Vladimir Putin Quotes

I was years older than you when I became an ambassador for the first time. Remember that, Tycho? How did we get through that assignment, anyway?” “Pretty much, we opened fire on everyone who disagreed with us.” Wedge nodded and turned to his daughter. “When all else fails, just do that.

When we're trying to solve difficult national issues its sometimes necessary to talk to adversaries as well as friends. Historians have a word for this: diplomacy.

We believe we have no territorial problems at all. It is only Japan that believes it has territorial problems with Russia. We are ready to talk about this.

Notably, it was only possible [ negotiating on the Tarabarov Island], and this is very important, due to the high level of trust Russia and China reached in their relations by that time. If we reach the same level of trust with Japan, we might be able to reach certain compromises.

Some years ago our Japanese counterparts asked us to resume the discussions of the issue and so we did meeting them halfway. Over the passed couple of years the contacts were practically frozen on the initiative of the Japanese side, not ours. At the same time, presently our partners have expressed their eagerness to resume discussions on this issue [the Kuril Islands].

Take a look at the way that Trump has described some of the foreign countries that we deal with - some that are allies and some that are not. China is one example. He said they were currency manipulators, but after he sat down with President Xi and had a piece of chocolate cake, he then said they were no longer currency manipulators.

[Donald] Trump has said that I would like to sit down and talk to people, work things out. Well, guess what? Some of the evidence is that was, he went straight to Mexico and sat down and had a conference and a meeting directly with Pea Nieto to go over all this. OK, that.

In most cases, cables are marked secret not because the U.S. requires it but because those speaking to us - the foreign leaders across the table - do. They are not keeping secrets from us, but from two other groups: their enemies and their subjects.

If you treat China like a foe, surely she will become one.

We have treated our most serious adversaries, such as Iran and North Korea, in the most juvenile manner - by giving them the silent treatment. In so doing, we have weakened, not strengthened, our bargaining position and our leadership.

Like Prince von Bismarck in diplomacy, I have no secrets.

Richard Holbrooke is known for many things, but I will remember him as an impressive, sometimes even intimidating diplomat who understood the value of culture in diplomacy.

Diplomacy is fundamentally working with people, bringing people together to deal with difficult issues.

No matter how hard we might wish, we will not be able to transform China's behavior overnight.

My diplomatic position will not consist of going and kneeling down in front of George Bush.

Our public dealings with the Russians can hardly lead to any clear and satisfactory results unless they are preceded by preparatory discussions of the most secret and delicate nature.

Every diplomatic breakthrough is preceded by a crisis, but not every crisis leads to a breakthrough.

You can’t outsource diplomacy. You can’t do it unless you do it.

We won’t be very successful with the Chinese leadership [on human rights issues] if we’re in their face all the time.

These claims [to then Spanish Florida] will be a subject of negotiation with Spain, and if, as soon as she is at war, we push them strongly with one hand, holding our a price in the other, we shall certainly obtain the Floridas, and all in good time.

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

This business of heads of governments stepping into aeroplanes and flying off to talk things over with one another may well start a new era in diplomacy.

Dr. Kissinger is a man you can talk to.

Negotiations are the most essential tool of statecraft.

The reasons for disliking diplomacy are legion. Engaging in serious diplomacy would mean reviewing the way Washington advocates for and deploys its principles. It might necessitate a glance in the mirror and asking why the United States believes it is uniquely empowered to interpret the Creator's higher purpose for people in other lands.