What they said to greet the new millennium

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"We close the century with most people still languishing in poverty, subjected to hunger, preventable disease, illiteracy and insufficent shelter." - Former President Nelson Mandela of South Africa.

"More people - More fun." - Student Zlatka Petrova, 22, who travelled from Gocedelchev, Bulgaria, to join revellers in New York's Times Square.

"We even have pencils, paper and non-electric typewriters." - United Nations official in New York on precautions against Y2K computer bug.

"Come, come, we are ready to greet you." - Women's choir at sunrise on Millennium Island, a tiny and usually uninhabited atoll previously known as Caroline in the South Pacific Kiribati's Line Islands.

"Should the Messiah come tonight I won't have to go back." - Reformed alcoholic Alistair McKinnon on pilgrimage from Scotland to Jerusalem.

"It's a question of security, I think a lot of people together are going to go really crazy, especially the kids." - Buenos Aires official Diego Palacio explaining why a huge techno music party was postponed.

"The mood is good. There is a family environment out there." - millennium spokesman Rod Charles at London's Scotland Yard police headquarters.

"Devil worship at the millennium party profanes the sanctity of Ramadan." - Egypt's Islamist newspaper Al-Shaab.

"Russia must enter the new millennium with new politicians, new faces, new intelligent, strong and energetic people." - Boris Yeltsin announcing his resignation as president of Russia.

"It has not been rare that the conquests of technology and science, so important for genuine human progress, have been used against man." - Pope John Paul reflecting on the century at New Year's Eve vespers in St Peter's Basilica.

"What should we give to this new baby? Not war but peace, not poverty but affluence, not setbacks but hope." - South Korean President Kim Dae-jung announcing the country's first birth of the new millennium.

"I am feeling on top of the world." - Indian Airlines pilot Devi Sharan, released by hijackers after a week as a hostage.

"The light may be fading on the 20th century, but the sun is still rising on America." - US President Bill Clinton.

"It's ours. May God bless me." - Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso as the US-built Panama Canal came under the government's control at noon on Friday.

"Weapons, including nuclear arsenals, aviation, space and shipping are normal." - China's State Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence.

"It's potentially one of the most boring websites in history as well, so that's some achievement." - Australian Senator Ian Campbell reporting that www.y2kaustralia.gov.au had received a world record number of hits.

"We will fire them. We will prosecute them to the full extent of the law." -- Philippines Defence Secretary Orlando Mercado when told soldiers and policemen had fired their guns to celebrate the New Year.