More people, especially young people, are realising that if they want change, they've got to go about it themselves - they can't depend on a particular person, i.e. me, to do all the work. They are less easy to fool than they used to be, they now know what's going on all over the world.
If I advocate cautious optimism it is not because I do not have faith in the future but because I do not want to encourage blind faith.
With the right kind of institutions, starting with the rule of law, Burma could progress very quickly.
I don't think of myself as unbreakable. Perhaps I'm just rather flexible and adaptable.
War is not the only arena where peace is done to death.
If you want to bring an end to long-standing conflict, you have to be prepared to compromise.
When I was under house arrest, it was the BBC that spoke to me - I listened.
I think by now I have made it fairly clear that I am not very happy with the word hope. I don't believe in people just hoping.
I feel that the BBC World Service is not as versatile as it used to be - or perhaps I'm not listening at the right times.
My attitude to peace is rather based on the Burmese definition of peace - it really means removing all the negative factors that destroy peace in this world. So peace does not mean just putting an end to violence or to war, but to all other factors that threaten peace, such as discrimination, such as inequality, poverty.
Sanctions and boycotts would be tied to serious political dialogue.
I don't believe in professional dissidents. I think it's just a phase, like adolescence.
One person alone can't do anything as important as bringing genuine democracy to a country.
All repressive laws must be revoked, and laws introduced to protect the rights of the people.
We will not change in matters of policy until such time as dialogue has begun.
I've been repeating ad nauseam that we in Burma, we are weak with regard to the culture of negotiated compromises, that we have to develop the ability to achieve such compromises.
I wish people wouldn't think of me as a saint - unless they agree with the definition of a saint that a saint's a sinner who goes on trying.
I don't think I have achieved anything that I can really be proud of.
Even one voice can be heard loudly all over the world in this day and age.
At this age, I should be leading a quiet life.
