Dotting the I146;s

The 18-day talks between the Congress and the Left to resolve the stalemate over the nuclear deal was almost like an India-Pakistan affair, with both sides stuck over a phrase, a word, a written assurance. Perhaps worse, because now we learn that the Congress was unwilling to trust the Left with any written agreement till the last moment for fear of a media leak. Apparently, Pranab Mukherjee made it clear to the CPIM8217;s Sitaram Yechury at the outset that the media should not find out about the discussion if any breakthrough was intended. Yechury saw the first draft on the midnight before the final announcement was made. It was finalised the next afternoon and within an hour of the Left8217;s approval, the 8220;joint statement8221; was read out in the best of diplomatic traditions.