Candid Canberra

Two years ago, Kevin Rudd was here in Brussels, visiting the EU and regaling dignatories with amusing anecdotes about his diplomatic past, all the time basking in stratospheric popularity ratings and being feted for his impressive credentials, especially his skills in Mandarin.

Now, they're scratching their heads and wondering what happened that a bloke who was so good on paper (including ballot paper) could find himself in so much bother that one of his colleagues (and a woman, at that) could manage to punt him out.

Some observers are wondering if there's just a touch of 'there but for the Grace of God' among the gathered group, as they shake Julia Gillard's hand and welcome her to the gang.

The fact that she is at all times accompanied by former Liberal leader Brendan Nelson in his new guise as ambassador to Brussels just makes it all the more surreal.

It's been a big day for the new PM, her first real foray into diplomacy and she hasn't mucked around. At last count she'd had 12 meetings - some formal bilateral talks and others what are known colourfully in the trade as "pull-asides".

A quick how-do-you-do meeting with China's Premier Wen Jiao Bao falls into the latter category. Given China's sensitivity about Australia paying too much attention to Japan at its expense, and given that Ms Gillard had full-blown sit-down discourse with both the Japanese Prime Minister and South Korean President, it was pretty important to secure at least some kind of chat with Premier Wen.

It's not clear whether she had to trip up the passing premier in the corridor to be able to say they had exchanged pleasantries but her side had hoped for slightly more substantive interaction.

They're now pinning those hopes on an official bilateral meeting at the East Asia Summit in Hanoi at the end of the month. By then, she may be less of a novelty.

Oh, and Australia's Foreign Minister arrives in Brussels next week, once all the leaders have gone. Now that should really confuse things nicely.