Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to ATO and EATA nations
| Aquitayne Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to ATO and EATA nations | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Foreign Office | |
| Style |
|
| Status | Minister of the Crown |
| Member of |
|
| Reports to | Prime Minister Foreign Secretary |
| Seat | Telora |
| Nominator | The Monarch |
| Appointer | The Monarch (on the advice of the Prime Minister) |
| Term length | At His Majesty's pleasure |
| Formation |
|
| First holder | Augustus Vrandrys (as Secretarial Envoy) |
The Parliamentary under-secretary of state to ATO and EATA nations is a senior minister of the Crown within the Government of Aquitayne. The Under-Secretary is the direct representative to the East Astyrian Treaty Alliance and the Astyrian Trade Organization. The Under-Secretary represents Aquitaynian interests to both organizations and works concurrently with the standing ambassador's to the Blackhelm Confederacy and Kobolis.
History
Formation of the EATA
Aquitayne was a founding member of the EATA, participating in the treaty signing in Paradise City on 7 May, 1952. As a result of Aquitayne creating the then newly-formed economic and political bloc, Sugard I created a separate but equal position to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, at the time known as His Majesty's Secretarial Envoy to the East Astyrian Treaty Organization. This position was, from the blocs creation in 1952 to Aquitayne's eventual withdrawal in 1982, one of the most powerful positions in the nation's government and historically was only given to the staunchest allies and friends of the monarch.
Throughout the 30 year existence of this position, the function of the role acted as the personal emmissary of the monarch to the international organization. They rarely interfaced with the Foreign Office or Secretary of State for governmental policy guidance, as the position was solely granted by the monarch themselves and the holders of the office rarely saw the point in compromising with parliamentary goals. This was a constant source of concern for various Prime Ministers as they had little influence or control over what the monarch or the Envoy did or said at meetings or behind closed doors to allies.
Aquitaynian withdrawal from the EATA
In 1981, the Aquitaynian parliament voted on, and passed, a resolution calling for a national referendum on the continued membership of the nation in the East Astyrian Treaty Alliance. One of the major factors contributing to members of government calling for this referendum was the almost unchecked power the Secretarial Envoy wielded in foreign affairs. The envoy's ability to create foreign policy without the consideration of the government, and sometimes the monarch, became too much for the elected members and Lords. Though calls to Sugard I in previous years to curb the power of the envoy had gone unheeded, the King could not ignore the voice of the people.
From a social standpoint, the marriage of Empress Seondok Kiramashi-Reich and Thomas I's son, Jacob I, provided the political class an accessible way to back out of the treaty without seeming to give up any of the economic or defense-related benefits it provided. To that end, they proposed using the royal marriage between Symphonia's Empress and a member of the direct royal family to create a new United Kingdom between the two states, with Symphonia as the junior member due to the male-female dichotomy.
With the referendum occurring later that same year, and with a majority of Aquitaynians being for the creation of the United Kingdom, the role of the Secretarial Envoy quickly diminished. In that last year before Aquitayne's complete departure, they were tasked with finalizing the removal of military assets across Hesperidesia and renegotiating much of the economic and social benefits that the EATA charter had granted both sides. Much of what was already in place remained so afterward, and in 1985 the position was officially moved under the prevue of the Prime Minister and the Foreign Office.
Contemporary era (1982-present)
With the dissolution of Aquitayne's membership in the EATA, the focus of what the responsibilities of this position shifted. The Prime Minister expected the individual to not only represent the nation's interests to the EATA, but the Astyrian Treaty Organization as well. Ironically, the power and importance of this under-secretary position became even greater than its predecessor iteration, but due to the appointment process and oversight of the role now being managed by the government, it was seen as much less of a threat.
Currently, the Under-Secretary retains residence officially in the Aquitaynian embassy in Paradise City, Blackhelm Confederacy. The Under-Secretary retains residence there for six months out of the year with another six months being spent in Caprica. After two six-month rotations, the Under-Secretary is given a six-month rotation in Aquitayne to spend time at home. Due to this rotation, this position in the cabinet is unique due to its importance and proximity to the parties the secretary deals with on a regular basis. No other under-secretary is expected to live outside Aquitayne regularly, and this is done as a sign of respect and of the importance these two blocs hold in the region. The Under-Secretary is often seen as a mediator for the two blocs and Aquitayne sees itself as a neutral third party continually willing to step in and provide arbitration, much of which is handled directly by the Under-Secretary and Secretary of State.
List of office holders
List of Secretarial Envoys (1952-1982)
List of Under-Secretaries (1982-present)
| Portrait | Name | Term of office | Party | Ministry | Monarch (Reign) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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|
Kaya Kurokawa MP for 334th District |
15 November 2019 | Present | Royalist | Larrow II | Samuel I (2012-Present) | |