Because the world is in economic recession, which worsened since this drama happened, and our country will bear the burden of all of these consequences.

My actions to promote peace, the mediation missions which I carried out during many conflicts, which very often occurred between brothers of the same country, are not driven by any ulterior motives or any calculations based on personal ambitions.

It is up to African leaders to show their will and political courage in order to assure that this new pan-African institution becomes an efficient instrument and not a place for endless discussions.

It is not right to associate the fight against international terrorist networks with an imaginary crusade against Islam.

From the time of independences until the end of the Cold War, in spite of the participation of a considerable number of African states in the non-aligned movement, everyone in fact chose to align with one or another of the two major blocks.

Because the world is in economic recession, which worsened since this drama happened, and our country will bear the burden of all of these consequences.

If the Soviet Union and the United States have not experienced direct military confrontations, on the other hand, they supported, armed and trained Africans, to fight other Africans.

In brief, Western democracy, as other political models, is not exportable to all regions of the world.

Instead of ideological objectives of a political nature, today we are faced with ideological objectives of economic nature.

In spite of our poverty and our economic dependence, we do not have to give in, neither because we are sometimes abandoned nor because of the wish of some nations to impose their economic or political models.

I am in favor of complete freedom of information and of free access to the new communication tools, in particular the Internet.

The resources of our continent attract, more than ever, the interests of rich countries.

Economic sanctions rarely achieve the desired results.

The introduction of political pluralism often quickly led to bad results.

The free market economy is supposed to be the only path leading to the happiness of humanity by promoting wealth and prosperity, power and influence of nations.

The shock caused by the September 11 events has also lead to a thorough reflection on the existing disparity between rich and poor countries, on the misery of populations of the South.

But the Western countries that link their partnership with the poorest countries with respect for democracy also have to consider that they have obligations towards these countries.

The African Union has to act in order to put an end to armed conflicts that undermine the continent, to fight against the devastation caused by AIDS and other contagious diseases, to promote sustainable development of its member states.

I'm not aiming for the Nobel Peace Prize!

The world is now aware that the most unavoidable and most dangerous weapon that exists is the blind decisiveness of a man ready to sacrifice his life for an obscure cause.

But since independence, Gabon is one of the few countries in Central Africa that enjoys peace and stability.

Information on the Internet must be as free as in the newspapers.

Therefore, every country has to understand that fighting against international terrorism is not for the sake of the United States, but for the sake of themselves, and, to a larger extent, in the name of stability of international relations.

In short, we have, among African countries, a duty of solidarity.

But it is important to observe that when Europe or the United Nations impose sanctions that are supposed to be aimed against a certain regime, usually generally millions of people end up being directly punished.

Do not forget that the Arab countries, starting with Algeria and Egypt, are the ones that have paid the heaviest toll because of Islamic terror.

When they favor the access of other people to education and health care, the countries of the North not only demonstrate generosity or solidarity, but also implement the principles of respecting and promoting human rights.

Certainly, Africa accounts for only l % of world trade, and we cannot assure our development on our own.

It is important to stress: Africa is also a victim of the September 11 attacks.

The birth of the African Union should encourage us to reexamine relations between African States.

There is an idea of democracy produced by one-sided thinking.

The principle of responsibility and collective sanctions is incompatible with the Western concept of justice.

For about ten years now, the struggle for democracy and the respect of human rights has been in the focus point - if not a commodity - of political groups aiming to rise to power.

Globalization, far from putting an end to power diplomacy between States, has, on the contrary, intensified it.

Do not free a camel of the burden of his hump; you may be freeing him from being a camel.

The poorest residents of the gulf coast were most affected by the devastating hurricanes, and the poorest Americans have shouldered a disproportionate share of the burden in Iraq.

I did all the work at the beginning up until the point where I couldn't handle the increasingly heavy art production burden alone. I needed, and got, assistance.

What makes old age hard to bear is not the failing of one's faculties, mental and physical, but the burden of one's memories.

I saw him... at peace in my armchair. I remember wishing he could stay in peace like that forever. I had a feeling of easing his burden with my strength.

Gratitude is a burden upon our imperfect nature, and we are but too willing to ease ourselves of it, or at least to lighten it as much as we can.

Traditionally, Medicare's assurance has been that for the elderly and persons with disabilities that they will not be alone when confronted with the full burden of their health care costs.

Hospitals are closing across the country due to the burden of illegal immigration, college students find that summer jobs have dried up due to illegal immigration, and wages across the board are depressed by the overwhelming influx of cheap and illegal labor.

We must have a relentless commitment to producing a meaningful, comprehensive energy package aimed at conservation, alleviating the burden of energy prices on consumers, decreasing our country's dependency on foreign oil, and increasing electricity grid reliability.

Until you have lost your reputation, you never realize what a burden it was or what freedom really is.

It is a high patriotic duty that we support and sustain the men who have been placed in position of difficulty, burden, responsibility, and even danger as the result of our suffrages.

It is important to recognize and politics positive thinking is often the slaves' virtue - something that people do to con themselves about the burden and change being placed upon them.

I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.

The burden of proof is now on the Palestinians... They must fight terrorism and dismantle its infrastructures in order to make possible progress on the roadmap.

For the poison of hatred seated near the heart doubles the burden for the one who suffers the disease; he is burdened with his own sorrow, and groans on seeing another's happiness.