Allow inspection of Sharm el-Sheikh files: CIC to MEA

New Delhi, Jan 18 (PTI) The Central Information
Commission has allowed the inspection of files pertaining to
controversial Sharm el-Sheikh joint statement of India and
Pakistan last year, responding to a Right To Information (RTI)
application.

The RTI applicant had sought to know the names of
officials involved in the drafting of the document, which had
kicked up a political row here as it contained a reference to
Balochistan, where Pakistan has been alleging Indian hand in
terror incidents, and delinking of talks from action against
terrorism by Pakistan.
Information Commissioner Annapurna Dixit came down
heavily on the Indian External Affairs Ministry for not
complying with its directive to produce the file for perusal
on December 8, 2009 and not providing the information within
mandated 30-day period before issuing show-cause notice.
RTI activist S C Agrawal had sought a copy of the
statement by India and Pakistan issued at the Non Aligned
Movement Summit at Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt last year, besides
names of the officials and persons involved in framing it
along with file-notes on its drafting.
The Ministry provided the copy of the joint declaration
and the list of officials in the delegation but did not give
any names of the officials who had drafted the proposal and
said there were no file-notes in its records.
The Commission directed the Ministry to produce the file
to "verify the veracity" of reply but that was not provided
even after specific directions and repeated telephone
reminders from it.
The Ministry said joint statements issued after such
meetings encapsulate the mutually agreed substance of the
discussions between the leaders during such meetings.
It said no file-notings exist pertaining to decisions
taken with regard to the drafting of the text of the joint
statement as issued after the meeting.
The joint statement was drafted immediately at the
PM-level meeting on the sidelines of the NAM summit, the
ministry said, while requesting the Commission to drop the
proceedings of show-cause notice.
"In view of the fact that the Joint Statement/declaration
between Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan at Sharm
el-Sheikh has been provided by the respondent (MEA) and it
denies existence of any 'file-notings', the Commission directs
that the complainant (Agrawal) be allowed to inspect the
relevant files to locate all information as sought by him,"
Dixit said.
The government has been maintaining silence over who was
responsible for drafting the controversial statement issued
following talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his
Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani in July last year.
The then Foreign Secretary Shiv Shanker Menon had said
it could be a case of "bad drafting". PTI ABS