20th-century Diplomat Quotes

I found that many Americans did not even know that a country named Iran existed, let alone what it was like. Even among the diplomatic corps and among well-educated people, there was a vagueness about who the Iranians were or what the culture was, a tendency to confuse Iran with Iraq or to mistakenly assume that Iran is an Arab country simply because it is an Islamic nation. This fuzziness about the world outside is unique to America; among the intelligensia of European countries, for example, there is generally a higher level of awareness and information regarding cultures other than their own.

They're a burden for us
the friends who no longer know how to die.

Giorgos Seferis

The very first step toward giving to others is grateful recognition of our own assets.

Britain will be honoured by historians more for the way she disposed of an empire than for the way in which she acquired it.

David Ormsby-Gore, 5th Baron Harlech

May there be freedom, equality and brotherhood among all men. May there be morality in the relations among nations. May there be, in our time, at long last, a world at peace in which we, the people, may for once begin to make full use of the great good that is in us.

You don't talk to Ahmadinejad. First of all, he's not the decision maker. When Senator Obama suggests that he would be prepared to meet with him, he says such a meeting first has to be prepared. What he means is that you have to coordinate with your allies - all your allies. Secondly, it means you have to check whether you can put together an agenda for a lower-level meeting. If it becomes clear that you can't put together such an agenda, then you don't hold a meeting at a high level - the presidential level - because it's not going to lead anywhere. But if you can produce something that you know will lead somewhere, then it's silly not to do that.

You should take a good look at all sides of an issue before making a decision. Put something away in case of an emergency. New neighbors will bring good cheer. A small problem may occur at home base, but you will solve it quickly and correctly. Don't offer smart advice unless you are really asked to comment.

The ideal civil servant should always be colourless, odourless and tasteless.

Roger Peyrefitte

The real strength of democracy is that anyone who is not specifically against it must ultimately be for it, while communism suffers from the great tactical liability that anyone who is not specifically for it is eventually forced to oppose it.

Edwin O. Reischauer

We would also like you to know that the Church recognizes the riches of the Islamic faith - a faith that binds us to the one God.

A Soviet diplomat, like a skilled chess player, does not expect his opposite number to give up something for nothing, not even a pawn.

Arthur Dean (lawyer)

Payola is the year's new word. It doesn't sound as ugly as bribe, but it means the same thing.

William Attwood

Nothing generates more heat in the government than the question of who is chosen to participate in important meetings.

Richard Holbrooke

We wanted the best, but it turned out like always.

Viktor Chernomyrdin

History is filled with undistinguished leaders who succeeded because they had a flair for selecting sound counselors.