Diplomacy in Various Guises

It was wet, windy and cold outside but the smiles were warm and friendly inside as Ambassador Francis and Marie Ricciardone welcomed a veritable throng at the July 4 celebration. Surprise guest was VP and until then DFA Secretary Teofisto Guingona who exchanged toasts with the host. Our own Jaya sang both anthems and never did the Filipinos present sing their own more fervently.

It was the first local July 4th celebration for Mr. Ricciardone, and he couldn’t have wished for a more impressive attendance. Getting into the American spirit were Sec. Hernando Perez, Sec. Jose Camacho (who was receiving hearty congratulations for his brilliant "performance" over CNN), NS Adviser Roilo Golez, Indian Ambassador Navreka Sharma, Raffy Alunan, Consuls Fortune Ledesma and Evie Costa, Vince and Tina Carlos, Annie Rocha, Fred and Nena Borromeo, Dr. Paolo Campos, Mr. and Mrs. Tony Gonzalez, Macario and Letty Laurel, Tony Rufino, Gov. Herminigildo Mandanas, Tony Leviste, Neelan Sharmad, Glenn Gale and, not the least, Max and Precious Soliven.

The opening of "French Spring in Manila" gave Ambassador Renee Veyret and Australian Ambassador Ruth Pearce a chance to meet at the Mandarin Oriental ballroom. How much do they know of each other? For one, does Madame Veyret know that the petite Madame Pearce has served as ambassador to Russia? I recall the latter saying at one time, "Out there, everyone towered above me!" Does Madame Pearce know that Madame Veyret is a Knight in the French Legion of Honor and has been named by the French government an Officer, Order of Merit? Recently, she hosted an appreciation lunch at her elegant residence for all those who helped make the fourth "French Spring" cultural festival a tremendous success. Helping the ambassador entertain were Cultural Counsellor Franck Hebert and Press Attaché Benedicte Meysson. Also staffer Martin Macalintal.

Australian Deputy Head of Mission Tony Melville did the honors at the "Special Tasting Event" which was held at the embassy residence to promote Penfolds, Rosemount and Lindemans–three of the best known wine names Down Under: Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon (Gold Medal, International Wine Magazine 1996), Koonunga Hill Cabernet Sauvignon, (International Red Wine of the Year 2001), Rosemount (Great Gold, 2001, Bruxelles), Lindemans Connaurra Pyrus (Sydney International Competition, 2002).

I wonder who drew the lucky number for a take-home "Penfolds Grange" signed by John Duval, chief Winemaker.

Indian ambassador Navreka Sharma invited guests to her first (?) formal dinner and when they asked, "What’s the occasion?" she graciously replied, "You are the occasion." Typical of her thoughtfulness, her secretary, upon her request, called guests days in advance to ask them for their food preference: Spicy? Not spicy? Any diet restrictions?

The incomparable raconteur Alejandro "Anding" Roces enthralled Ambassadors Paul Dimond, Theo Arnold, Nguyen Thac Dinh and their ladies, Glenn Gale, Maritess Vitug, Virgie Moreno, Mr. & Mrs. Armando Malay, Jr., Counsellor Gauri Shankar Gupta–he speaks fluent Spanish–and his lovely wife, and Mr. and Mrs. Shyam Bajpai, he of the ADB. Madame Sharma, for her part, regaled us with fascinating anecdotes about the venerated Gandhi.