Politics is my second love, next to my love for Raisa [Gorbacheva].

We used to have just one criterion and that was profit, and then another criterion was added - social welfare. Now we have to add the third important criterion, and that is nature and the environment.

An awareness of the need for some kind of global government is gaining ground, one in which all members of the world community would take part.

A new generation of more educated people started to be active. Then society required freedom, society demanded freedom.

I am an optimist and I believe that together we shall be able now to make the right historical choice so as not to miss the great chance at the turn of centuries and millenia and make the current extremely difficult transition to a peaceful world order.

The shortage of fresh water is the major ecological problem of this moment.

Sometimes its difficult to accept, to recognise ones own mistakes, but one must do it. I was guilty of overconfidence and arrogance, and I was punished for that.