"Few global problems can be solved by the United States or China alone. And few can be solved without the United States and China together. The strength of the global economy, the health of the global environment, the stability of fragile states and the solution to nonproliferation challenges turn in large measure on cooperation between the United States and China."

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, in a joint commentary in the Wall Street Journal before the first session of the China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Washington, D.C. on July 27-28

"I emphasize that these are the most complicated elections I have seen."

UN Special Representative Kai Eide, talking to reporters in Kabul on July 28 as war-torn Afghanistan prepared for next month's national elections despite worsening security

"Our image needs to be comfortable for those who deal with us."

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, raising hopes for a more softened diplomatic policy for the country in an interview with NTV television on July 25

"This is an attack on our sovereignty. It reminds me of old colonial times. [British Prime Minister] Gordon Brown had no harsh words for the United States when Lehman Brothers went down and billions of pounds went to the United States. That was friendship—this is 'Take the little guy and nail him to the wall.'"

Icelandic Health Minister Ogmundur Jonasson, expressing opposition to a government bill to repay Britain and the Netherlands the $5.7-billion loan that the hardest-hit country in the global economic crisis had used to compensate foreign depositors for losses in its banks

"It is known that the Chinese Government has never harbored any open or secret attitude of exclusion against any of the minorities within its borders."

Edward Oyugi, a professor at the University of Nairobi, endorsing China's ethnic policy when talking to Xinhua News Agency on the Chinese Government's handling of the terrorist violence in Xinjiang on July 5