ŁÓDŹ — Ambassador Jan van Steenbergen of the Batavian Kingdom has paid an unofficial visit to the interim chairman of the Inicjaciwa Czywiła, dr. Żowan Sasomętany last Sunday.
A spokesman of the Batavian embassy said the visit had a strictly private character. “There was nothing political about this meeting,” he told our reporter. “The ambassador and Mr. Sasomętany have known each other for years now. They simply happen to have a lot in common. Except for the fact that Sasomętany has a beard and Mr. Van Steenbergen doesn’t they even look similar.”
According to the same spokesman, the ambassador believes both men may be remote descendants of the ancient Kemrese folk hero Princep Ioanes. The prince, it is said, was captured and taken by pirates the night before his wedding. When he returned many years later, he found his beautiful bride-to-be dead. He sung a lament on her death, jumped from a high tower, and the two were buried together. His lament became famous in all Kemr under the name “Jowan di'll Duncalath” and later also in England under the name “John o the Stone Burg”. Old drawings of Princep Ioanes would show a striking resemblance with both ambassador Van Steenbergen and Dr. Sasomętany.
“Whether this is true or not, I can't see how it would offend the government of the RTC,” our spokesman added.
Three weeks ago, a similar visit by Louisiannan ambassador Bunny almost led to a major diplomatic crisis between the two countries.
Dr. Sasomętany's house is under constant surveillance of the ODS. The government accuses him of undermining state security. A special Sejm commission is investigating whether he and the Inicjaciwa Czywiła have displayed any illegal activities during the last month.