The minister missed the meeting due to a sudden case of diplomatic flu.
diplomatic flu
idiomAn illness feigned by one or more government officials or other public figures as an excuse for an absence really based on political factors.
When the controversial vote was announced, the senator suddenly came down with a convenient case of diplomatic flu to avoid taking a public stance.
Observers noted that the entire cabinet suffered from a collective diplomatic flu, a transparent ruse designed to delay the difficult negotiations until after the upcoming election.