Dear Editor,

I refer to the editor's note to my letter captioned 'A display of bad diplomatic etiquette' [ please note: link provided by LOSP web site ] (03 02 02) in which you stated that the staff of the foreign ministry should have checked in advance to avoid the president being embarrassed.

The oversights and errors of omission and commission of which the staff of our Foreign Affairs Ministry have been guilty are too numerous to warrant repetition.

With the greatest respect, however, I would contend that while the staff might have failed to be as meticulous as is professionally requisite in their vetting in advance of briefing content and venue, the president has his own eyes, ears and volition.

What he said and heard, in the course of that briefing, he ought to have been quite capable of reacting to, independently.