Chapter 1056: The Jerusalem Suez Accord (Skip I will give you free Drive link in the next Chapter)
4th March 1688
Har haBayit, Temple mound
The city of Jerusalem, once embroiled in a war of life and death against the whole of Europe, the same city where blood stains and debris showcasing its destruction was visible in every part of the ancient city, is now completely different, so much so that even the original residents of the city could not recognise it as the same.
All the streets are clean and spotless, with roads matching the specifications of the Bharatiya Empire, widened enough for multiple carriages to travel at a time. Being one of the Bharatiya Empire’s doorways to Europe, the trade made the city prosper, giving the Kingdom of Israel enough finances to rebuild the city to a condition which not only can be considered restoration, but better than it ever was.
The murals, statues, forts, temples, and even the Church of Holy Sepulchre, which was damaged quite badly by the Ottomans during their occupations, had been rebuilt, restored, and made much better.
As for the people, similar to the city, there was a drastic change in their image, temperament, and how they carried themselves. During the war, most of the people that were originally from Jerusalem were extremely sickly, malnourished, and with no light in ther eyes. If there was any redeeming factor, then they only had one thing: the will to live on for a better future. But now the people of Israel are proud; they are proud that they survived, and they are proud that despite centuries of persecution, they managed to rebuild their home, reignite the flame of the Jewish civilization, and reclaim the lost glory.
Each and every Jew, similar to a Bharatiya, held their head high and walked without being burdened by the gaze of outsiders. They unapologetically wore their traditional clothes with Bharatiya colours and spoke in Hebrew and Bharati without any compromise.
The port of Shahamon, being right at the end of the Gulf of Aqiba, became one of the two major ports of the Kingdom of Israel. The port was filled with Bharatiya traders coming in droves with industrial Bharatiya goods and exchanged for endowments of gold, silver, and in some cases minerals and special products from Europe. Driven by the trade, the port city of Shahamon had constantly become the economic driver of Southern Israel, improving the livelihood of Israeli citizens in the southern part of the kingdom by a lot.
In such a kingdom, which had seen so many changes, another major change was taking place right this moment.
In the Har haBayit, the Temple mound, a holy place of the Jewish nation which is only used during important meetings, a large number of people had gathered. All were seated around the roundtable with serious expressions on their faces.
In the glow of the torch burning, Minister of External Affairs of the Bharatiya Empire, S Jaishankar, could be seen standing up, holding in his hands an exquisite piece of paper etched with beautiful borders.
The Portuguese, the Greek, the Israeli, and the Egyptian all looked at Jaishankar without beating an eye, as they held their breaths waiting for him to speak. However, Jaishankar was not in a hurry; after he quickly perused through the treaty that had been drawn up after a month of negotiation, he looked at Agni and nodded, as if to signify that everything was alright and also to inquire if he should proceed.
Agni, sitting on the main seat in front of Minister of Justice Bhuvan and Minister of Finance Jagannath Mohan, representing the Bharatiya Empire, nodded in agreement.
Getting the confirmation, Jaishankar started to read out the treaty with a clear and articulate voice.
" The Jerusalem Suez accord "
" Between the Bharatiya Empire, the Kingdom of Israel, the Kingdom of Egypt, the United Greek Socialist Republic, and the Kingdom of Portugal "
King Ezekiel Oppenheimer, King Alfonso IV de Briganza, Georgios Paleologos, and Ibrahim Hassan al-Masri all immediately started to pay attention to the treaties in their own hands, staring at it word for word without blinking their eyes.
" Whereas the undersigned sovereign nations recognise the immense strategic, economic, and commercial benefits of establishing a maritime passage connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea "
" Whereas the construction of such a canal shall facilitate international trade, reduce travel between Europe and Bharat and Asia as a whole, and promote prosperity among all participating nations "
" Whereas the Bharatiya Empire possesses the technical expertise, financial resources, and vision necessary to undertake this monumental project "
" Now therefore, the parties hereby agree to the following terms and conditions "
Jaishankar placed down the paper, looked at everyone, and declared as he picked up the second paper on the table, " Now I will read out the eleven articles, please pay attention "
" Article 1 handles the project definition and specifications "
" The parties agree to construct a navigable maritime canal, henceforth known as the Suez Canal, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the territory between the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Egypt "
" The Swiss Canal shall be constructed according to the following specifications "
" Total length: approximately hundred and ninety kilometres "
" Canal width: minimum of 205 meters "
" Canal depth: minimum of 24 meters "
" Maximum vessel capacity: designed to accommodate vessels displacing up to 12,000 tonnes "
" Transit capacity: the canal shall permit two-way traffic with designated passing zones "
" The construction shall commence within 60 days of the signing of this treaty and shall be completed within four to five years from the date of commencement, subject to unforeseen circumstances beyond reasonable control "
After reading the first article, Jaishankar gave a pause to see if anyone had anything to add, and sure enough, King of Portugal, Alphonso IV de Briganza, raised his voice.
" Is reducing the specifications really non-negotiable? Although I can understand being prepared for the future, but isn’t 12,000 tonnes a little over the board? Even the largest ships of, not to mention my nation, even the Bharatiya Empire’s navy is only 5,000 tonnes. Anything more than that is almost physically impossible, so why build a canal rated for 12,000 tonnes? "
This was not the first time he brought up this topic, but every time he was rejected, and this time it was no different, as Jaishankar shook his head and told that the matter could not be negotiated. Alfonso could only sigh and quiet down. He could not understand why the Bharatiya Empire was so persistent. If it was any other time, he would simply withdraw from the project, but the Suez Canal project was very important to Portugal in order to gain some influence in the Mediterranean, which it had lost to the Spanish. So although he felt like it was a waste of money, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and fork out the money, thinking that in the end it was all worth it.
Apart from Alfonso, no one else spoke, so Jaishankar continued to the second article.
" The total investment required for the construction of the Suez Canal is established at 28 billion varaha, equivalent to approximately 308 metric tonnes worth of gold "
" The Bharatiya Empire will personally invest 16.8 billion, and as agreed earlier, the Kingdom of Israel and Egypt will both invest 5.6 billion. The Kingdom of Portugal will invest 4.2 billion. The United Greek Socialist Republics will invest over 2.8 billion varaha "
" All the contributions will be settled on a quarterly basis "
" All the contributed funds will be held and distributed by the Suez Canal Company under joint oversight of a financial committee comprising one representative from each contributing nation, with the Bharatiya Empire holding chairmanship "
" Coming to article three "
" The UGSR shall provide the majority of unskilled labour force required for the construction of the Suez Canal, estimated at 2 billion varaha within the investment "
" The Kingdom of Egypt and Israel shall provide all the skilled labour, logistical support, and local coordination "
" The Bharatiya Empire shall provide all the chief engineers, technical advisers, locomotive operators, steam tractor operators, and specialised machinery personnel necessary for the project "
" Construction materials team, locomotives team, tractors, excavation machinery, and all mechanical equipment shall be procured primarily through Bharatiya supplies, with local sourcing permitted for non-critical materials such as timber, stone, and basic provisions "
" Moving to the fourth article "
" A publicly listed joint-stock company shall be established under the name the Suez Canal Company for the purpose of managing, operating, and maintaining the canal upon its completion. The company shall be incorporated under the laws of the Bharatiya Empire, with recognition from all signatory nations "
" The Suez Canal Company shall have a total valuation of 35 billion varaha, within which 80% is held by the five participating nations, and 20% is held by the public shareholding, valued at 7 billion varaha "
" A total of 70 million shares will be issued at a value of 100 varaha per share to the public, comprising 20% of the total company "
" The company will be primarily joint listed in Mangaluru Stock Exchange and Kolkata Stock Exchange, each accounting for 10% of the shares being made public "
" The company will meet the public under special provisions of the Ministry of Finance, where citizens from other nations can purchase the shares after showcasing the citizenship "
" The eligible nations include the Bharatiya Empire, Kingdom of Israel, Kingdom of Egypt, Kingdom of Portugal, the 5 state-owned investment departments and peoples funds of the United Greek Socialist Republics (UGSR), all the vassal kingdoms of the Bharatiya Empire, and any registered trade houses and merchant guilds of the above nations "
" Some of the provisions include no single entity may hold more than 0.5% of public share, and government shareholders may not sell their shares for a period of 25 years from the date of canal completion "
" The dividend policy includes that the Suez Canal Company shall distribute no less than 40% of annual net profits as dividends to all shareholders proportionate to their holdings, with the remaining 50% retained for canal maintenance and improvements, reserve funds for accumulation, and 10% for expansion and modernising projects "
" When it comes to the voting rights, the Bharatiya Empire retains the majority voting rights equivalent to 51%, while chairing the board of directors, chairing the managing director of the Suez Canal Company, and 3 additional board directors "
" Each minority government shareholder from Israel, Egypt, UGSR, and Portugal shall appoint one director to the board "
" The public shareholders shall collectively elect two independent directors to represent the retail investor interests, in total making up 11 directors on the board "
" On ordinary resolutions, a simple majority based on shareholding percentage will be held "
" On voting for special resolutions, like decisions affecting toll rates, transit regulations, major capital expenditures exceeding 500 million, or amendments to the company charter, approval from shareholders representing at least 75% of total shares is required "
" Each minority government shareholder possesses veto rights against unilateral proposals made by any other single minority government shareholder "
" The Bharatiya Empire overrides objections from any two minority government shareholders simultaneously "
" Any resolution unanimously supported by all four minority government shareholders may challenge a Bharatiya Empire decision, subject to binding arbitration under article 9 "
" Public shareholders may have no veto rights, but may petition the board through their independent directors "
" Public shareholders shall receive the same dividend rate per share as government shareholders. Annual audited financial statements shall be provided and made available to all shareholders. Public shareholders may attend annual general meetings and vote on resolutions through proxy or in person "
" Coming to article five "
" The Bharatiya Empire shall be granted the right to establish and maintain permanent naval and military installations on both the Mediterranean and the Red Sea entrances of the Suez Canal. Each naval base shall include port facilities for warships up to top-of-the-line battleships, cruisers, frigates, and clippers; dry dock facilities capable of servicing vessels of up to 15,000 tonnes; Vajra Gharba fortresses capable of housing 2,000 military personnel; artillery emplacements and coastal defence fortifications; warehousing and supply depots sufficient for six months of provisions; Arkha Dristhi and firework communications for rapid communications; hospital facilities with capacity of 200 patients "
" The canal shall remain under the nominal sovereignty of the Suez Canal Company, with the operational control, administration, and security resting exclusively with the Bharatiya Empire Navy. The Bharatiya Empire shall have extraterritorial rights within the base boundaries "
" Article 6 covers transit rights and toll collection "
" The Suez Canal Company shall establish a toll structure based on vessel gross registered tonnage, cargo type and classification, transit priority level, and vessel flag of registration "
" The initial toll rate shall be set at 5 varahas per tonne of registered tonnage for standard merchant ships "
" Vessels registered under the flags of signatory nations shall receive the following benefits "
" 20% discount on standard toll rates, priority berthing at canal anchorage, expedited passage scheduling, reduced waiting times at canal entrances "
" Bharatiya privileges include all vessels of the Bharatiya Navy transiting without charge, Bharatiya-flagged merchant vessels receive 50% reduction on toll rates, Bharatiya government vessels transit without charge, priority passage guaranteed within six hours of arrival "
" All toll revenues shall be deposited into the Suez Canal Company treasury. Revenue distribution shall follow the order of priority decided by the company "
" The financial year shall run from April 1st to March 31st, following the Bharatiya fiscal calendar "
" Article 7 includes territorial and sovereignty considerations "
" The Suez Canal is decided as the border between the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Egypt, with the territorial sovereignty completely under the Suez Canal Company, and its management, operational, and military rights resting with the Bharatiya Empire "
" The Suez Canal Company shall possess perpetual right of way through the entire length of the canal, exceeding 500 metres on each side of the canal centre line, for purposes of maintaining and dredging operations, security patrols and surveillance, construction of service roads and infrastructure, installation of navigational aids and communication systems, environmental monitoring and protection "
" The Kingdom of Israel and The Kingdom of Egypt grants the Suez Canal Company the right of eminent domain for any lands necessary for construction, expansion, or operation. Compensation to affected landowners shall be fair market value with 25% premium, resettlement assistance, priority employment opportunity, and alternative land allocated where feasible "
" Article 8 includes environmental and social provisions, with several measures to minimise environmental degradation, several measures for labour protection and welfare, and several measures for local economic development and employment preferences once the canal is completed, which is to be discussed in the future "
" Article 9 handles dispute resolution, where any disputes arising from the interpretation or implementation of this treaty shall be resolved through binding arbitration rather than military or diplomatic confrontation "
" The arbitration panel shall consist of five members, one arbitrator appointed by each signatory nation involved in the dispute, additional neutral arbitrators appointed by non disputing signatories, and, if necessary, a chairman elected from the list of approved international jurists "
" Article 10 includes duration, amendment, and succession "
" The treaty shall remain in force for 99 years from the date of signing, automatically renewable for successive 99-year terms unless terminated by unanimous consent of all signatory nations "
" Amendments to this treaty must be proposed in writing by at least one signatory, approved by at least four of the five signatory nations, ratified through each nation’s respective legislative or sovereign processes, and not implemented until all approving nations shall have completed ratification. The Bharatiya Empire possesses the right to veto any amendment that would materially reduce its shareholding, operational control, or naval base rights "
" In the event of government change, territorial reorganisation, or dynastic succession in any signatory nation, the successor government or entity shall be bound by this treaty and shall succeed to all rights and obligations herein "
" Article 11 miscellaneous provisions states that the official languages shall be Bharati, Hebrew, Egyptian, Greek, and Portuguese, with all versions having equal legal standing. In case of discrepancies in interpretation, the Bharati version shall prevail as the authoritative text "
" The Ministry of External Affairs of the Bharatiya Empire shall serve as the treaty depository. Certified copies of the treaty shall be provided to all signatory nations. All official communication, notifications, and amendments shall be transmitted through the depository "
With that, the Jerusalem Suez Accord was signed. The witnesses of the treaty were Minister of External Affairs Jaishankar, Minister of Finance Jagannath Mohan, and Minister of Trade and Commerce Rajesh. Representing the Kingdom of Portugal was Duke Olivera, representing UGSR Konstantinos Mavros, representing the Kingdom of Israel Brandon Silverstein, and representing the Kingdom of Egypt Salim Mohammed.
In the main signatories, representing the Bharatiya Empire was His Highness, Prince Agni Devaraya. Representing the Kingdom of Israel was His Majesty, King Eziquel Oppenheimer. Representing the Kingdom of Egypt was His Majesty, King Ibrahim Hassan al-Masri. Representing the United Greek Socialist Republics was His Excellency, General Secretary Georgios Paleologos. Representing the Kingdom of Portugal was His Majesty, King Alfonso IV de Braganza.
P.S. If you enjoyed this Chapter, I’m deeply sorry that you have so few options, since your preference is a niche inside a niche.