And I was somewhat flabbergasted, too, through our little encounter. I would never have got within a mile of the President of India at an occasion like this. But the Swiss president stood here like anyone else, surrounded not by Black Cats but by all of us. She was relaxed and informal enough to strike up a conversation with a complete stranger. Mrs Dreifuss only broke off our chat when Kofi Annan arrived. Excuse me, I have to go, she murmured, and stepped over to greet him.