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THE KHITOMER ACCORDS
by Frances B. Brock
A Brief History:
With the imposition of the Organian Peace Treaty, intermittent negotiations continued with no major progress made in establishing any binding relationship between the Klingon Empire and the Federation. Of these events, the most notable was a series of negotiations held at the Korvat Colony in 2289, between Curzon Dax, representing the Federation, and Kang, representing the Klingon Empire. No binding agreement was reached at the negotiating table at that time, but Dax was able to gain a grudging respect from the Klingons and establish a lasting rapport.
Chancellor Gorkon
Fourteen years later, in 2293, the Klingon moon, Praxis, exploded causing severe damage ecologically and emotionally on the Klingon Homeworld, and almost completely caused the Klingon economy to shut down. With the environmental damage that was caused and the loss of energy production to Qo’noS, Gorkon, who was Chancellor of the Klingon High Council at the time, made the controversial decision to initiate full peace talks with the Federation. It was Captain Spock, serving as special envoy to the Empire during the talks, and Curzon Dax representing the Federation, that would see the military outposts on both sides of the Klingon Neutral Zone dismantled and a new alliance forged between the two cold war enemies. Also present at the negotiations were Romulan Senator Pardek. The talks were originally scheduled to be held on Earth, but Gorkon was assassinated enroute, in a plot conceived by individuals associated with the Federation, the Romulan Empire, and General Chang, Gorkon’s chief of staff. After Gorkon’s demise, the Klingons insisted that the talks be moved to Camp Khitomer, on the planet Khitomer, to continue the talks in secret, in order to prevent any further assaults. His death was not in vain, though. Gorkon’s daughter, Azetbur, became Chancellor, and continued to champion her father’s dream of the peace initiative. It was only after a full disclosure of a conspiracy behind his murder was discovered that successful negotiations were reached and eventually normalized the relationship between the Klingon Empire and the United Federation of Planets after many years of hostility.
The First Khitomer Accords:
Part of the agreement contained in the First Khitomer Accord was that the Empire agree to relinquish its historical claim to the Archanis section, located in Federation territory on the Klingon Border, and to do away with the Klingon Neutral Zone.
Of equal significance was the Battle of Narendra III, which occurred in 2344. The Klingons realized that when they were betrayed by the Romulan Star Empire and the courage of the Enterprise-C in ending the conflict, it shed a new light on how the Klingons felt about their relationship with the Romulans. They ended their relationship with the Romulans, and solidified their bond with the Federation.
In 2372, after Gowron had become Chancellor, he withdrew the Empire from the Khitomer Accords in response to the Federation Council’s condemning of Gowron’s ordering the invasion of Cardassia Prime. The following year, Gowron decided to reinstate the Treaty, when a newly-formed alliance between the Dominion and the Cardassian Union threatened to throw the Alpha Quadrant into war.
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Gowron re-signs the Khitomer Accords
The Second Khitomer Accords:
The Second Khitomer Accords were signed in 2368, between the Klingon Empire and the Federation. But, by this time, other Alpha Quadrant powers also participated in this Treaty. It has been argued that this Treaty is the least influential of any treaty, to date, with many of the provisions in whole, or in part, ignored by many of the powers.
The major points of the Treaty were:
 Subspace weapons were banned, but provisions were made for low-yield subspace munitions such as the Federation’s Tri-cobalt device, provided that their usage was not widespread.
The use of biogenic and other “Weapons of Mass Destruction” were also prohibited.
Provisions were also made to protect Prisoners of War and non-combatants during wartime.
The “Evacuation Protocol” was implemented, which stated that civilians should be allowed to leave the warzone and not harassed during this process.
The conference system was implemented for conflict resolution. It made provision for any signatory to file a complaint about another and to have this matter resolved by a conference of signatories. This conference system was infrequently used as more informal “border diplomacy” between ship’s Captain’s was much more prevalent.
It should be noted that the actions of the Klingon Empire during the Second Federation-Klingon War, were not governed by the Accords due to the Empire having pulled out of the accords. They also did not apply to the Klingon-Cardassian War, since the Cardassian Empire was not, at that time, one of the signatories. The Dominion War was also conducted outside of the rules of conduct of the Second Khitomer Accord, as neither the Dominion, nor the Cardassian Empire, were signatories during that period also.
Summary Timeline of Events Affecting the Accords:
2293: The explosion of the Klingon moon Praxis causes an ecological disaster, disposing Chancellor Gorkon to pursue a full peace treaty with the Federation. Despite the subsequent assassination of Gorkon, his daughter and new Chancellor, Azetbur, participates at the Khitomer Conference, which leads to the Accords establishing a lasting peace between the two powers.
2346: With the help of the traitor Ja'rod of the House of Duras, the Romulans commit the Khitomer Massacre, killing almost all of the 4,000 Klingon colonists on Khitomer.
2366: In order to avert a civil war, Klingon Chancellor K'mpec conceals Ja'rod's treason, due to his house's influence in the High Council.
2367: After K'mpec dies of poisoning, Gowron, who is opposing the House of Duras, becomes new Chancellor. His position is quickly challenged but eventually affirmed in the brief Klingon Civil War against the Romulan-influenced, but ultimately inferior, House of Duras.
2369: A clone of Kahless created by clerics from Boreth assumes the re-created, but now purely representative, position of Klingon emperor, while Gowron remains the Empire's Chancellor and factual leader.
2371: General Martok is covertly abducted and interned by the Dominion, while a Changeling replaces him.
2372: Led by the Martok-Changeling, the Klingon Empire starts an invasion of the Cardassian Union, which is subsequently condemned by the Federation. Later that year, the Federation's and Klingon's old dispute over the Archanis sector escalates, leading to the Klingon's withdrawal from the Khitomer Accords.
2373: The real Martok is freed after the Changeling impersonating him is revealed earlier this year. The Cardassian Union joins the Dominion, swiftly resolving the Klingon's conflict with the Federation and reinstating the Khitomer Accords. Later that year, the Dominion attacks and captures the Federation station Deep Space 9, beginning the Dominion War against the Empire and the Federation.
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