Meeting in Havana Cuba, Representatives of several powers signed a Treaty which will govern their mutual conduct in the Caribbean and adjacent regions.
Signed by the Empire of France, the Empire of New York, the Principality of Manhattan, the Jeffersonian Republic, the Confederate States of America (Galveston), the Republic of Cuba, the New Orleand Federal Republic (Jamaica), and the Anarchy of Curacao, the Treaty acknowledges spheres of influence and sets up a process of "Concord" including a Maritime Congress to meet in Havana four times a year to discuss Navigational and political matters.
The Caribbean Treaty establishes zones of influence in the Caribbean, while stating openly that "most of the island governments of the Caribbean cannot be upheld as governments but as mere polities, deriving their legitimacy from no insrument or principle of government, but rather from the accident of emergency. These polities may be relieved by responsible states, with a preference for peaceful means."
The Treaty does not take a firm stand on slavery stating that "The abolition of human suffering and enslavement is a noble goal and ought to be a priority in the administration of new polities," but falling short of outright condemnation. This is manifestly a bow to the Confederacy which would not endorse any agreement which outlawed slavery.
Likewise the Treaty contains a paragraph excepting the Anarchy of Curacao as "an organized polity formed by modern political theories and processes according to Articles of Anarchy, and entitled to the diplomatic recognition of any organized and Constitutional State."
Influence in the Caribbean is divided into four "spheres" with smaller spheres of influence granted to Curacao and Cuba. The remaineder of the Carib is to be divided between France, Jeffersonia, and The Empire of New York and Manhattan, with New Orleans (Jamaica) and Texas as a single party conducting their own internal negotiations. In general the CSA (Galveston), enmeshed in a war with the Sovereign State of New Orleans (Apophis), is seen as a secondary player, but their strong iron fleet commanded them a position at the table.
The final Treaty is seen heavily as the work of Signor Nico Toscani, the Foreign Secretary of New York, and President Ambrose Hall of New Orleans.
The details of spheres of influence will be decided over the coming years, with an elaborate system which allows for territory, gross domestic product, and population to be taken into account. The Treaty clearly gives the basis for delegitimizing independent island states, many of which are openly piratical, but stops short of calling for the abolition of all local control. "The determination of how administration is to be conducted within a sphere of influence is determined largely by the supervising power. Provided that there are not complaints on the part of other Treaty signatories regarding the harboring of pirates or smugglers, the option of administration by local authorities and control by Treaty is acceptible."
In general this devolves the responsibility for policing against Piracy on the major signatory powers, and contains a commitment to outlaw piracy "within the scope and practicality of the laws of the supervising power."
The inclusion of Curacao in the agreement was seen largely as the work of the Curacao gang Solidar, which has recently seized control of the Island of Tortuga, a claim recognized by the Treaty. The question of adherence on a national level to many provisions which may run against CUracao's own articles is seen as an eventual source of conflict but, as Jeffersonian Representative Barlowe Coltrane stated "it brings them to the table for discussion."
