With reference to the editorial ‘PM loses ground’ (July 27), Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has certainly goofed up by agreeing to the inclusion of Balochistan and the exclusion of terror from the Sharm el Sheikh joint declaration. No wonder that Singh’s own party members and ministers are questioning the joint declaration, leave alone the Opposition. Pakistan is claiming it as vindication of its stand. It is surprising that the minister of state in the external affairs ministry, Shashi Tharoor, is saying the joint declaration is a ‘diplomatic’and not a‘legal’ paper while the foreign secretary is saying it was a case of ‘bad drafting’ which is not legally binding.
M C Joshi, on email
