Israel's acting prime minister, Ehud Olmert, did not immediately comment on the bombing.

It's true that until it was officially avowed (admitted to) in 1994, MI6 had no official existence and so ministers never commented on it.

One minister had commented that the proposal would make France into a British Dominion.

One minister commented in March 1982: 'Look, we're bloody fed up with them.

Officials and ministers do not comment on them, officially, to MPs, the media, or the public.

The minister of civil service affairs, Gao Jifu, however, commented, "Since I took over the ministry, I have only met this one man who is truly talented.

Both President Hu and the Chinese prime minister, Wen Jiabao, have commented recently that the economy is overheated, adding that something must be done.

Few ministers here would comment on the question of what price OPEC would be willing to defend.

A spokesman for the Defense Ministry said the minister would not comment.

Clanricarde's opposition was so obdurate that a minister commented: "... what right has Clanricarde to be treated better than a lunatic or an orphan?"