and sanitation programs.
Development assistance has also been given to over-developed states that usually require technical assistance in containing contamination, managing pollution emissions or substituting certain industrial or economic practices. Biotopia also works with under and over-developed states to co-ordinate the Emissions Management Program (E.M.P.). The program aims at creating an internal and standardised emissions trading system that provides a living to farmers and indigenous groups who re-forest or preserve the local biosphere. Allowing under-developed states to economically expand within a sustainable framework and reducing the ecological impact of over-developed states.
Ambassadorial Representation
The following states have diplomatic representation from and to Biotopia.
Biotopia maintains a limited number of official diplomatic relations because of the fluidic nature of international affairs invalidating most relations as numerous states spontaneously expire. Those states that have achieved official diplomatic representation are generally mature nations with established international reputations. They also tend to share similar ideological, economic or political values with Biotopia and most also have economic ties. A large proportion of these nations are also members of the International Fair Trade Agreement.
Biotopia occasionally uses the Knootian or Celdonian embassies when meeting with representatives from either unofficially recognised states or where no formal diplomatic representation has been established. All embassies are hosted in the capital city Zhaire. The Biotopian government also extensively networks through the Celdonian Diplomatic Quarter which includes diplomatic representation from across Aperin as well as the Coalition of Anti-Capitalist Economies and the Anti-Capitalist Alliance.
International Organisations
Biotopia is a member of the following international organisations.
Constrained by a moderate international foreign policy framework Biotopia has been slow to achieve membership to the numerous international organisations that exist. In part this is because of the limitations on Biotopia to participate in military alliances and the desire to avoid international entanglement. Those bodies that Biotopia is a member of reflect the core objectives assigned to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Although the Non-Human Union no longer exists for all intents and purposes Biotopia still remains (the only) official member.
The most contentious and important of these is the International Fair Trade Agreement which limits normative trading to other members of the organisation. Biotopia currently has only special trading permission with Scolopendra. Pro-membership advocates cite that the IFTA is an appropriate replacement to the Coalition of Anti Capitalist Economies and is the best means of protecting the Biotopian standard of living while supporting international non-capitalism. Detractors claim that the IFTA is a political cul-de-sac and is as unstructured as the open international trading system since it requires no integration with the disadvantage of closing the open market.
