This, I agree with. They can't pretend to want to cater to the first time audience anymore, because half of what was happened was based on the assumption of prior knowledge.
At the penultimate film, there's no time to waste on such things. If they have to, I'd prefer a Star Wars style scrolling text beginning, to just putting in romance to make it a better standalone film. Why would anyone want to make a sequel a standalone?
In any case, if they had included 'The Other Minister', then everything would have been explained. I wouldn't mind a 4 hour film, if it was paced well enough.