Luzhkov calls to address relationships between the West and Russia
17/07/2006
By
Nikolay Alekseev, National Human Rights LGBT Project GayRussia.ru
Luzhkov calls to address relationships between the West and Russia
Debates around gay parade in Moscow make Luzhkov urge West to elaborate common stand on democratic values
Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov has stated that the reaction of Western countries to the Moscow authorities’ ban on the gay parade in Moscow has compelled him to address relationships between Russian and the West.
"The last straw that made me address this problem has nothing to do with either strategic considerations or the need to evaluate various factors and attitudes voiced in the press and in Western politicians statements"
"The last straw was rather the reaction of the West to my decision to ban the gay parade in Moscow", the mayor said during a round-table conference on relations between Russia and the West before the G8 meeting, which took place on Thursday.
Luzhkov refered to the Press Conference of the M4 meeting last February in Berlin where he declared, while seating between the two openly gay Mayors of Paris and Berlin, that "homosexuality is an unnatural act".
The next day, the main German daily papers wrote about the "homophobic and non diplomatic attitude" of the Moscow Mayor. This press conference marked a blow in Luzhkov's communication policy abroad.
"The criticism was that the ban was a violation democracy, human rights and a manifestation of political shortsightedness. My explanation that every city is special and has its own mentality and traditions to be taken into account seemed unconvincing", the mayor said. But the mayor did not comment about the consitititionnal right to every Russian citizen to hold a peacefull demonstration.
He stressed that in taking the decision on the ban, he was also motivated by the attitude of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church and that 99.9% of Russian backed his decision. A poll organized by a state agency failled to confirm this figure. The official legal decision from Russian Justice states that "Moscow authorities are not able to guaranty the safety to the participants of the gay pride". But the same day, Luzhkov said that he will mobilize as much as 4'000 policemen and anti-riot forces to prevent hundred gays to defy his ban.demonstration.
Luzhkov's rating in the public opinion went down in the last months following several accidents in Moscow as well as a growing scandal from people expelled from their house around a real estate project initiated by the city hall. The next Presidential election are also a challenge for Luzhkov. Political analysts already think that Kremlin will replace the Mayor of Moscow over the next months to prevent him influencing the elections. The recent law adopted by the Douma allows the President to dissmiss any head of a Russian region. The status of the Russian capital and particular as the Mayor his also the head of the Moscow region.
Nikolai Alekseev, organizer of the gay pride, declared that "Obvioulsy, Luzhkov understood the big mistake he did in banning the gay pride. He not only breached our constitutionnal right, he also spoiled his image in Russia and more important, abroad, at the eve of his political retirement".
http://www.gayrussia.ru/en/news/detail.php?ID=6328
GayRussia.Ru
Debates around gay parade in Moscow make Luzhkov urge West to elaborate common stand on democratic values
Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov has stated that the reaction of Western countries to the Moscow authorities’ ban on the gay parade in Moscow has compelled him to address relationships between Russian and the West.
"The last straw that made me address this problem has nothing to do with either strategic considerations or the need to evaluate various factors and attitudes voiced in the press and in Western politicians statements"
"The last straw was rather the reaction of the West to my decision to ban the gay parade in Moscow", the mayor said during a round-table conference on relations between Russia and the West before the G8 meeting, which took place on Thursday.
Luzhkov refered to the Press Conference of the M4 meeting last February in Berlin where he declared, while seating between the two openly gay Mayors of Paris and Berlin, that "homosexuality is an unnatural act".
The next day, the main German daily papers wrote about the "homophobic and non diplomatic attitude" of the Moscow Mayor. This press conference marked a blow in Luzhkov's communication policy abroad.
"The criticism was that the ban was a violation democracy, human rights and a manifestation of political shortsightedness. My explanation that every city is special and has its own mentality and traditions to be taken into account seemed unconvincing", the mayor said. But the mayor did not comment about the consitititionnal right to every Russian citizen to hold a peacefull demonstration.
He stressed that in taking the decision on the ban, he was also motivated by the attitude of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church and that 99.9% of Russian backed his decision. A poll organized by a state agency failled to confirm this figure. The official legal decision from Russian Justice states that "Moscow authorities are not able to guaranty the safety to the participants of the gay pride". But the same day, Luzhkov said that he will mobilize as much as 4'000 policemen and anti-riot forces to prevent hundred gays to defy his ban.demonstration.
Luzhkov's rating in the public opinion went down in the last months following several accidents in Moscow as well as a growing scandal from people expelled from their house around a real estate project initiated by the city hall. The next Presidential election are also a challenge for Luzhkov. Political analysts already think that Kremlin will replace the Mayor of Moscow over the next months to prevent him influencing the elections. The recent law adopted by the Douma allows the President to dissmiss any head of a Russian region. The status of the Russian capital and particular as the Mayor his also the head of the Moscow region.
Nikolai Alekseev, organizer of the gay pride, declared that "Obvioulsy, Luzhkov understood the big mistake he did in banning the gay pride. He not only breached our constitutionnal right, he also spoiled his image in Russia and more important, abroad, at the eve of his political retirement".
http://www.gayrussia.ru/en/news/detail.php?ID=6328
GayRussia.Ru
