"When there is a multiplicity of suns, the gravitational pull of each is not only weakened but also by a judicious use of the pulls and counter-pulls of gravitational forces, the minor planets have a greater freedom of navigation."

- Mr S. Rajaratnam, Singapore's first Foreign Minister, 1985

"In foreign policy, you must identity real choices, then select and act decisively. You must not allow false sentiment to cloud the issues. Moralistic hysterics is fatal, paralysing. You must be aware of your limitations - not limitations of lack of will, paralysis of will. Real politics versus morality is what countries have faced through the ages. You must seek a practical balance between the two...world affairs manifest a complexity which only the idiot will reduce to simple moral aphorisms..."

- Mr S. Rajaratnam, Singapore's first Foreign Minister, 1985

"For us, a sound foreign policy is one which ensures a maximum of friends and a minimum of enemies."

- Mr S. Rajaratnam, Singapore's first Foreign Minister, 1985