"The UK military presence will continue into 2008 for as long as we are wanted and have a job to do."

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, announcing on February 21 a major troop withdrawal from Iraq despite a U.S. military buildup in the war-torn Middle East country

"The reform should match and complement the efforts for reconciliation, economic recovery, rule of law and human rights protection and vice versa."

Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai, expounding China's stance on security sector reform at an open debate of the UN Security Council on February 20

"Justice demands that those who want to hold talks with us shut down their nuclear fuel cycle program too."

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, challenging Western nations' requirement for Teheran to halt its uranium enrichment program in a speech on February 20

"The international community, for its part, must lend its support to Somalia's transitional federal institutions to turn this opportunity into a reality."

Britain's UN Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry, saying after the UN Security Council voted unanimously on February 20 to authorize an African Union force to help stabilize Somalia

"We're aware that extremely distorted movements in the financial market, including the yen-carry trade, could eventually have a negative impact on the economy."

Japanese Central Banker Toshihiko Fukui, cautioning investors after the Bank of Japan raised its benchmark interest rate to 0.5 percent on February 21

"It doesn't say we've gotten there. But it's taken it off the list from an impossible dream and converted it to something that is a (mere) technical barrier."