A quotable man Some of the things he said:

“Let’s not talk about communism. Communism was just an idea, just pie in the sky.”

– 1989, on a visit to the United States. * “Strikes have already begun in Leningrad and some factories in the Urals have walked out.Wherever my appeal for a strike is heard, people back it.”- August 19 1991, after he climbed on a tank outside parliament and urged supporters to resist communist hardliners who had launched a coup against Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev.* “Life has shown us with some brutality that Russia cannot feel safe without its own national guard.”- Aug 22 1991, to adulating supporters after the coup was thwarted.* “(The war) may have been one of my mistakes.”- on the Chechen war * “It just happened – what can one do?” – Sept 30 1994, explaining that he had overslept on a refuelling stop in Ireland, failing to meet Irish Prime Minister Albert Reynolds who was waiting to receive him.* “A man must live like a great bright flame and burn as brightly as he can.In the end he burns out.But that is better than a mean little flame.”- 1990, talking to a reporter from The Times newspaper.* “We are stuck halfway, having left the old shore; we keep floundering in a stream of problems which engulf us and prevent us from reaching a new shore.”- 1997 state of the nation address, about painful transition from a planned to a capitalist economy.* “The living standards of most of the Russian citizens, already low, are still sinking.”* “Emotions sometimes get the upper hand in assessing the Russian-American partnership.This is not the approach that Bill and I have.”- March 1997, at a news conference with US President Bill Clinton after their summit.* “The eastward expansion of Nato is a mistake and a serious one at that.Nevertheless, in order to minimise the negative consequences for Russia, we decided to sign an agreement with Nato.”- on Nato enlargement, at same news conference.Nampa-Reuters* “Strikes have already begun in Leningrad and some factories in the Urals have walked out.Wherever my appeal for a strike is heard, people back it.”- August 19 1991, after he climbed on a tank outside parliament and urged supporters to resist communist hardliners who had launched a coup against Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev.* “Life has shown us with some brutality that Russia cannot feel safe without its own national guard.”- Aug 22 1991, to adulating supporters after the coup was thwarted.* “(The war) may have been one of my mistakes.”- on the Chechen war * “It just happened – what can one do?” – Sept 30 1994, explaining that he had overslept on a refuelling stop in Ireland, failing to meet Irish Prime Minister Albert Reynolds who was waiting to receive him.* “A man must live like a great bright flame and burn as brightly as he can.In the end he burns out.But that is better than a mean little flame.”- 1990, talking to a reporter from The Times newspaper.* “We are stuck halfway, having left the old shore; we keep floundering in a stream of problems which engulf us and prevent us from reaching a new shore.”- 1997 state of the nation address, about painful transition from a planned to a capitalist economy.* “The living standards of most of the Russian citizens, already low, are still sinking.”* “Emotions sometimes get the upper hand in assessing the Russian-American partnership.This is not the approach that Bill and I have.”- March 1997, at a news conference with US President Bill Clinton after their summit.* “The eastward expansion of Nato is a mistake and a serious one at that.Nevertheless, in order to minimise the negative consequences for Russia, we decided to sign an agreement with Nato.”- on Nato enlargement, at same news conference.Nampa-Reuters