When Bernard Kouchner, the French Foreign Minister, addressed the United Nations for the first time today he showed not only a healthy sense of humor, but also an open mind about dissent. He was only a few minutes into his speech when a woman rushed the stage. Security wrestled her away, but she struggled. The minister stopped speaking for a moment.

He was obviously feeling a little tense as he watched the commotion and saw the woman being dragged away. Breaking the silence in the room, the woman could be heard screaming, “No war in Iran! No War in Iran!” Her voice kept getting farther and farther away, as she was removed.

“No! No!” the Foreign Minister exclaimed. “Let her come in. Let her sit here with us.” But, of course, the woman did not appear. As the moments passed, it was unclear if the Minister’s request would somehow be honored, but it wasn’t. One last shout echoed down some hallway leading away from the room. “No War in Iran!”

With the skill and perfect timing of a seasoned performer, the Minister looked over his lowered spectacles at the crowd. “But she doesn’t know I agree with her,” he chuckled. “I’m here to prevent that. I agree with her.” That broke the ice. It relieved the tension, and it showed the world that the new French Foreign Minister had class.