Vaclav Smil Quotes

I have treated Japan as I would like to be treated, and they have responded in kind.

We should treat other countries the way we want to be treated.

We do not covet anything from any nation except their respect.

The Finnish way of dealing with Russia, whatever the situation, is that we will be very decisive to show what we don't like, where the red line is.

Our policy is to deepen the relations with all the countries in the world - monarchies, kingdoms, large powers - we want to respect all differences and have our relationships based on mutual respect.

The links between the American government and the Iraqi government are so close that you cannot judge one without asking at least the other what he has done by this time.

We're not going to meddle in the internal life of other peoples and other governments, because we don't want them meddling in ours.

Every new president flatters himself that he, kinder and gentler, is beginning the world anew. Yet, when Barack Obama in his inaugural address reached out to Muslims by saying, 'To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect,' his formulation was needlessly defensive and apologetic.

Americans tend to go for it all. In international politics you can’t have it all. You have to compromise.

A display of reason rather than a threat of force should be the determining factor in the intercourse among nations.

How can we expect other nations to respect our law if we don't respect theirs?

Let them [France and Germany] especially put their demands in such a way that Great Britain could say that she supported both sides.

The scorn of our formidable neighbor who does not know us is our America’s greatest danger …. Through ignorance it might even come to lay hands on us. Once it does know us, it will remove it’s hands out of respect.

You don’t just talk to your enemies. At the same time, you talk to the world and show the world the difference between you and your enemies.

There is nothing in common between the United States and Saudi Arabia except Israel.

We send billions of taxpayer dollars abroad and what do we get in return? Disrespect, disdain, and ultimately violence.

… diplomatic relations are merely practical conveniences and not measures of moral judgment.

I am a Soviet officer. I wish to meet with an American officer with the object of offering certain services.

You will never hear me denigrating other countries.

Other people have to understand where we are coming from, including our allies. Our allies have taken advantage of us.

They are constantly trying to drive us into a corner because we have an independent position, because we maintain it and because we tell it like it is and don't engage in hypocrisy. But there is a limit to everything. And with Ukraine, our Western partners have crossed the line, playing the bear and acting irresponsibly and unprofessionally.

I do respect Putin. I respect a lot of people. But that doesn't mean I'm going get along with him.

I mean if there are going to be missiles that are going off and there are going to be going off over Canadian airspace whether we want it or not, no I don't think that is acceptable. I think that we want to be at the table.

As soon as one nation claims the right to take preventive action, other countries will naturally do the same.

The [Carter] administration doesn't know the difference between a diplomat and a doormat.