Since taking office last year, the ever-dignified Secretary of State has learned that karaoke is a great leveler in the Asia-Pacific, where tradition requires he and other foreign ministers to individually perform a skit³-and-song in front of their peers at the end of the region's largest security meeting.

The skit opened with Powell chairing a meeting, looking completely at home as he took advice from staffers. "Don't do it," pleaded one. "No rolling on the floor this time," admonished⁴ another.

Then, the American president appeared on a huge backdrop video screen with advice for his chief diplomat¹. "Practice this time," said President Bush.

Powell and staff then rose and labored⁵ with gusto through the old "South Pacific" standard "Some Enchanted⁶ Evening" - with lyrics⁷ bent⁸ to the arcana of Southeast Asian foreign relations.

Loud applause followed. The diplomatic audience agreed - diplomatically, and on background - that Powell was "really good."

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov also found favor, making a trip five centuries into the future and returning as a robot, singing "We Are the World."

Finally, all the ministers lined up to massacre⁹ an Abba tune¹⁰, "I Have a Dream."

"We will be together. It's not a fairy tale," they sang. "We will see the future. We will never fail."

Early reviews were positive.

"Great fun," declared Philippine special envoy¹¹ Domingo Siazon.

"The Americans were hilarious¹², the Russians innovative¹³. Powell singing was good," said Syed Hamid Albar, Malaysia's foreign minister. "It was a good break after all this talk on terrorism."