Provisional
Government member and Assembly candidate Yurt Kyong-yon today visited New
Seoul, the capital of the New Taedong Kingdom, to settle a border dispute and
to discuss the potential of a close diplomatic relationship in the near future.
Dr. Yurt visited for the primary purpose of resolving a territorial conflict which has led to high tensions between Yurtyzstan and New Taedong as well as frequent demonstrations by local Yurtyzstanis. When the Republic of Longhouse dissolved in May 2012 after the deposition of Sultan Couscous I, scattered Longhousians wrested control of the territory surrounding the Taedong River from Yurtyzstan, which at the time was increasingly inactive and was itself on the brink of collapse. With the Reunification and resulting isolationism on the part of Yurtyzstan, the loss of the Taedong River territories went unaddressed until late last year, when residents of the South End of the city of New Pyongyang submitted a petition to the Provisional Government complaining that the northern Market District had been cut off from the rest of the city by New Taedong. Provisional Government diplomats subsequently pressured New Taedong’s ruling military junta to return the city, only to be met with indifference.
Dr. Yurt
told the New Light of Yurtyzstan via email during the negotiations that
“[members of the military junta] are, justifiably, unwilling to return the
territory. However, there is general consensus that some sort of customs
agreement should be signed to allow residents to move freely across the border,
and that free trade agreements allowing both parties to benefit from the
agricultural productivity of the Taedong River will also help to resolve this
conflict.” Dr. Yurt and his pro-capitalist Prosperity for Yurtyzstan Coalition
have argued strongly for free trade agreements with neighbouring states.
The
negotiations also touched on the possibility of closer ties in the future,
including an extradition treaty, university exchange programmes, and the
aforementioned free trade agreement; this reflects the confidence of the
Prosperity for Yurtyzstan Coalition that it will be given a mandate to pursue
its diplomatic platform within a few weeks. Pollsters have predicted that the
PYC will sweep the upcoming elections, which would mark the first time that a
non-leftist party has held control in Yurtyzstan.
The meeting
marks the first state visit made by a Yurtyzstani government official since Yurt
Kyong-yon went on a speaking tour in Longhouse last July, in the midst of the
country’s collapse following the ouster of Sultan Couscous I. The New Taedong
Kingdom, ruled by a provisional military council since its establishment in
July, has been extremely reclusive until now, maintaining an exclusive focus on
economic development.
