■ President Putin:  “I respect – and will respect – freedom of people in all their manifestations”

MOSCOW, February 1, 2007  –  Russian President Vladimir Putin today made his first public statement on gay rights.  It is said to be the first-ever such statement in Russian history.

Speaking at his annual Kremlin press conference, President Putin was asked by Marina Lapenkova of Agence France Press (AFP) if he agreed with the view of Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov that gay parades were ‘Satanic’.

“I respect – and will respect – freedom of people in all their manifestations,” the President said.

But he added that he would not be drawn on “statements made by leaders of the regions”.

“My attitude to sexual minorities is simple,” he continued.  “It is connected with my fulfilling of my official obligations.

“One of the main problems of the country is demographic,” he admitted, referring to Russia's declining population.

While it could be said that President Putin was somewhat evasive, gay activists in Russia were upbeat, expressing cautious optimism..

“The words of the President have cost us two years of hard everyday work,” commented Nikolai Alekseev, one of the Moscow Gay Pride organisers who was arrested at last year’s event.

“We see his remarks as the first serious reward for all our efforts to give input into the development of free and democratic Russia”.

At the same time he stressed that “we reached a great breakthrough”  –  the leader of Russian State gave his views on the rights of sexual minorities for the first time ever.

“We were expecting slightly more from him,” Mr. Alekseev admitted.  “But we did the main thing – because of the mere idea of gay pride Russian President started to talk about sexual minorities.

“The question was asked in this context and the answer was also given in this context of gay parades.  The statement of Mr. Putin was given in a difficult time when Russian homosexuals continue to be under pressure from all the possible sides”.

Mr. Alekseev hopes that “after the statements of the President, it will be a bit easier to raise the issue of the rights of homosexual people”.

On the subject of the President’s reference to demographics, Mr. Alekseev stressed that the rights of the rights of gay men and women had no connection.

“It is hardly possible to imagine that five or seven per cent of the population of a huge country to be responsible for the decrease of birth rates.  The problem of demography lies, first of all, in the economic area, and it should be solved in complex, through enhancing of health protection level, education and elementary increase of the quality of lives of people.

“After that there will be a need to build maternity hospitals as those who want to have children will increase significantly,” he added.

“I know many gays and lesbians who live in Russia and who bring up children and it would be ridiculous to blame them in demographic problems of the country.  At the same time I know many heterosexual couples who do not want to have children due to economic reasons.”

Mr. Alekseev predicted that the President’s remarks might well mean that there will be a shift in attitude towards gays – and Moscow Pride.

“I can not imagine that Mayor of Moscow will be able to ban our freedom of expression during second pride on May 27,” he said.  “The President made it clear that he respects the rights of sexual minorities – and another ban of the gay pride will contradict what the President said.”

Mr. Alekseev also suggested that the President’s remarks might well change the procedures in legal appeals that had to be followed aftet last year’s Pride March ban.

“In the light of presidential position we are going to reach Supreme Court of Russia on the issue of the banned pride march, and probably there will be no need to consider this case in Strasbourg, though such an application is already there,” he said..

“If the Supreme Court takes a decision in our favour and the second pride is allowed, we are ready to consider dropping our application in Strasbourg,” he said, effectively handing an ‘olive branch’ to the Russian authorities.

Mr. Alekseev concluded by thanking Marina Lapenkova and AFP for raising the issue at the President’s annual press conference.

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Posted: 1 February 2007 at 12:00 (UK time) (updated 19:00)