Sochi's mayor says homosexuality not accepted in his region
The mayor of Sochi, the Russian city hosting the Winter Olympics next month, said homosexuality was not accepted in his Caucasus region, but that gay visitors would be welcome at the Games if they respected Russian laws.
Russia's stance on gay rights, including laws introduced last year to ban the dissemination of "gay propaganda" among children, has drawn strong criticism from Western states and gay rights groups in the run-up to the Games, casting a shadow over President Vladimir Putin's $50-billion showpiece event.
In remarks to be broadcast on Monday, Mayor Anatoly Pakhomov told the BBC's Panorama program: "We just say that it is your business, it's your life. But it's not accepted here in the Caucasus where we live. We do not have them in our city."...
