A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be.

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I borrowed the title of this discussion from Thomas Paine. I always thought that a diplomat was mainly paid to tell customary platitudes around a drink, but it looks like some of them are drinking too much. It is why the US ambassador near the United Nations wants to restore the prohibition in the negotiating rooms. I quote what he said on March 4th -- the statement is available at : http://usun.state.gov/briefing/statements/205601.htm -- : "As for the conduct of negotiations, Mr. Chairman, we make the modest proposal that the negotiating rooms should in the future be an inebriation-free zone. While my government is truly grateful for the strategic opportunities presented by some recent past practices, let’s save the champagne for toasting the successful end of the session, and do some credit to the Fifth Committee’s reputation in the process." Everyone knows that a drink makes negotiations more easy. Indeed when too much diplomats are lying under the table, negotiations have to be stopped. I suppose that mineral water and orange juice will be good for the liver of our diplomats. Comments welcome.