CHIANG MAI, Thailand — In an era of great change, diplomacy, like many other disciplines, must adapt and innovate. Some changes are already visible.
There were many negative comments following the recent G8 summit in Okinawa. Some are valid, others are debatable. Choosing Okinawa for domestic purposes is one such issue. All previous gatherings — most diplomatic conferences — are linked with the host's desire to upgrade a particular location or bring an issue to the attention of the participants and the media. We can't fault the late Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi for selecting that venue.
The Okinawa summit was memorable — apart from the high visibility of Russian President Vladimir Putin — for the novelty of involving leaders of the "other" world (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Nonaligned Movement, and so on) and showing interest in their views.