THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned he is considering a ban on the adoption of Russian children for states that allow single-sex marriages.
Speaking at Novo-Ogarevo, his residence outside Moscow, Mr Putin said he thought bilateral agreements with other countries on adoption should be changed if they contradicted Russian law.
The president was responding to a suggestion by the head of a regional parliament that Russia should modify its bilateral adoption agreement with France because of the country’s recent approval of gay marriage.
“She is right,” said Mr Putin. “We have to react to what is going on around us. We treat our partners with respect, but we ask that they treat with respect the cultural traditions, the ethic, legal and moral norms of Russia.
“I believe I have the right to introduce changes into such documents. This is a topical question, we need to think about this.”
France became the 14th country worldwide and the ninth in Europe to approve gay marriage on Tuesday, and legislation to the same effect is passing through the UK Parliament, after MPs approved it in February.
Moscow hinted at a possible crackdown that same month, when Konstantin Dolgov, the Russian foreign ministry’s human rights envoy, said: “The British and French parliaments have legalised same-sex marriages. This narrows the chances of citizens of these countries adopting Russian children.”
Mr Putin’s comments were the firmest suggestion yet that a legal ban could be adopted. » | Tom Parfitt, Moscow | Friday, April 26, 2013
