AFTERNOON, December 10, 2006. Former Foreign Minister Ali Alatas had just arrived at Cebu airport in the Philippines to take part in the ASEAN Summit. At the hotel Alatas barely opened his suitcase when delegates to the conference were told that the Summit was called off because of the approach of a typhoon. That night we slept leaving the suitcases unopened. In the morning a plane arrived from Jakarta to take us back home, said Alatas.

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