Latin expression

I refer to the Nov. 18, 1999 edition of your paper. On page 2, you used beneath the photograph of President Abdurrahman Wahid the Latin expression primus inter pares, i.e. "first among equals". This expression applied to a free elected head of state is entirely misused.

A president as a head of state is unique, and in this country there is no one ranking equal. A captain of a soccer team may be called primus inter pares.

On page 10, you are using the term "swan song" on Steffi Graf's appearance in New York. The term is equally misused in this connection. A swan song is the last work of art of a composer, an artist painter or a writer. It might be used on a sport star like Steffi if she had actually played her very last game on that occasion, which she did not.

ULRICH DENNERIEIN

Surabaya