Thomas Wentworth Higginson Quotes

I worked with a group of people who argued day and night - professors, officials, the Minister of Finance - but there were decisions that I had to make.

You cannot antagonize and influence at the same time.

I don't twist arms. I shake hands.

Unless you’re prepared to use force, it’s very difficult to deal with a person who understands only force.

Russia isn't going to start a war. They can't afford it. I think Mr. Putin can be dealt with if we stop screaming at him. You can work with the guy. You just have to know who he is.

There is a thin line between peace of the brave and peace of the hostage... between compromise - even calculated risk - and irresponsibility and capitulation.

Peace comes when you talk to the guy you most hate. And that's where the courage of a leader comes, because when you sit down with your enemy, you as a leader must already have very considerable confidence from your own constituency.

We extend our hand towards peace. Our people are committed to peace. We know that peace entails painful compromise for both sides.

It is highly probable that in most cases, war could be avoided or ended. For discussions allow passion to subside, and to persuade alienated neighbors, or at least one of them, to listen to the voice of a conciliator is a step in the direction of peace.

Let us move from the era of confrontation to the era of negotiation.

I have seen for the first time in 100 years of conflict, the two peoples - the Israeli people and the Palestinian people - are ahead of their leaderships.

Sharon is capable of making peace.

In Turkey, we have lived almost everything that could be lived; war and torture... The war concept was consumed to its limits. But there is only one way we have not tried: negotiations, peace, and talking.

Relationships are negotiated and if you deal with ultimatums and authority all the time, then you're not going to get anywhere.

When people disagree with you, what you ultimately have to do is persuade people to agree with you - period.

I have always believed in dialogue and in nonviolence, and if you look at my background you will see that it has always been my policy to talk to everyone.

We want peace, but not at any price.

It is better to discuss things, to argue and engage in polemics than make perfidious plans of mutual destruction.

The only way to conduct an effective collaboration is to debate the things upon which you disagree. If one doesn't manage to bring the other around to his point of view, then whichever collaborator feels the most passionate about the thing being debated ought to get his way.

Through mutual understanding, sincerity and goodwill, and with great wisdom and broad views, the leaders on both sides should jointly initiate new opportunities for peace, stability, cooperation and mutual benefit.

I learned firsthand that there would simply be no wars if people engaged in real conversation.

I've been dealing with politicians all my life. All my life. And I've always gotten them to do what I need them to do.

Why are we talking about talking? Why negotiating about negotiating? It's very simple. If you want to get to peace, put all your preconditions on the side, sit down opposite a table, not in a studio, by the way.

Peace in the Middle East isn't going to be created by another war or violent act on the other side.

We'll hold out our hand; they have to unclench their fist.