Rudy Setyopurnomo burst into laughter listening to jokes of Timor-Leste's Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao. Xanana was full of praise for the diplomatic efforts of the late Abdurrahman Wahid, Indonesia's former president affectionately called Gus Dur. That afternoon, the skies in Dili were clear. A light breeze blew into Xanana's official residence, located by Balibar Beach.

"Gus Dur had asked me what Timor-Leste wanted," he told Rudy, the new