Some believe that the only way to remove the authoritarian regime and replace it with a democratic one is through violent means. I would like to set the precedent of political change through political settlement, not through violence.

I look upon myself as a politician. That isn't a dirty word.

The best way to help Burma is to empower the people of Burma, to help us have enough self-confidence to obtain what we want for ourselves.

What we are lacking in Burma is an independence effective judiciary, and unless we have all three of the democratic institutions - strong and healthy, we cannot say that our democratic processes (is complete).

We must all work together if we are all to live together in unity and harmony.

If you want to bring an end to long-standing conflict, you have to be prepared to compromise.

Maybe it is something to do with age, but I have become fonder of poetry than of prose.