Britain has threatened countries that ban homosexuality with losing aidpayments unless they reform, David Cameron has said.
But he conceded that "deep prejudices" in some countries meant the problem would persist for years.
The prime minister said he had raised the issue with leaders of some of the states involved when he attended the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Australia.
Britain was "putting the pressure on", he said. But it was not a problem that would be solved by the time Commonwealth leaders are next due to meet, in Sri Lanka in 2013.
Cameron warned Sri Lanka to improve its human rights record or face boycotts of the 2013 summit. He declined to discuss whether the UK could stay away but said he shared a "similar view" to that of the Canadian prime minister, Stephen Harper, who has said he will not attend.
Ending bans on homosexuality was one of the recommendations of a highly critical internal report on the future relevance of the Commonwealth, written by experts from across the member nations.
"We are not just talking about it. We are also saying that British aid should have more strings attached," Cameron said on BBC1's Andrew Marr Show in an interview recorded at the summit in Perth.
"This is an issue where we are pushing for movement, we are prepared to put some money behind what we believe. But I'm afraid that you can't expect countries to change overnight. » | Press Association | Sunday, October 30, 2011
I have sometimes been critical of David Cameron in the past for not showing enough courage. This decision, however, is a courageous one; and he should be respected for it. Homosexuals have had to suffer throughout the ages. It is high time that people put their prejudices to the side, it is high time that homosexuals were recognised for the human beings that they are, for the people who should be respected for the nature they were born with and can do nothing about. Countries which punish and harass homosexuals do not deserve our aid. Let them go sing for it elsewhere. – © Mark
