CLXXXVII Jon. I 2022 (Foreign Relations)

The purpose of this Act is to grant recognition to Avalonia, the Gymnasium State, New Athens, the Kingdom of Pontunia, Revalia, Salanda, and Snagov; to make reforms concerning ambassadorial rank and remit; to confirm ratification of the Treaty of Friendship & Mutual Recognition with Dracul; and to approve the Imperial Decree of HIM Emperor Jonathan I numbered LV while appending relevant clauses concerning the precedence of foreign dignitaries.

XXVII Jon. I 2014 (Diplomacy), Paragraph 4, Subsection D is hereby repealed.

1. Diplomats assigned to a particular region or subdivision of a sovereign state which already has an Ambassador assigned to it shall hold the rank of Consul-General, the position of Austenasian Consul-General in Remit, and the style of Excellency.

2. Diplomats assigned to particularly large cities, or those of particular administrative or cultural importance, shall be appointed Envoy to that city, with the position of Austenasian Envoy to Remit, and shall hold the style of Excellency.

3. Consuls-General and Envoys assigned to a region, subdivision or city fall directly under the authority of the Ambassador to that country. No sub-hierarchies of diplomats beyond this (excepting the authority of the Chief Ambassador and – where applicable – an Ambassador-at-Large) shall be established.

4. Ambassadors and Consuls-General both may appoint diplomatic staff to represent their offices in settlements with no Envoy.

In accordance with Paragraph 3 of this same Act, the following changes are hereby made to the diplomatic offices of Austenasia:

1. The positions of Consul-General at Ahmedabad, Consul-General at Bengaluru, Consul at Coimbatore, Consul-General at Kolkata, Consul at Lucknow, Consul-General at Madrid, Consul at Nanchang, Consul-General at New Delhi, and Consul-General at Sydney shall henceforth be Envoys to said cities, with the style of Excellency, and fall directly under the authority of the Ambassador to the respective country.

2. The position of Consul in Tamil Nadu shall henceforth be Envoy to Chennai, with the style of Excellency, and fall directly under the authority of the Ambassador to India.

3. The position of Consul in the Isle of Man, and the positions of Consuls in the various U.S. states to which they have been appointed, shall from henceforth be Consuls-General to said remits, with the style of Excellency, and fall directly under the authority of the Ambassador to the respective country (the Consul-General in the Isle of Man falling under the jurisdiction of the Ambassador to the United Kingdom, given the responsibility of the latter for the representation of the former in regards to foreign affairs).

The Empire of Austenasia hereby confirms ratification of the Treaty of Friendship & Mutual Recognition between the Commonwealth of Dracul and the Empire of Austenasia, signed by the Prime Minister of Austenasia on 2 July 2022, in accordance with Paragraph 6 of XXXV Dec. I 2012.

In accordance with Article IV, Section D, Paragraph C of the Austenasian Constitution of 2011, the House of Representatives hereby grants its approval and consent to the Imperial Decree of HIM Emperor Jonathan I numbered LV (decreed on 27 August 2022), thereby making it permanent law. In accordance with the provision of said same Imperial Decree inviting Parliament to make additions and clarifications to the order of precedence, the following are made in regards to foreign dignitaries:

1. A sovereign Emperor or Empress is ranked alongside the Monarch.

2. A sovereign King or Queen is ranked above the Prime Minister, and below the Consuls.

3. Princes and Princesses are ranked together, graded by style, with sovereigns ranking above non-sovereigns with that same style.

4. Sovereign Grand Dukes and Great Princes are ranked together, graded by style, above Princes and Princesses but below Archdukes and Archduchesses. Non-sovereign Grand Dukes and Great Princes are ranked alongside Princes and Princesses, likewise graded by style.

5. Sovereign Dukes and Duchesses are ranked above non-sovereigns of said title but below Princes and Princesses.

6. Foreign nobility shall be ranked, as far as is possible, alongside their Austenasian equivalents.

7. Foreign knights shall be ranked as considered appropriate by the host of the event in question.

8. Ambassadors of a foreign sovereign are ranked as if they were the sovereign represented, unless one or more foreign sovereigns are present in person, in which case the ambassadors will be ranked together, above Lords and Ladies Imperial but below Dukes and Duchesses. Ambassadors of foreign sovereigns of the same rank are ordered in regards to the antiquity of their respective monarchies. Where the ambassador of a republic is also present, all ambassadors are instead ranked according to the length of their time in the position (with the exception of ambassadors of a foreign Emperor or Empress, who are always first in precedence among ambassadors).

9. Where a foreign dignitary is a guest of honour, the usual rules of precedence may be waived or amended as considered appropriate by the host of the event in question.