Union of Sovereigns
The Union of Sovereigns Alliance (sometimes called the US Alliance, also commonly known as the Union) was the name a mutual defensive alliance between six profiled Nationstates regions. It was jointly founded by the Pacific, New Sparrow, and the USSR. Shortly after its creation, Gatesville was invited to join and accepted. The German Empire was the fifth signatory to the Union Charter and joined in November 2004. In May of 2005, Ireland joined the Union.
As of November 2005, Gatesville withdrew its membership and New Sparrow dissolved and re-formed as the Avian Militia, effectively nullifying all its formal alliances, including Union membership.
Contents
Structure
The US Alliance has only a Governing Council, made up of three representatives from each of its member regions. In most votes a 2/3 majority must be reached; each representative having only one vote.
Charter of The Union of Sovereigns
Preamble
We, the signatories of this, the Union of Sovereigns Charter (hereafter referred to as The Union), state our devotion to the principles of regional sovereignty. Through the adoption of this Charter we announce to all the NationStates world that our nations and regions vow to protect the sovereign rights of each member state to govern their lands as they see fit, to protect those lands against outside aggressors and to support one another against all adversaries.
Article I
The legal and legitimate government of each member region shall be that form of government initiated by or adhered to by the sitting Regional UN Delegate in the case of Game Founded regions at the time of ratification of this Charter and that form of government initiated by or adhered to by the Regional Founder in Player Founded regions. Those Player Founded regions without a Founder will be subject to the rules set forth for Game Founded regions.
Article II
Should any region, group of regions, alliance or entente threaten a member region of The Union with military force each region will be asked to assist in the defense of said threatened region.
Article III
Should any region, group of regions, alliance or entente threaten a member region of The Union with military force and carry out such threat as to invade said region then all member regions of The Union will be asked to contribute whatever means necessary to assist in the repelling of said invasion and to assist in any counter-offensive if deemed necessary.
Article IV
All military involvement in The Union affairs is voluntary. That being said it is based on the good faith of those signatories of this document that if a member is subject to actions stated in Articles II and III all available military forces will come to the members aid.
Article V
All member regions are expected to share intelligence that is pertinent to other members in a timely fashion. No member will be asked to reveal the source of said intelligence but it can be freely provided. All member regions are expected to share intelligence in regards to imminent invasions, espionage or subversion within another members region.
Article VI
The Union may use it’s military forces to defend those regional governments that seek out our assistance. At no time will The Union interfere with the internal affairs of a region without either specific requests from the regional government to do so or just cause. No unilateral action can be undertaken in The Union's name without a prior vote of approval with a two-thirds (2/3) majority of sitting member regions.
Article VII
Each member region of The Union will have three (3) designated representatives to the Governing Council. The Governing Council will handle primary inter-regional communications and will vote on the admission of new members into The Union. Each member region will select it’s representatives to The Union in the manner it deems most fitting.
Article VIII
Each member region (or potential member region) will decide on the ratification of this Charter according to the laws of their region.
Article IX
New members will be added to The Union only at the invitation from a sitting member and only after all sitting member regions vote on admittance. Each member region will hold a vote among their Governing Council members, this will be the official vote of that member region. Two-thirds (2/3) of the sitting member regions must vote approval before an additional region will be admitted.
Article X
This Charter can be amended with a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of sitting member regions.
Article XI
Upon petition by any representative of The Union regarding the unsuitability of another Union representative or the ejection of another member region of The Union for actions of subversion against a fellow Union member, for actions of espionage against a fellow Union member or for actions in assistance of those that would contribute to subversion or espionage within a fellow Union member region, the Governing Council will convene a hearing to allow for the presentation of evidence and/or arguments for and against expulsion of the accused representative or region. At the conclusion of this hearing (which under no circumstances will last more than 72 hours) the Governing Council (excepting the accused region's representatives) will vote for or against the replacement or expulsion of the accused representative or region respectively.
The voting members of the Governing Council must reach a unanimous decision in the affirmative before a representative or region can be removed from The Union.
