The construction of Europe is an art. It is the art of the possible.
Jacques ChiracRead
The authority and influence of France on the world scene in the 21st century will not depend solely on its modernity and cohesion, nor even on the continuity and professionalism of its foreign policy. France will be heeded if it has a message to convey. Faced with the temptations of laissez-faire, France must stand out as the nation with the imagination and determination to pursue an ambition that combines cogency with generosity.
Interpretation
France's global influence requires a compelling message and a commitment to ambition and generosity.
In this quote, Jacques Chirac emphasizes that France's impact and authority on the world stage in the 21st century will not be determined solely by its modernity or effective foreign policy. Instead, for France to be truly influential, it must convey a meaningful message backed by creativity and a strong will to combine clarity of purpose with a spirit of generosity, standing out in an era characterized by individualism and indifference.
In practice
In a speech about international relations, one might quote Chirac to emphasize the importance of a nation's message.
The construction of Europe is an art. It is the art of the possible.
Our house is burning down and we are blind to it. The earth and humankind are in danger and we are all responsible. It is time to open our eyes. Alarms are sounding across all continents. We cannot say we did not know! Climate warming is still reversible. Heavy would be the responsibility of those who refuse to fight it.
The borders of Israel and Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps, so that secure and recognized borders are established for both states.
Although socialism is widely held by the establishment to be outdated, the things that are most popular in British society today are little pockets of socialism, where areas of life have been excluded from the crude operation of market forces and are protected for the benefit of the community
Efficiency in an assembly requires a solid mass of steady votes; and these are collected by a deferential attachment to particular men, or by a belief in the principles that those men represent, and they are maintained by fear of those men - by the fear that if you vote against them, you may soon yourself have no vote at all.
Rising political tribalism, shamelessly exaggerating our opponents' claims or behavior, is leaving us vulnerable: No one loves America's internal fighting - and our increasingly siloed news consumption - more than Vladimir Putin.
What political leaders decide, intelligence services tend to seek to justify.
If you look at satellite photographs of the Far East by night, you'll see a large splotch curiously lacking in light. This area of darkness is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
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