Perspectives.(quotations)

"The positions are a long, long way apart."

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, on failed negotiations for an EU constitution that pitted France and Germany against smaller states like Spain and Poland

"Bush's bowing to Chinese pressure and trying to deny the Taiwanese people this right of democratic practice is a disgrace to all the democratic countries of the world."

Taiwanese independence activist Peter Wang, responding to U.S. opposition to a plan by Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian to hold a referendum calling on China to remove its missiles aimed at Taiwan

"What they used to do with lacrosse when the aboriginal people would play it, they would literally play for days until somebody died. Jean Chretien was always the last one left standing."

Canadian Heritage Minister Sheila Copps, on the prime minister who stepped down last week after 10 years in office. He was replaced by Paul Martin.

"Bodies of [Hamas] commandos will continue to shake and blow up in the depth of the Zionist entity."