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League of Nations (1983: Doomsday)

From Alternative History

The League of Nations (abbreviated as LoN), sometimes called the New or Neo-League of Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, nuclear disarmament, human rights, and achieving world peace. The LoN was founded in late fall 2008 in order to replace the United Nations which was disbanded after World War III. It's name originates from the original League of Nations (now just called the "Old League of Nations") which lasted from 1919 to 1946. Despite having similar goals to these older organizations the structure and methods used by the new League of Nations is markedly different.

Contents

[edit] Actual Events / Foundation

The foundation ceremony for the LoN was held on September 26th 2008 in Nuku’Alofa, Tonga, during the 25th "anniversary" of the devastating Doomsday.

This date was first proclaimed in the SAC and ANZC New year addresses on January 1st 2008.

[edit] Organization

League of Nations structural scheme (2008)

[edit] Basic principles and competences

The way to the now agreed-upon organizational structure and power share in the various institutions was planted with obstacles and more than a few times the negotiations have been near to being canceled and failing. Especially the South American Confederation insisting on gaining large influence –throwing in on their population being the highest in the organized, “democratic” world provoked heavy opposition by mainly the Commonwealth of Australia and New Zealand and the associated territories. This immediately brought the Europeans –namely Portuguese, French and the Nordic Union- into the mediation responsibility a the third, neutral factor in the power game.

A hotly contested topic was the the initial ANZC intention to establish a “one vote” – principle (one vote per country) in all decisions of the league as it quickly became clear that this would not be realizable. Mainly due to the obvious ANZC and SAC predominance and the latter one insisting on a power sharing scheme. After intense debates and a joint French- Portuguese-Canada-Tonga mediation initiative a satisfying solution was found.

So as a result the League of Nations are modeled on League of Nations and United Nations principles including some special elements to address specific interest.

The main and primary task as assigned by the Charter of the LoN is to secure worldwide peace by all appropriate means (sanctions, peacekeeping missions etc. if needed) and the coordination of humanitarian aid worldwide. The most crucial point is to prevent any nuclear warfare from happening again. To achieve this the LoN is assigned the mandate to collect and destroy all nuclear weapons.

[edit] Headquarters & Secretary General

The location of the League Headquarters was also a heavily contested issue in the preparing meetings. With both Montevideo and Canberra not acceptable by either side, the quick solution was to continue the tradition of neutral countries hosting International Organizations by establishing the official HQ jointly in Nuku’Alofa, Tonga and Papeete, Tahiti , the locations of the three Preliminary Council Meetings.

As both organizations before, the LoN’s main representative and administrative head is the Secretary General. He represents the League officially, presides in Council Meetings, and is head of the administration and all diplomatic missions. Unlike his predecessors the SG is only elected for a 3-year term and can not be re-elected.

As the ANZC and the SAC claimed the position to be filled in by someone of their choice this topic was just resolved in the last minute of the third Committee Meeting in Tonga. Finally both sides accepted the European compromise that for the first 10 years (until 2018) neither ANZC nor SAC politician will be allowed to become SG of the LoN. So the Committee assigned the Tongan King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV to be named first Secretary General of the League of Nations for the first 3-year term in honor of his surprising diplomatic key role in the foundation negotiations. He will be followed up by the current High Commissioner of French Polynesia.

[edit] League of Nations High Council

The highest institution of the League of Nations is the “High Council”. In its role it is similar to the UN Security Council as it consists of permanent and non-permanent members. As described the ANZC intention to avoid this 2 class system proved not agreeable by the SAC. So there is a well-balanced system of approvals, vetoes and unanimous votes in place.

The HC itself –to avoid the “veto power” problem- is based on the “All Continents” – Rule which establishes the HC to consist of formally one representative of each continent with equal votes. The definition of “continent” was changed multiple times to establish “Oceania” as an official continent. A second problem was that this increased the number of continents to six which would result in possible 3-3 votes. Finally the number of council members was set as seven with the Secretary General being assigned presidency in Council sessions and the 7th decisive vote in a draw situation.

Furthermore the UN standard of abstention from voting was excluded by introducing making cast a vote mandatory. These along with the SG given more influence are the major differences to the UN organization before.

The continental representatives:

Oceania/ South Pacific

  • represented by the Commonwealth of Australia and New Zealand

Asia

  • represented by the Islamic Indonesian Islands League (I.I.I.L.)

Africa

  • Due to the lack of a acknowledged states on the African continent (País del Oro claiming itself European and the others no more then provisional governments or failed states) this vacancy will be provisionally fit in by the R.T.A as truly intercontinental government.

Europe

  • Nordic Union (appointed by the ambassadors of the Celtic Alliance, Confederation of Greece, Pais del Oro, and Portugal)

North America

  • Canada

South America

  • Confederación de America del Sur

[edit] Council Assembly

The Council Assembly room at LoN HQ, Tonga

The second institution besides the High Council is the League of Nations Council Assembly. This assembly holds meeting 3 times a year and comprises of representatives of each LN member country not member of the High Council. The assembly is supposed to be a lot more effective as the UN assembly due to only comprising 17 in 2008. It has the right to propose resolutions just as the High Council. Compared to UN mechanisms the assembly’s power is significantly higher in the LoN. All decisions affecting budget and territorial decisions not touching a HC member directly have to be agreed upon by the CA. Also the General Secretary is elected by the assembly’s non-HC-members and directly responsible to the CA thus de facto providing a HC vote to the CA. The most significant change is the veto against ‘’’all’’’ HC decisions that can only be overridden by a unanimous HC vote.

So the CA reminds more of a second parliament chamber than a member assembly.

[edit] General Assembly

Once a year the ‘’’General Assembly’’’ of the LoN, the unified assembly of the High Council and Council Assembly, holds a meeting on September 26th in memorial of the Doomsday event. Its main task is to decide about new member admittance.

[edit] Checks and Balances

The right for resolution initiative is shared evenly by the High Council and the Council Assembly. There are no limitations in this initiative apart from those decisions affecting directly the sovereignty of one of the current HC representatives. These can only be decided by the High Council itself.

Both institutions have vetoes against each other, but with a varying degree. The CA can suspend all decisions made by the HC with a normal majority vote (50%+). This veto can only be overridden by a unanimous vote of all 6 HC members or a “4+1” vote (HC majority plus Secretary General vote).

In the other direction the HC veto against CA decisions can be overridden by a second 50%+ vote (75%+ for Peacekeeping missions).

The third power in this –at first sight complicated- system is the Secretary General who has a “passive decision vote” in most situations. In the HC decisions resulting in a 3-3 draw his voice gives the decision. Also in the HC veto “4+1” (see above) and in all unsolved situations he has the final vote which has to be accepted and is final.

Finally all decisions might be reviewed once by the General Assembly in the Annual Meeting if the SecGen and 1/3 of the members of either HC or CA petition it.

An independent International Court is to be set up later when a larger number of member states is admitted into the League of Nations.

[edit] Organizations

The following organizations are put under the authority of the League of Nations

[edit] Regional Headquarters

More recently, the League of Nations has begun plans to establish regional headquarters outside of Tonga. So far, the following locations have been considered (along lines of stability and significance):

Europe:

  • Alpine Confederation - Old League of Nations Headquarters (Palace of the Nations), Geneva/Genf
  • Celtic Alliance - Old Government House, Derry
  • Nordic Union - Stockholm
  • Confederation of Greece - Skyros

Asia-Pacific:

  • Philippines - Intramuros Centre, Manila-NCR
  • Singapore
  • ANZC

South America:

  • Brazil - Brazilia
  • French Guiana
  • Argentina

North America:

  • Canadian Remainder Provinces
  • North American Union
  • Republic of Superior

Africa:

  • RZA-South Africa
  • Pais del Oro

[edit] Member States

These countries have been accepted by the Preliminary League Council to be admitted ‘’’founding members’’’:

[edit] Observer States

These countries will become “stand-by members” with officially ‘’’observer status’’’:

[edit] Non-members

These countries have been expressively excluded from League Membership by any means until further notice for a variety of regions, e.g. sparking a war, brutal dictatorship government or unsolved territorial disputes:

[edit] History

[edit] Origins and Initiative

In the face of increasing formation of new blocs and alliances and rising tensions in some corners of the world, the ANZC Prime Minister in 2007 presented his concept of a revived worldwide UN- like organization to a selected handful of parliament members. The idea was treated as highly secret as a spontaneous proclamation of such an idea might have led to distrust and tensions - especially between the rivaling ANZC and SAC. It was instead decided to secretly invite the SAC leaders to personally discuss this matter and carefully prepare an agreement acceptable to both sides.

Through diverse diplomatic channels, especially with the discrete help of the Portuguese Interim Government on the Azores Islands, an acceptable path to a public proclamation was found by November 2007. The arrangement was that the ANZC Head of State, General Governor Sir Aaron Tusking, and the SAC General Secretary would publicly proclaim the invitation of the founding of a new UN-like organization in their new year address to the respective nations. Until then, the plan was to be kept top secret.

[edit] Provisional League Council

In order to prepare the foundation and to work out a charter and possible organizational structure a “Provisional League Council” was installed comprising representatives from ANZC and the SAC and the Portuguese Interim Government – and also including former US President Bush.

As the main point of debate between ANZC and SAC - the future location of the talks, ceremony- nearly ended the whole League creation process- they hold a first meeting in February 2008 in the royal residence at Nuku'Alofa, Tonga following a kind invitation of King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV. The meeting went on for nearly a week as several times the talks had nearly been canceled as the ANZC and SAC showed partly diametrical positions. But thanks to the mediation of King Taufa’ahau and especially the High Commissioner of French Polynesia – as the French quickly took the neutral, mediation role in the discussion.

Heavily discussed points enveloped both primary issues like the share of power in the League High Council and supposedly “nonsense discussion” like the translation guidelines and working languages chosen.

So the first and two further meetings – held in March in Papeete and again in April in Nuku’Alofa- finally proved successful in delivering the organizational structure of the League of Nations and the foundation charter.

[edit] Name selection

The initial proposal of the PM to simply name the organization the NUN (New United Nations) was neglected by the SAC leadership as they did not believe their people would somehow trust an organization that would have the same name as the one that was not able to avoid a nuclear threat and Doomsday within its 39-year existence.

So the compromise was to revive the 1920's League of Nations name. This was accepted by the ANZC because of their steady support of this institution in 1920s and 30's. The risk of lacking trust as the first LoN was not able to avoid WWII was estimated as very low.

[edit] Vexillology

The flag used by the original League of Nations of the 1920's

The provisional flag of the League of Nations is a try to unify elements of the previous flags of both the United Nations and the 1920's LoN as well as to integrate appropriate new elements.

In 2008, the WRCB Heraldic Office -quickly nicknamed "the Flag Heroes" by the ANZC- press deeply questioning the sense and use of such an institution- was founded after an intense debate in the ANZC Parliament. After a few heated debates they found a compromise for a first draw:

The background color is chosen as to be a deep ocean blue rather than the brighter UN blue. This was decided due to the now even increased importance of earth's ocean as most states are island-bound or have long coastlines.

The Southern Hemisphere Countries, especially ANZC and SAC, insisted on the swift of world’s political epicenter to the South to be represented in the flag though resistance from Canada, Portugal and Pais del Oro. So it was decided to take a 5-ended star formation pointing southward, consisting of 23 yellow stars -the prospective number of founding members of the League of Nations- with an increased density in the lower half of the star (as only 7 member are located north of the equator). The number of stars is to be increased as more states are admitted to the League of Nations.

As the central element a slightly converted United Nations Symbol was introduced. It comprised the traditional olive branches symbolizing peace. The azimuthal equidistant projection world map was kept as well, just rotated a bit. The circle with a single cross is derived from the traditional symbol for earth.

Instead of using any religious symbols -as demanded by the mainly catholic SAC- the committee decided the 4 principal languages to be integrated. So the Organization's name was inserted in English (top), French (lower left), Portuguese (Lower Right) and Spanish (Lower central). Nevertheless, the Celtic Alliance is opposed to the perception of English still being the major language of the north, with Gealic, Norwegian ect being more in use.

[edit] See also

1983: Doomsday Timeline
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