Verbatim

“I condemn this attack in the strongest possible terms. Whoever is behind this attack has one aim, which is to sabotage the peace efforts.”
SAEB EREKAT, chief Palestinian negotiator, on the suicide bombing near a Tel Aviv nightclub that killed four people and ended a relative lull in Israeli-Palestinian violence

“This notion that the United States is getting ready to attack Iran is simply ridiculous. And having said that, all options are on the table.”
GEORGE W. BUSH, U.S. President, speaking to European allies in Brussels

“I have come to realize that personal relationships are more important than history.”
DOUG WEAD, in a letter to Chris Matthews, host of U.S. public affairs show Hardball, following an outcry over Wead’s earlier release to journalists of secretly recorded conversations he had with Bush before he became President

“Are they telling us that we should not fight against terrorism, that we should put our democracy into jeopardy?”
KING GYANENDRA, of Nepal, having dismissed the government and declared a state of emergency on Feb. 1, arguing that nations like India and Britain should continue to provide military aid to help him defeat a Maoist insurgency

“The ceasefire and peace would fall apart if this covert war against us continues.”
S.P. THAMILSELVAN, political leader of the Sri Lankan rebel group the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (L.T.T.E.), alleging that government paramilitary groups have attacked the L.T.T.E. during peace negotiations

“We are living with a sick, rabid dog on our doorstep, but no one can say that out loud from a fear that the dog will bite.”
ANDREI LANKOV, professor at Seoul’s Kookmin University, on South Korea’s strained diplomatic relationship with the North

“All that will be left to the West is personalized tailoring.”
DINESH HINDUJA, chief executive of Indian clothing company Gokal Das Exports, on the global shift of manufacturing to India and China