How is the world ruled and led to war? Diplomats lie to journalists and believe these lies when they see them in print.

Be polite write diplomatically even in a declaration of war one observes the rules of politeness.

Diplomats are just as essential to starting a war as soldiers are for finishing it... You take diplomacy out of war and the thing would fall flat in a week.

A diplomat is a person who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that you actually look forward to the trip.

A diplomatic peace is not yet the real peace. It is an essential step in the peace process leading towards a real peace.

The threat today is not that of the 1930s. It's not big powers going to war with each other. The ravages which fundamentalist political ideology inflicted on the 20th century are memories. The Cold war is over. Europe is at peace if not always diplomatically.

The patience of the American public with dilatory diplomatic delays will be very limited.

History is filled with tragic examples of wars that result from diplomatic impasse. Whether in our local communities or in international relations the skillful use of our communicative capacities to negotiate and resolve differences is the first evidence of human wisdom.

The Israeli government has proved over the past year its commitment to peace both in words and deeds. By contrast the Palestinians are posing preconditions for renewing the diplomatic process in a way they have not done over the course of 16 years.

I'm convinced there's a small room in the attic of the Foreign Office where future diplomats are taught to stammer.