Sadako Ogata Quotations

Yesterday and today, about 20,000 crossed into Albania in very poor physical condition because they walked a long way -- about four or five days -- to get there.

There is a great fear among the displaced people, most of whom are women and children and some of whom have lost family members in the fighting. We need to be able to locate them and bring them to shelter before more civilians die,

I think for the time being, it would be important to ask NATO to maintain security,

We don't know what has happened to them, and I'm very, very worried.

There is a clear sign that there is another massive wave of people being forced out.

We do not yet know how many lives have been lost through exhaustion, war or outright killing. There's no doubt the 60-day deadline ...presents us with really a daunting task. There are huge obstacles.

They are back with friends, to their villages, but they are not back home yet.

There will be a new appeal and a new plan to cover (expenses for) the rest of the year, which will be quite large ... especially if the refugees stay in Albania and Macedonia,

I have not seen such a crowded, what shall I say? ... Shelter-wise, very bad. ... I'm concerned.

I consider the Kosovo Verification Mission an essential partner for the continuation of our humanitarian work. The OSCE mission has provided a sense of security to many in Kosovo,

The humanitarian situation on the ground is deteriorating rapidly despite the ongoing diplomatic efforts,

The excessive use of violence in Kosovo has to be contained,

I once said that it was unacceptable for Japan to remain "an isolated prosperous island." At one time, it might have been all right for Japan to avoid sending any citizens to dangerous areas [even as part of international efforts] and just wish for its own people's happiness. That time is gone.

Japan should not intervene in other countries' conflicts by using military power. And I don't think Japan is capable of doing such things. For starters, I don't believe our country has sufficient human resources to make that type of international contribution.

Japan needs to cooperate with China economically. This is understood better by the business community than the government.

Japan's diplomatic efforts could have had a broader international perspective. Relations with the U.S. are, of course, the cornerstone of Japan's diplomacy, but the U.S. acts on its global strategy. For instance, Washington suddenly got closer to China in the early 1970s as part of its strategy against the Soviet Union.

Japan should get more involved in mediating disputes between countries and seek to play the role of a peace broker. To make this possible, we must train people so they have a solid understanding of international politics and great negotiation skills.

Refugee problems may often seem intractable but they are not insoluble. In our experience there are two basic prerequisites for solution: the political will of leaders to tackle the causes and to settle for peace, and international determination to push for peace and then to consolidate it. Consolidating peace means helping societies emerging from war to reintegrate refugees in safety and dignity, to rebuild their institutions - including in the field of justice and human rights - and to resume their economic development.

I wish to call on you to join hands in the building of a world in which less people will be forced to flee, and in which refugees are protected until they can safely return home one day.