We want peace and a political solution to the situation in Chechnya.
BORIS YELTSINWe want peace and a political solution to the situation in Chechnya.
BORIS YELTSINI am convinced that the moment is coming when, with its message of eternal, universal values, it will come to the aid of our society. For in these words: “Thou shalt not kill; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself,” lie those very moral principles that will enable us to survive even the most critical situations.
BORIS YELTSINA total of 1,580 people, the civilian population, suffered as a result of the bloody wave of terrorist acts that swept over Moscow and other towns and villages of our country.
BORIS YELTSINI ask you to forgive me for not fulfilling some hopes of those people who believed that we would be able to jump from the totalitarian past into a bright, rich and civilized future in one go.
BORIS YELTSINI especially love driving down a hill directly at a tree and swerving to one side at the last moment. That’s my way to relax.
BORIS YELTSINThousands of mercenaries, who have trained in camps on the territory of Chechnya as well as come in from abroad, are actually preparing to impose extremist ideas on the whole world.
BORIS YELTSINOne could see that what you are writing was that today’s meeting with President Bill Clinton was going to be a disaster. Now, for the first time, I can tell you that you are a disaster.
BORIS YELTSINMoney, big money (which is actually a relative concept) is always, under any circumstances, a seduction, a test of morals, a temptation to sin.
BORIS YELTSINWe don’t appreciate what we have until it’s gone. Freedom is like that. It’s like air. When you have it, you don’t notice it.
BORIS YELTSINI refer to calls for humanitarian intervention in the affairs of another state – a new idea, this – even when they are made under the pretext of defending human rights and freedoms.
BORIS YELTSINA man must live like a great brilliant flame and burn as brightly as he can. In the end he burns out. But this is far better than a mean little flame.
BORIS YELTSINIt is especially important to encourage unorthodox thinking when the situation is critical: At such moments every new word and fresh thought is more precious than gold. Indeed, people must not be deprived of the right to think their own thoughts.
BORIS YELTSINA sense of proportion and humanitarian action are not issues for terrorists. Their aim is that of killing and destroying.
BORIS YELTSINI understand that it’s hard for everyone, but one cannot give in to emotions… we’ll have to draw lessons from the current crisis and now we’ll have to work on overcoming it.
BORIS YELTSINWe, Russia, are prepared to work with others. I am convinced that stability and security in Europe cannot be considered without taking Russia into account.
BORIS YELTSINThere were no strategic mistakes that could affect Russia’s history and it further development. No, there were no such mistakes. Tactical errors were made in some less significant options, problems and so on. But, on the whole, Russia embarked on a correct path and it changed.
BORIS YELTSIN