Quotes About Diplomacy

The western mantra is that Israel seeks negotiations without preconditions, while the Palestinians refuse. The opposite is more accurate.

The U.S.-led western alliance, while acting as an advocate of democracy, rule of law and human rights, is acting from the opposite position, rejecting the democratic principle of the sovereign right of states enshrined in the U.N. Charter and trying to decide for others what is good and what is bad.

Hours before the Georgian invasion, Russia had been working to secure a United Nations Security Council statement calling for a renunciation of force by both Georgia and South Ossetians. The statement that could have averted bloodshed was blocked by western countries.

The United States is the most powerful nation on Earth and it just can't walk away from the Middle East and central Asia and the Horn of Africa.

Only Americans vote for their president, but foreigners care almost as much - and sometimes more - about who will lead the most powerful nation in the world.

Why should a great and powerful nation like the United States allow its relationship with more than a billion Muslims around the world to be defined by the narrow hatred and nihilistic actions of an exceptionally small minority of Muslims?

Russia has gone way beyond its legal powers to use bases in the Crimea.

There are nearly 200 countries and a population of over 6 billion in today's world. International affairs should be addressed by all countries through consultations rather than monopolised by a few powers.

The consequence of a world full of nuclear powers to me is so incomprehensible in terms of the dangers that that implies.

Why four great powers should fight over Serbia no fellow can understand.

As an Asst. Secretary of State, I often urged authoritarian governments around the world not to use emergency powers to defy their legislatures, courts, and laws.

Compulsory arbitration is a practical instrument of pacification and, as such, it can and should be enacted by the Hague Conference.

In practical terms, Israel has become the eyes and ears of the United States in the Middle East. This arrangement has freed the United States from a heavy intelligence-gathering burden. But it has also forced the Americans to depend upon the Israelis.

The practice of politics in the East may be defined by one word: dissimulation.

If nations could only depend upon fair and impartial judgments in a world court of law, they would abandon the senseless, savage practice of war.

Our words, actions, and diplomatic efforts should be aimed at trying to achieve pragmatic goals rather than creating rhetorical effect.

I think Mr. Trump is a pragmatic man; he is a businessman.

I'm well aware of the pragmatism of politics.

I think the whole policy of pre-emptive war is a serious, serious mistake.

If every small nation with a border dispute believes they can go ahead and launch a pre-emptive war and that it will be approved by the greatest power, that is a very dangerous thing.

Do you think it's possible to discuss politics without preaching?

I can't tell you precisely how much participation there will be from India in the One Belt, One Road, but what is clear is the understanding that it is important for us to develop neighbourhood trade.

We will trade freely with free nations and not spend our time chasing trade deals with predatory countries like communist China.

The lesson of the last year is this: foreign policy can't be managed through the politics of personality, and our President would do well to take note of an observation John F. Kennedy made once he was in office - that all of the world's problems aren't his predecessor's fault.