Assumption Accords

The Framework for Peaceful Co-Existence on Urlazio and Sarpedon, more commonly known as the Assumption Accords, was an agreement reached by the governments of Caphiria and Urcea, settling long standing disputes over territorial boundaries on Urlazio. The agreement entailed territorial cessions of Urcean Urlazio and the island of Coribus to Caphiria in exchange for Caphirian recognition of New Yustona and Urcea's involvement in The Deluge, a demilitarization of Urlazio and the greater Dorhaven region, in addition to creation of free trade zones in the same areas. As part of the agreement, Urcea ceased recognition of the Veltorine government-in-exile and ordered it to leave Dorhaven, where it had resided since the end of the Great War. The Accords also called for the withdrawal of Xalesia from the Levantia and Odoneru Treaty Association, which occurred prior to the end of 2034, though Urcea would guarantee the nation's independence. The negotiation provided for a separate agreement reached later between the two powers allowed for Caphirian investment into Urcea's Cronan sphere territories and protectorates, which was reached later in early 2035. Former Procurator and Special Envoy to Caphiria Michael Witte lead the negotiating team for Urcea. The Accords are widely agreed to have brought about the end of the Occidental Cold War, and also opened the door for further negotiations that resulted in the Eight Points Agreement, ending the schism between Caphiria and the rest of the Catholic Church.

Background

As part of a general policy of containment and defense of the Holy Levantine Empire specifically and Levantia in general, the Apostolic Kingdom of Urcea adopted a policy of gaining land to create a buffer between the growing Caphirian influence and itself. At the end of the War of Urlazio, Urcea acquired a small strip of land on eastern Urlazio with several ports and fortresses in order to protect Urcean interests in the Occidental Territory. Urcea later acquired a territorial interest in Dorhaven in 1782 as part of its support for Veltorine independence. These events created the Caphirian perception of Levantine Creep, sparking several centuries of animosity between Urcea and Caphiria and a source of diplomatic tension between the two countries.

Negotiation

Low level negotiations between Urcea and Caphiria began as early as 2029, with Urcean diplomats interested in including Caphirian investors in projects in New Yustona and other future area in Punth, but were rebuked after the Caphirian Government publicly began a "No-Deals-Without-Urlazio" policy. Negotiations broke off until February of 2033, when Urcean diplomats offered the recently-acquired island of Coribus for demilitarization in the Dorhaven and Urlazio areas alongside a free trade and free travel agreement. These talks continually escalated until high level negotiations - including between King Riordan VIII and Imperator Constantinus I themselves. Urcean negotiators finally agreed to cede the Urlazio Strip to Caphiria following Riordan's intervention; it is claimed that the King informed negotiators to work with an "assume good faith" attitude towards the Caphirians.