Charter of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization

The following is the Charter of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Preamble

We the Sovereign Nations of NATO, in order to form a more Just, Fair, and Fun Union, while providing for the common defense and economic well being of ourselves, do hereby establish this Charter for The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

The NATO motto shall be, "Peace Through Superior Firepower."

NATO Charter

NATO, in an effort to better serve its members, hereby enacts this charter for The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

The purpose of NATO is to preserve democracy, protect and serve its member nations, and promote fun above all else.

This charter may not be changed without the express consent of the member nations of NATO. To affect such a change, a thread detailing the proposed changes must be created, and the membership notified of its existence via in-game PMs. This thread shall remain open for a minimum of five days after member notification.

After five days, and once the Secretary General deems the discussion sufficient, a voting thread will be opened and shall remain open for five days. A minimum 66% vote in favor of the proposal is required to instate the change.

Article 1 - Members

NATO members are encouraged to participate to the fullest extent they are comfortable with. You will get out of NATO what you put into it.

By joining NATO you receive the protection of The Alliance in exchange for your willing defense in times of need. An attack against one NATO member is an attack against all of NATO.

The NATO Alliance membership, as a body, has the right to veto any decision made by any government official. They may also remove any government official from office. Either action requires a 66% majority vote. Votes shall be open for 48 hrs after in-game PM notification, and the 66% majority is of the people who actually vote during that time, not 66% of all people flying the NATO AA.

Additionally, all NATO members are expected to behave themselves and play nice with each other.

These are your responsibilities:

• All nations must abide by the Rules of Engagement (RoE).
• NATO members will move to the official Alliance color, within 30 days of acceptance as a full member, and you must stay on that color until such time as NATO moves to another team color, unless you joined NATO before March 5, 2010 or are permitted to change color by the Secretary of Commerce for purposes of trade.
• In times of war, NATO members may be called upon to help defend your brothers in arms from NATO's enemies and you will be required to respond to the best of your ability, providing whatever aid or assistance is needed/appropriate to the Alliance.
• NATO members will vote for the designated Official Team Color Senator.
• NATO members are expected to behave in a respectful manner towards their fellow NATO members in game and on our forums. NATO members are prohibited from being a severe nuisance by making posts characterized as being generally mean spirited or hate filled with a frequency such that one can be described as a constant malcontent.
• NATO members will also present a responsible and professional face to the International Community.
• During times of war, NATO members are prohibited from sending aid to the enemy, or those who are helping the enemy.
• Member nations who accept starting aid must remain with the alliance for at least 45 days or repay the entire aid if they wish to leave prior to that time.
• No NATO member shall use multiple accounts in CN or in the NATO forums, nor shall they have one nation in NATO and another nation in another alliance.

As a NATO member, you have the following rights:

• You have the right to use your nation's resources in any way they choose, however NATO also reserves the right to provide preferential aid and assistance to nations that are best utilizing their resources.
• You have the right to request military assistance if you are attacked. Members must follow established procedures to obtain this assistance. NATO guarantees assistance to those who follow the established procedures.
• You have the absolute right to not be threatened by Zero Infrastructure or Permanent Zero Infrastructure unless you commit Treason, defined below. You have the right to speak out against the current NATO government, suggest or request change, or voice a dissenting opinion in the NATO forums without fear of the punishment for Treason. However, while these listed activities are not treason, should the speech rise to the level of harassment, other judicial remedies may apply.
• You have the right to due process under law for any alleged violation of the charter, RoE, or law and you shall be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
• You have the right to be free from any secret laws, as these shall not apply to you.
• You shall not be subjected to secret trials. However, evidence deemed sensitive to the security of the alliance can be presented against you if the Sensitive Evidence Tribunal deems it appropriate.
• You have the right to vote on issues that affect the alliance as whole.
• You have the right to vote in general elections.
• You have the right to be free of all taxes unless the NATO alliance shall be forced to pay Reparations as part of peace terms from a war.
• You have the right to maintain all trade agreements, even with enemies in times of war.
• You have the right to leave the alliance at any time, save during times when NATO is engaged in active warfare with another alliance or when you have pending debts (unless departure is authorized by a member of the Council), providing you post a departure message in the appropriate NATO forum.

Article 2 - Government

Section 1

NATO shall be governed by a Council of Secretaries, chaired by the Secretary General, and shall put to vote any decisions regarding external or internal affairs not relating to internal justice, including but not limited to: treaty signings, bloc decisions, war declarations, and policy changes. A simple majority (51%) is required to pass a vote. Each Secretary shall have one vote on Council. In the event of a tie, the Secretary General shall have two votes.

Each Secretary will have their own specific responsibilities, duties, and authority, but must also work together to reach decisions on issues of importance to the alliance. Each Secretary is expected to pursue their duties vigorously and are responsible for the day-to-day running of the alliance. Failure or abuse of their authority will be checked by the membership's ability to veto their decisions and remove them from power. Gross violations of their duties and responsibilities may be met with harsh punishment from the government after they have been removed from office.

Section 2

All government officials are expected to work to better NATO and help the NATO membership, not to play power games with each other.

Where the release of internal discussion and decisions of the various government agencies will not harm the security of NATO, they are expected to release said material in as timely a manner as possible.

Section 3

Elections shall be held every three months to elect the entire NATO government.

Any member may nominate another member, or may self nominate, but self nominations must be seconded. A nominated member must accept the nomination to officially enter an election, and may only accept one nomination, participating in the race for only one position per election period.

Nomination threads will be created on the forums ten days prior to the start of the new term, and shall remain open for two days. Candidates will be allowed three days of campaigning after the nomination period.

Following the campaigning period, voting threads will opened for each position in the Election District forum and shall remain open for five days.

Winners will be defined as the candidate with the most votes, not necessarily needing a majority. In the event of a tie, the current Council will decide (via vote, majority being 51% or more) the winner of the race as their last act, candidate's choice.

Section 4

In the event that the Secretary General resigns or is removed from office, and less than one-half of their full term remains, then a Secretary may be appointed by the remaining Council to carry out the duration of the term as an acting Secretary General. If more than half of the full term remains, then a by-election will be held to elect a replacement. In the event this happens during an emergency of war, the Secretary of Defense may temporarily assume the Secretary General duties until a replacement is found or elected.

In the event that a Secretary resigns or is removed from office, and less than one-half of their full term remains, then a Deputy may be appointed by the Secretary General to carry out the duration of the term as an acting Secretary. If more than half of the full term remains, then a by-election will be held to elect a replacement.

Section 5

The offices, duties, responsibilities, and respective authorities of each position are as follows:

Secretary General (SG): Chairs the Council and brings new decisions to vote. Oversees all operations and helps where needed. Acts as a representative to the bloc. Acts as voice of NATO to the public. Works with SoFA in discussions and peace negotiations. In agreement with SoD, able to declare war when required by a mutual defense treaty clause. In agreement with Council, able to declare war for any other purpose.

Secretary of Commerce (SoC): Oversees the Treasury Department. Assembles regular aid falls for graduates and tech falls for larger members. Assists members with forming trade circles. Responsible for Bank creation. Appoints a cabinet to help audit nations for aid falls. Has constant communication with SoD to ensure timely aid distribution during war times and to promote military readiness for nations. Enlists nations to help with tech and trade circle formation. Shall appoint a Deputy in charge of managing the trades or tech development of the alliance.

Secretary of Defense (SoD): Oversees military structure and development. Appoints Military Commanders based on merit and activity. Works with allied leadership to coordinate strikes and target lists, works to increase Battalion readiness and reactivity. Works with SoC to help distribute aid to needy nations. If the Secretary General is absent during a time of war, then the SoD may temporarily assume the responsibilities of SG until the SG returns. Representative to bloc.

Secretary of Enlistment (SoE): Oversees Recruiting and NATO University. Responsible for creating letters, organizing recruit teams, creates aid program for recruitment, passes or fails cadets, produces curriculum and requirements for graduation, organizes NATO Guides, works with SoC to distribute startup aid, and assists recruits with basic needs.

Secretary of Foreign Affairs (SoFA): Works with Secretary General in treaty discussion, peace negotiations, and OWF presence. Responsible for the maintenance of good relations with other alliances. Responsible for the masking of new foreign ambassadors and embassy creation. Appoints ambassadors from the membership to help maintain embassies here and abroad. Representative to bloc.

Section 6

Each Secretary may appoint Deputies to assist them with their responsibilities and the day-to-day management of their department. Deputies may also be shared amongst departments.

Section 7

There shall be one Chief Justice, who may appoint up to two Secondary Justices (Prosecutor and Defense). The Chief Justice shall have a voice, but not a vote, on the Council. The Chief Justice is also responsible for managing and monitoring NATO Government elections; such as announcements, nomination, campaign, voting and results threads.

The Chief Justice is responsible for reviewing all Cases that are brought to the court and shall decide whether the evidence and type of case warrants enacting the Precedent Policy, or if a Trial is required. During Trials, he/she is responsible for maintaining court procedure and finally to pass verdict and sentencing on the Case itself. The Chief Justice is also responsible for mediating all member disputes which may not necessarily need Court action.

The Prosecutor is responsible for conducting the case against a Defendant, and to recommend the verdict and sentencing of the crime based on the evidence provided. The Prosecutor will also recommend which punishments are necessary for Policy Breaches where the convictions are automatic. If no Prosecutor has been appointed, the task of prosecution shall be undertaken by an elected member of the government, other than the Chief Justice.

At the option of the Defendant, the Defense is responsible for conducting the case on behalf of a Defendant, to prove their innocence of the alleged charges, or to recommend sentencing based on the evidence provided. The Defense will also recommend punishment for Policy Breaches where convictions are automatic. If no Defense has been appointed, the Defendant may ask any member in good standing to aid in their defense. Should no such member prove willing, an elected member of the government must assume the role, and shall assist the Defendant to the best of their ability.

The Justices do not police the government. The government is policed by the general membership via veto or removal votes. Secretaries are, however, subject to the same rules and laws as every other NATO member, and thus can be prosecuted for individual (as opposed to governmental) crimes.

Section 8

In the event the Chief Justice resigns with more than one-half term remaining, then a by-election shall be held for a replacement. If less than one-half term remains, or in the event of temporary inactivity, then the Secretary General shall appoint a Councilor Emeritus, Deputy or Secondary Justice to assume the duties of acting Chief Justice only if the need for a Chief Justice arises. In the event that the Chief Justice is inactive or resigned during the election phase, the Secretary General shall assume the responsibilities for managing the election or appoint them to someone else.

Article 3 - The Justice System

Items not covered under this section are open to interpretation by the sitting justice system based on Alliance policy, and conditions on planet Bob.

Rules of Engagement (RoE) violations:

• Trial information will be contained in the Active Conflict Watch thread. Members in violation may request council or defend themselves in the thread. In all cases immediate responses may be handled by any sitting Council member handling the violation.
• Immediate response will be subject to review for legality by the Chief Justice based on alliance charter and policy.
• Changes may be made and further penalties assessed by the Justice department after the case has been presented including: Reparations to the affected nation, additional reps to NATO nations per the Secretary of Commerce, removal of member in good standing status, reduction of member mask to cadet status for retraining, expulsion from NATO (for repeat offenses only), and assignment to the ACW to become more familiar with RoE violations.

General policy violations/member complaints:

• A thread will be designated in the Justice department area. ONLY those with business regarding the case may post in the thread, but will be seen by all members in good standing. Those violating this are subject to forum warnings or further prosecution from the justice department as determined by the Chief Justice.
• The Defendant may post in the thread, or may be represented by the Defense Counsel. Both will speak on the behalf of the Defendant.
• The Prosecutor will be the ONLY Government representative to post on behalf of the government of the member pressing charges. In the event the Prosecutor is unable to perform his/her duties, the Secretary General may stand in this person's place.
• Trials will continue until both Prosecution and Defendants rest their case, or a maximum of 72 hours. At that time the thread will be closed by the Chief Justice and a decision posted within 24 hours.
• Membership may request a retrial by Council members by a member in good standing posting said request in the Justice department, and being seconded by two other members in good standing.
• In a retrial by the Council, Secretaries may ask for further clarification on issues, hear new evidence and continue the case for another 72 hour period. Again a 24 hour voting period will begin, failure to achieve a majority ruling to overturn will result in the original ruling to remain effective. There is no appeal process for a retrial.