Henry A. Kissinger Quotes

Diplomacy takes time.

Diplomats were invented simply to waste time.

I told him that my own opinion was that the time now and the method now to deal with Russia was to keep our mouths shut and let our actions speak for words.

Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock.

I think if I had to do it over again, I'd do it the same way. I would just put more resources into getting the public diplomacy part much stronger than we were able to.

Diplomacy is more than saying or doing the right things at the right time, it is avoiding saying or doing the wrong things at any time.

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

The limits of diplomacy must be acknowledged.

Diplomacy is the art of saying “Nice Doggie!” till you can find a rock.

Hot heads and cold hearts never solved anything.

Don't beg, don't threaten and don't assume you're always right.

Talks are not the same thing as agreements.

Public diplomacy should be more ear driven than mouth driven.

We want instant food … instant peace. We need patience, patience, patience

Communication and communication strategy is not just part of the game - it is the game.

But I would not refuse a meeting with Putin. I would like to spend a week with Putin, so that I could better understand him.

I'm doing all these interviews with the British press, the Italian press, and others. They all want to talk about this stuff. I don't have a stance; I don't have a go-to thing to say about any of this.

I think above all, what we need with Iran is patience.

I have a running war with the media. And they sort of made it sound like I had a feud with the intelligence community.

The Fundamental Principle that governs - or ought to govern -human affairs if we wish to avoid misunderstandings, conflicts, or pointless utopias, is negotiation.

A lord must learn that sometimes words can accomplish what swords cannot.

War is like government, a matter of tact.

Jane! will you hear reason?' (he stooped and approached his lips to my ear) 'because, if you won't, I'll try violence.

The United States played the role of encouraging both sides to come together to try to finally resolve this issue, and we were pleased to see leaders on both sides work courageously to get that done.

Diplomacy can be a frustrating thing. I think the strategy can work, so long as the force is robust and the rules of engagement are clear.