World leaders show off their showbiz talents

KUALA LUMPUR - It began with a head-butt and ended with Asian domination of the world -- and in between, New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters sang about islands in the sun in the style of Johnny Cash.

The annual gala dinner of the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) lived up to its reputation as the whacky highlight of regional diplomacy last night.

In keeping with tradition, foreign ministers from seven countries, including Peters, performed away from the cameras for the amusement of their Asean hosts, revealing both hidden talents and, in a few cases, talents that are best hidden.

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso did a Humphrey Bogart impersonation, New Zealand's Winston Peters sang like Johnny Cash, China's Li Zhaoxing led a choir and South Korea's Ban Ki-moon strutted the stage in green sequins.

Canada's Peter MacKay, dressed in black referee's uniform, opened the night with a mock Asean-Canada football match that ended with a Zinedine Zidane head-butt and a red-card.

Unfortunately, there was no curtain.

If there had been, it surely would have come down on the New Zealanders who whispered their way through "Oh Islands in the Sun". Only Peters' gravely voice could be heard.

Then US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, wearing a red dress and pearls, gave a class in genuine musical talent, though she was in more sombre mood after her trip to the Middle East.

An accomplished musician who studied the piano at college, she stole the show, in a duet with a Malaysian violinist. She called the piece, a Brahms sonata, a "prayer for peace".

- REUTERS