Every government must consider the security of the country. That is just part of the responsibilities of any government. But true security can only come out of unity within a country where there are so many ethnic nationalities.

There can be no civil peace without the rule of law.

The quintessential revolution is that of spirit. Without this, the forces which produce the inequalities of the old order will continue to operate.

I am not unaware of the saying that more tears have been shed over wishes granted than wishes denied.

Unless there is free and fair competition, there can't be healthy economic development. And what we have in Burma now is not an open-market economy that allows free and fair competition, but a form of colonialism makes a few people very, very wealthy. It's what you would crony capitalism.

A more significant phase should mean serious political dialogue.

In politics, you also have to be cautiously optimistic.