Gylias-Delkora relations
 Gylias |
 Delkora |
|---|---|
| Diplomatic mission | |
| Gylian Embassy, Norenstal | Delkoran Embassy, Mişeyáke |
The relations between Gylias and Delkora are friendly, and represent a close relationship. Both countries have a long history of contact. Official relations were established in 1959, after a long disruption caused by Xevdenite rule and the Liberation War.
Today, Gylias and Delkora enjoy strong diplomatic relations, as well as sustained cultural exchanges and trade. Both countries are members of the Common Sphere, and Gylias considers Delkora a close ally in its foreign relations.
History
Early interactions
Contact between Delkora and Gylias predates the modern polities, and stretches back to post-antiquity. Trade between the Liúşai League and Delkoran jarls is attested in the 11th–12th centuries.
The Hellenes who settled in the League had some awareness of the Benoan civilisation and the Chersónisos League from before the Viking conquest, and the Chersónisos League was possibly a model for the Liúşai League. A Gylic inscription from 1007 mentions Cybria in its Hellene form, Κύβρῑα (Kýbrīa).
Initially hampered by wars with the Makedonian Empire and internal conflicts, the Peace of Aberald (1385) allowed for sustained relations with the Liúşai League.
Mutual ties developed slowly over subsequent centuries. Delkoran traders and migrants settled in the League states, contributing to the Nordic community presence. The League was visited by scholar Andren Golymir, and is mentioned in his Encyclopedia Tyranica (1632).
In the context of the Southern missions, several League states sent messages congratulating Queen Astrid on her purge of christian missionaries.
Xevdenite period
The Colonisation War (1695–1704) destroyed the Gylic states, and caused a severing of relations.
Diplomatic legations were cautiously exchanged following the Treaty of Aðnat (1754). Delkora used its influence to pressure Xevden over its mistreatment of native populations. Many Delkorans returned to their homeland. Other refugees and migrants fleeing Xevden settled in Delkora, which at times erupted as a political issue.
The Delkoran Civil War and subsequent reforms contributed to a steady erosion of already wary relations with Xevden. By the time the Glorious Rebellion was finally defeated in 1868, diplomatic ties were unofficially severed.
At the same time, unofficial contacts were encouraged by the Gylian ascendancy and subsequent radicalisation of the Gylian population.
Alscia and the Free Territories
The Cacerta-Xevden War resulted in the annexation of part of Xevden by the Cacertian Empire, as the province of Alscia.
The first Gylian polity since the destruction of the Liúşai League, the "hurried province" established international relations of its own in order to undo the isolation of Xevdenite rule. Ties developed with Delkora, encouraged by sympathy for Gylians' struggle and periods of National Labour government. Niels Frederiksen was the first Delkoran chancellor to visit Alscia, declaring during his appearance that, "Delkorans feel a deep empathy for the Gylian struggle because we see in it our own perennial fight to break free from the chains of oppression."
Relations between Alscia and Delkora reached an early pinnacle during the tenure of Sofia Westergaard. Sofia and Governor Donatella Rossetti became close friends: both shared similar public images, political philosophies, and led left–liberal coalitions. Sofia made a few widely-praised official visits to Alscia as Chancellor. Her contribution to Gylian–Delkoran friendship is commemorated through street and other place names in Alscia and Gylias. Sofia looked to Donatella's successful tenure as a model to be emulated by the Liberal Party in Delkora, which ultimately played a role in the Liberal Party split of 1940.
The eruption of the Liberation War and Alscia's decision to join the Free Territories once again froze relations. The conservative governments of Veidnar Albendor and Hjalmar Madsen were suspicious of the Free Territories' anarchism, instead giving covert support to other factions. Some Delkorans served as international volunteers in the People's Army.
Independence
Although Gylias was proclaimed in 1958, establishing official relations with Delkora was delayed until Mette Elvensar became Chancellor, as Hjalmar Madsen's government refused to formally recognize the new state.
The appointment of the Delkoran-raised Erika Ďileş as foreign minister in 1962 allowed relations to flower. Gylias supported Delkora's accession to the Common Sphere in 1965. Close ties developed, aided by good relations with the leftist governments of Mette Elvensar and Geirbjørn Feldengaard. King Haldor VII became the first Delkoran monarch to make an official state visit to Gylias in 1978.
Delkoran popular culture was heavily impacted by the Gylian Invasion. Pop and rock music were galvanised and transformed by Gylian influence. Mutual CS membership significantly increased bilateral trade and encouraged policy cooperation.
Relations suffered during the wretched decade. The Lars af Vellarand government downgraded ties in reaction to the Aén Ďanez government and the Ossorian war crisis of 1986. They cautiously recovered under the Filomena Pinheiro government, but Ulrik Andersen's reluctance stymied further progress until Emma Jørgensen became Chancellor.
Relations between Gylias and Delkora have remained close since. There are regular high-level visits between the two countries, and frequent contacts between their governments. They cooperate in many fields, notably through the CS. Other areas of cooperation include defense policy and intelligence sharing. In 2015, the two countries jointly commemorated the 50th anniversary of the ratification of the Delkora–Gylias Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation.
Economic ties
Delkora is a significant trading partner for Gylias. It is notably a main source of imported automobiles and automobile parts. Major Delkoran imports from Gylias include clothing, jewelry, and electronics.
The two countries are notable for both having large cooperative sectors: Gylias has the largest in Tyran, at 100% of the economy (a distinction shared with Megelan), while Delkora has the fourth largest at 37%.
Political ties
Despite differences in political systems and history, Gylias and Delkora share key similarities in terms of public policy, manifested in the Gylian consensus and New Kingdom program. Both nations are known for their expansive welfare states, heavily-regulated market socialist economies, vibrant civil societies, and comprehensive civil rights protections. The Gylian and Delkoran legal systems also have notable similarities.
Political scientists have noted numerous similarities in the party systems of the two countries, which both feature emergent traffic light coalitions, leftist liberal parties, and a general leftward slant in the political spectrum manifested in progressive conservative groups such as the Gylian National Bloc and the Delkoran New Conservatives.
There are contacts and a degree of international cooperation between like-minded formations: the PA and NL (and other left groups), the PP-CM and the Radical Front, the GP and the Greens, the LU and the Liberals, the Pirates and the Pirate Party, and the NB and the New Conservatives.
The use of Gylias for red-baiting tactics by right-wing Delkorans has occasionally caused problems in relations. At the same time, the Golden Revolution has earned admiration and study as a model among some left-wing groups. In working to build public support for the New Kingdom, Mette Elvensar made frequent reference to Gylias as an example of how bold leftist policies could be successfully implemented. In particular, the "Gylian example" (det gylske eksempel), as she referred to it, was thought of as refuting the conservative argument that the socialization of the economy would inevitably be detrimental to democracy.
Cultural relations
There are extensive cultural links between Gylias and Delkora. Gylian popular culture, particularly music, is popular in Delkora and has been influential on Delkoran popular culture.
The Gylian Invasion reached Delkora when The Beaties burst onto the Delkoran music scene in 1964 with an appearance on the DBS. The band would prove to have a major influence on Delkoran pop and rock and continues to hold the distinction of being one of the most commercially successful music groups in Delkoran history. The Dandys' status as a leading participant in the Gylian Invasion with an all-Delkoran membership was inspirational to many Delkoran garage rock and psychedelic rock acts.
Certain Delkoran groups such as Cheap Trick, St. Etienne, and Deee-Lite have achieved notable success in Gylias.
Many Delkoran artists use the publinet to distribute their works digitally; the indie pop band Eva 6 and the Sublimes and the hip hop group Elysium notably used the publinet to jumpstart their musical careers after being turned down by record labels.
As part of the Gylian Invasion, many Gylian fashion trends became popular in Delkora. This was especially true in the clothing industry, with Delkoran fashion designers in the 1960's seeking to emulate the "Gylian aesthetic" embodied by the georgettes.
The Havomar Report has famously produced recurring segments parodying and commenting on Gylian political culture and elections. These segments often feature the host cutting to the show's Gylias correspondent, who is shown to be on-scene in the country and consuming copious amounts of hallucinogenic drugs while conducting interviews. In recent years, prime ministers Toni Vallas, Kaori Kawashima, and Mathilde Vieira have sat down for interviews on the show.
While the political success of famous Gylians with distinctive images such as Moana Pozzi, Margot Fontaine, or Emilia Malandrino is well-known, it has also given rise to the expression "Gylian parliament" (Gylsk rigsdag or Gylsketing), implying chaos and general disorder with an inability to reach real decisions. The phrase has been a problem for Delkoran media reporting on the Gylian Parliament, requiring disambiguation. DBS and other news outlets' style guides recommend referring to it as Gylsk parlament.
Sustained ties have contributed to a diverse range of Gylian stereotypes in Delkora, drawn from particular aspects of Gylian society. As an adjective, "Gylian" (Gylsk) may imply any of a variety of things: elegant appearance combined with political radicalism, an unusual fusion of elegance and informality, perceived hypersexuality, drug use, an over-large civil service regulating everything in sight, sympathy and indulgence towards lovable rogues, or criminals who break the law for thrills or public sympathy rather than personal gain or violence, to name a few.
These stereotypes, combined with the good-natured ribbing of shows like The Havomar Report, have given a humorous spin to Mette's "Gylian example": not just a lofty vision of democratisation and socialisation of the economy, it is now also used as a good-natured ribbing towards the aspects of Gylias perceived as colourful, strange, or unusual.
Cursory knowledge of the adversary–enemy distinction (particularly as manifested in Gylian politics), the highly-choreographed and ritualistically good sporting nature of rezy matches, and exposure to Gylian action–adventure cinema (particularly Chikageki and Dreamwave Productions) has produced the expression "a very Gylian fight" (en meget gylsk kamp), referring to a physical or verbal conflict remarkable for its high discipline and comic veneer of nearly-aristocratic courtesy. The saying "let's do this like Gylians" (lad os gøre det som gylskere) similarly conveys the sense of comic obsession with propriety and manners in an incongruous situation such as a physical fight or a criminal scheme.
In Gylias, the adjective "Delkoran" is often used in politics in reference to constitutional monarchies with progressive governments. In this context, the term is meant to point out the perceived dissonance between a country that combines political institutions deemed conservative or archaic such as a monarchy, nobility, or state religion with a progressive government of the day or political culture. In leftist policy debates, the term is sometimes used as a friendly critique of an otherwise progressive person who clings to a handful of moderate or conservative stances on particular issues.
In a similar way, in Delkora, the adjective "Gylian" is sometimes used to refer to progressives or leftists that maintain a notably conservative appearance. The decline of Delkora's historical high–low culture split resulted in a less formalistic and at times critical attitude towards clothing, which was transformed by familiarity with the georgettes, ferroses, and socialised luxury elements of the Golden Revolution. Ðaina Levysti's humorous argument for preserving conservative clothing styles amidst radical change was crucial in shaping the Delkoran concept of the well-dressed radical, and Delkorans' perceptions of Gylians as embodying it.