Stafford Cripps Quotes

When I talk about the assets, that was at the beginning of the talks. I was president then. I'm not president now. When I said it, this would be a sign of goodwill to begin the talks.

Ambassador of Unity

Our words, actions, and diplomatic efforts should be aimed at trying to achieve pragmatic goals rather than creating rhetorical effect.

That's where my job comes in. Getting the E.U. and U.S. to agree.

Number one, that it is smart to communicate and negotiate with your enemy instead of just waging war with bombs and weapons of mass destruction.

If I could cause world peace by taking someone out to lunch, I'd go, 'Well, war isn't that terrible.'

It is the hope of the European Union that Ariel Sharon will keep the peace process alive and continue the dialogue according to the wishes of all the parties involved.

The United States is a strong and ardent ally of Israel. The fact of the matter is that friends can disagree. I think what's important is that world leaders are able to sit down with one another, have frank conversations and move forward.

You don't make peace with friends. You make it with very unsavory enemies.

Surely, God on high has not refused to give us enough wisdom to find ways to bring us an improvement in relations between the two great nations on earth.

The most important thing that certainly the United States and other Asian and Pacific actors have done is to urge that whatever happens, however the dispute is resolved, that it be resolved peacefully.

The President so far has struck me as a man who is trying hard to keep his balance. He certainly has been very receptive to all my efforts in these directions.

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

Lord Salisbury and myself have brought you back peace – but a peace I hope with honour.

My speech has to have some substance to it. I don’t care if we make a peace treaty or declare war or something. Otherwise, they’re going to run us out of town.

In accommodation with other Powers, differences of opinion must be looked for, even those most agreed on the same general views.

I am not—as I am sure I will be charged—for peace at any price, but for an honorable rational, and political solution to this [the Vietnam] war.

The history of diplomacy is the history of relations among rival powers which did not enjoy political intimacy and did not respond to appeals to common purposes. Nevertheless, ... to think that rival and unfriendly powers cannot be brought to a settlement is to forget what diplomacy is about.

Appeasement is just as bad in 1983 as it was in 1938.

India and Pakistan have to work out their difficulties … to take advantage of the century that is before them.

All States do not have the same interests, but are there any interests which cannot be infinitely better reconciled before than after a war?

… not merely peace in our time but peace for all time. To achieve it, it is necessary to examine our attitude toward peace itself. Too many of us think it is impossible. Too many think it unreal. But that is a dangerous, defeatist belief. It leads to the conclusion that war is inevitable — that mankind is doomed — that we are gripped by forces we cannot control. We need not accept that view. Our problems are man-made — therefore, they can be solved by man.

Whoever said “Keep your enemies close” didn’t have many enemies.

Our Russian policy must not be dictated by people who have already made up their minds there is no possibility of working with the Russians and that our interests are bound to conflict and ultimately lead to war. From my point of view, this is an untenable position and can but lead to disaster.

The John Lewis I know is a peacemaker.