Thatcher seems to have nothing in common with the ayatollah and Deng, and even less with the Pope. Yet there was something that connected these seemingly disparate people.

But no mention was made of Blair's participation, which was revealed only in a rare interview by Murdoch's wife, Wendi Deng, in a forthcoming edition of Vogue.

Mr. Wang Lei, Political Counselor of the Embassy first made a brief and solemn introduction on Mr. Deng Boqing, the new Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria and his wife, Mrs. Cheng Hong.