[Australia]: Message to Sweden [SEC=OFFICIAL]

[Owen]

"I believe I am conducting myself in the appropriate manner. No demands, no threats, no accusations. If you want me to justify the need for the transfer of the territory, ask me the quesitons on the matters you want to know about. We have made our position clear. You have made this personal in every response you have given, you need to detach from the mentality you are being attacked or threatened, because none of that is happening here. I simply asked you a question and you have given what I can only describe as a reasonable answer, but the additional stuff was not needed.

I don't need any time to calm down, I am quite calm."

Connor

 

[Connor]

"I suggest you review the manner in-which the speak to the board, because you have on numerous occasions made suggestions of your intent outside these walls in a clear unambiguous attempt to influence our decision and it frankly will not wash. The Global Assembly was clear by majority that the terms of this resolution were the dissolution of 'historical' claims which, as you will know, were just that - claims - and held no legal right, power or sovereignty to the claimant. So whilst you stand before us claiming you have a right to this land, in the eyes of the law, you do not.

What I am failing to gather is why Australia needs to the transference of such a huge amount of land to conduct scientific research? This is quite clearly not the case. This is a want. If you were so heart set on research then I would have expected you to make reasonable contact with the British or Argentine governments to request expeditions there? It frankly makes very little sense to me."

Owen

 

[Owen]

"I have answered that question twice already, your honour, I am not repeating myself again. If that answer is not sufficient for you and doesn't make sense, then you would need to be more specific.

If my job here is to not influence your decision then what is it? You've already said previously I was struggling to persuade you, now you're telling me I should refrain from persuading you. If your decision is already made and I shouldn't influence it, then why am I here?"

Connor

 

[Connor]

"At no point have I said you are not here to persuade me, I think perhaps you're hearing a different conversation?

Your only explanation for not contacting the British or the Argentine governments is because you did not want to... this is not foundation for the transference of entire portions of Antarctica purely because you cannot be bothered to conduct your research elsewhere. Your objectives here are becoming quite clear - more so to fracture one of the strongest resolutions in the Global Assembly's history, which at the time saw record numbers of representatives in the chamber including a non-member state for the first time in the chambers history.

This is not a request for scientific research whatsoever and I strongly believe you have come here with no argument to present. The board are not here to beg you for your explanation, you are here to justify to us why and what you can provide for the continent.... which at the moment it appears you can provide nothing,"

Owen

Meanwhile back at Stockholm Arlanda International Airport a refuelling truck containing regular gasoline, operated by two NSO personnel, would begin refuelling the aircraft with fuel. The usher from the boardroom would ensure that the necessary travel arrangements were prepared for the Australian delegation to return to Australia and local police would make the necessary security checks prior to departure, preparing the airport for the high-profile movement of VIPs. A senior agent from the National Security Office, by instruction of the Department of Defence in conjunction with memorandum supplied by the Department of Antarctic Affairs would attend the airport will a small team of six additional agents, armed only with sidearms.

One agent would be tasked to oversee the refuelling process on the tarmac whilst the other agents ensured the terminal overseeing the aircraft itself was cleared.

 

[Owen]

"That is not true your honour, I gave you an extensive answer as to why we're not interested in researching in British or Argentinian territory, not because we simply didn't want it.

Again, I don't know what you want from me to justify why we should be given land on the continent. You can ask me further questions about anything you like, but the British and Argentinian question has been asked twice already."

Connor

 

[Connor]

The board provide a sheet of paper to the usher in the room, a transcript of conversation thusfar, which is passed onwards to the Attorney-General.

"If you could be so kind to circle exactly where this extensive answer was provided, because all I can see if you reciting the history of the British Empire and clauses in the Resolution on Antarctica after stating to the board you'd made no contact with Britain or Argentina. The usher will return your highlighted section back to me."

Owen

National Security Office operatives, approximately six in total, dressed in civilian clothing would begin to descend on the offices in-which the board was being conducted, all of which again armed with sidearms only and operating in a covert capacity. Once within the building a single agent would make his way to the CCTV control room where cameras cover major lobby's, corridors and senior members office doorways in additional to electrical control panels, fire suppression systems and security alarms. The remaining operatives would secure the front door of the building with two officers whilst an additional four make their way to the doorway of the board meeting.

 

[Owen]

The Attorney-General would read out the parts of the transcript.

"I am unaware of any contact that has been made with the United Kingdom or Argentina. Antarctica is a large continent and obviously we would like to see research conducted throughout, obviously our primary focus is on the side of Antarctica that faces Australia as we can easily access it, have close proximity and analyse movements of animals which migrate the Southern Ocean between Australia and obviously that side of Antarctica.

And furthermore after being asked the question again...

I think I have given sufficient reasoning why we have no interest to conduct research on that side of Antarctica, which is very far away from Australia. I am only the Attorney-General, I don't make contact with foreign nations about these matters, you will have to ask the Foreign Minister or the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities whether or not they have made contact, they haven't brought it up in Cabinet meetings..... Obviously we have a strong working partnership with the United Kingdom and I'm sure they would agree that research needs to be conducted throughout Antarctica and they are sufficiently resourced to conduct their own research in the small amount of land they have been given."

She would stop reading the transcript and highlight them as requested.

Connor

 

[Connor]

The board read the highlighted sections...

"So we are clear, you haven't contacted the British or Argentine governments because you simply do not want to conduct research there. Are you able to explain to the board why exactly you need sovereignty to conduct your search on migration, why this research cannot be conducted in international waters and how this research benefits Australia?"

Owen

A single white Chevrolet Express would be secretly positioned at the rear of the building outside the fire escape and blanket draped over the side-access doors leading directly into the fire escape, preventing vision of who exactly was entering or exiting the vehicle externally. The National Security Office agents would additionally position three agents, again in civilian dress, at either end of the alleyway whom would do their utmost to blend into the crowd - both ends of this alleyway would have an unmarked Volvo S80 nearby equipped with primary and secondary weapons systems. This preparation remains as a contingency. In addition, this time uniformed, Diplomatic Protection Personnel would take over from the agents guarding the door to the boardroom. CCTV systems would be deactivated on the entirety of the floor to preserve the exit strategy once the meeting concludes.

 

[Owen]

"Obviously a lot of the research would be land based, it is a bit hard to conduct research on water, you would need very sophisticated and large vessels in order to do that and we would only know so much. There's geology on the Antarctic continent to be researched, land-based animals such as penguins only breed and interact on land, not in the water. We did ask the Swedish Government if we could conduct research on Swedish Antarctic Territory and they have refused so we are going ahead with this sovereignty claim. This research doesn't benefit Australia, it benefits the whole world. Research is about progressing knowledge and our understanding of our world. It is to be shared with all the nations of the world, this is simply not something that is designed to benefit Australia. There's not always a cost-benefit analysis involved, sometimes we do things simply because they are right and for the benefit of humanity."

Connor

 

[Connor]

"and to what extend would research be conducted within Antarctica if you were to be granted access to conduct such operations within Swedish Antarctic Territory?"

Owen

Following a complete refuel of the Australian aircraft it would be mechanically pushed back from the ramp and onto the VIP apron where a metal staircase would be trailed from the doorway of the small aircraft. This would enable a higher security presence around the aircraft without affecting airport operations significantly. In it's current position, isolated on the apron and away from regular civilian operations and ease of view, the aircraft would have a National Security Office agent, in high visibility vest armed with a primary and secondary weapon, to surround the aircraft in four quadrants giving 360 degree coverage. The aircraft refuelling port would have a small tab trailed from the pipework and out the external duct accessible to ground crew.

 

[Owen]

"Mainly focusing on the coastline, it is very hard to operate inland due to the harsh conditions, but we are keen to establish a presence at the South Pole."

Connor

Meanwhile at the airport, the pilots would be sitting in the cockpit playing cards. Suddenly the plane would begin to move backwards.

"The fuck?"

One of the pilots would look out the cockpit window. He would slide open the side window of the cockpit and yell out.

"OI!!!!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING??"

Connor

 

[Connor]

"I understand, and how would your presence on the coastline regular amendments to the landscape, do you intend to conduct any infrastructure on the continent? How would this effect the population of wildlife? How would this effect the environment? - I suppose on that basis I must also ask what your need for presence at the South Pole would be?"

Owen

Ground crew operating the mechanical tug would note the pilots hanging our the cockpit window although obviously unable to hear them with their headsets on, aircraft operating nearby and the sound of machinery on the apron. Obviously with a wealth of nations making use of the international airport and the requirement to speak English to Air Traffic Control would mean the ground crew were fluent in English and do nothing other than point to their headsets indicating the pilots should make contact via the one-to-one connect made during pushback. The connection having been made in the fuselage, the ground crew would speak directly to the cockpit "Don't worry, we will get the sandwiches loaded on the apron!" - a little confused as the ground crew continue their necessary preparations. A catering vehicle would soon arrive at the Australian aircraft for replenishment of essentials for the journey back.

 

[Owen]

"Obviously infrastructure would need to be built to house the scientists. An environmental impact assessment will be done prior to construction but I don't expect there to be many issues with the construction, it would be chosen in appropriate locations to minimise the impacts on the environment. The South Pole presence is more a symbolic presence, a base open for all nations of the world to conduct research out of, in order to show that humanity has reached the final frontier of unexplored wilderness and cant live in even the most harshest conditions at the South Pole. We are quite ambitious for human presence on Antarctica."

The pilots would put on their headset and tune it to the ground crew.

"What are you doing? This pushback hasn't been authorised by us."

Connor

 

[Connor]

"I think your objectives for the South Pole are fairly ambitious given you have no territorial claim to Antarctica at the moment and the continent has been occupied in harmony between Argentina, Britain and Sweden just as the resolution intended. Whilst the board is of the belief that Australia has no real foundation or argument for the transference of Swedish sovereign territory which would in-turn disrupt and damage the political dynamic of the continent - we do see real cause for the continuation of scientific research on a temporary basis in pre-defined territory.

On this basis we are willing to grant access to scientists on the continent with a few condition, although we have some essential questions prior to this taking place, if of course Australia is willing. Primarily we would like to understand the amount of researchers you intend to have on the continent at any one time, understandably this will fluctuate between the seasons?"

Owen

The ground crew would look between one another and the security officers in utter confusion "I don't know, clearance was given by ATC!". The flight meals would be loaded into the Australian aircraft and soon enough an engineer would approach the flight desk for a signature from the pilots for the fuel onboard and the essentials supplied by the catering service. Meanwhile, since the pushback had completed, security service would begin to usher civilian staff off the tarmac unless they'd be granted particular security clearance - such as the engineers conducting the necessary checks on the aircraft prior to boarding of passengers,

 

[Owen]

"Winter we're looking at 60 scientists, flexing up to 400 in the summer."

The pilots would switch frequencies to ATC. "Why was a pushback authorised? We didn't request this. And why didn't you inform us?"

Connor

 

[Connor]

"I understand, and how will access be made to facilities in Antarctica? How do you intend to bring not only the researchers but also the day-to-day logistics onto the continent? Will your chosen logistical option require additional infrastructure and how will this effect the environment?"

Owen

With Air Traffic Control in the process of managing the movements of several aircraft across the international airport using internationally standardised communications to do so, the unannounced comments by the Australians would receive a quick response: "Unidentified aircraft, Stockholm Ground, please repeat with your identification. Over."

 

[Owen]

"Yes runways will need to be built to allow aircraft to come in, including the Airbus A319 operated by the Australian Antarctic Division and RAAF aircraft operating as the Antarctic Flight. They will maintain day-to-day logistics, well... week-to-week, these things do not need to be daily. The RSV Aurora Australis icebreaker will also have this capacity."

Meanwhile at the airport the pilots would respond to the tower.

"This is Envoy 395. Why have you authorised a pushback of our aircraft we did not ask for and not inform us?"

Connor

 

[Connor]

"I see, and how much do you estimate the total costs of all infrastructure construction, including runways and ports, to cost? and how long do you predict it would take to complete construction suitable for human occupation?"

Owen

"ENVOY-THREE-NINE-FIVE, Stockholm Ground, apologies this was a pre-booked pushback from ramp to apron for security reasons. Contact your liaison for further. Over." Air Traffic Control would resume regular working whilst the aircraft remained under the scrutiny of the National Security Office.

 

[Owen]

"I don't have those estimates with me, your honour. If I was to predict, somewhere in the 10s of millions, perhaps 3-5 months to construct."

Connor

 

[Connor]

"I understand, perhaps this is something the Department of Antarctic Affairs here in Sweden and the Ministry for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities in Australia can discuss in the near future. Nonetheless I believe the extent of this board hearing has been met and the finer details of arrangements for Australian scientists to operate in Antarctica can take place outside these walls between the aforementioned departments in government.

To make it clear for the record: the board have made the unanimous decision to decline the transference of sovereign territory in the interests of maintaining the sensitive political structure of occupying nations in the continent as well as upholding the essential peacekeeping foundation of the Global Assembly Resolution on Antarctica; Australia has not provided the necessary evidence to persuade the board they have reasonable grounds to require full occupation of the former Australian Antarctic Territory. However, the board have made the unanimous decision to authorise the presence of Australian scientists on the basis of scientific research which has a clear influence of the ecosystem of Australia, migration of wildlife and such research cannot be conducted from Australian territory or international waters; the details of this can be refined between the Swedish Department of Antarctic Affairs and Australian Ministry for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities with the appropriate conditions to ensure the environmental, legislative and political factors are upheld."

Owen