A French politician has refused to resign over comments that he enjoyed paying for "boys" in Thailand.
Frederic Mitterrand, 62, the culture minister, denied that passages of his book, The Bad Life, described sexual encounters with underage boys.
Interviewed on Frenc
h TV, he condemned sex tourism and paedophilia, saying he had only paid for sex with men his age.
Mr Mitterrand, nephew of late President Francois Mitterrand, faced criticism from left and right in recent weeks.
His book was little-noticed when it was first published in 2005.
However it returned to the headlines after Mr Mitterrand made an impassioned defence of film director Roman Polanski, who was recently arrested in Switzerland on child sex charges.
Mr Mitterrand said the behaviour of the United States, in seeking his extradition, was callous and "horrifying".
His comments in support of Polanski led the right-wing National Front to lead the criticism of Mr Mitterrand over events in his past.
France's Socialist opposition has also been sharply critical of Mr Mitterrand.
'Not a crime'
Mr Mitterrand appeared on a French TV news programme on Thursday evening visibly angry and far from apologetic.
"I absolutely condemn sexual tourism [and] I condemn paedophilia in which I have never in any way participated," Mr Mitterrand said.
"All the people who accuse me of that type of thing should be ashamed."
People "should not confuse paedophilia and homosexuality", the culture minister insisted, describing his actions in Thailand as an error - "without a doubt" - but not a crime.
"Each time I was with people who were my age, or who were five years younger - there wasn't the slightest ambiguity - and who were consenting," he said.
Mr Mitterrand said he retained the confidence of current President Nicolas Sarkozy and that he had not offered to resign over the controversy.
He had committed what he thought was an "offence against... human dignity", but strongly denied any accusations of illegal sexual activities.
'Kind of a diva'
French political analyst Michel Gurfinkiel said Mr Mitterrand's description of sexual encounters in the book was clearly referring to young adults, rather than minors.
"He very clearly talks about young adults and not minors," Mr Gurfinkiel told the BBC's The World Today programme.
He added that should the "media storm" surrounding the story continue into the weekend Mr Mitterrand may well have to resign, but that his position may well be safe should coverage fade away.
"[Mitterrand] is seen as a kind of a diva, and a lot of people love to hate him for that," said Mr Gurfinkiel.
When Mr Mitterrand's book, described by his publishers as a novel based on autobiography, was written, it received literary praise and did not generate controversy.
When he was appointed to the French government in June 2009 Mr Sarkozy described his new minister as "talented and courageous".
vendredi 9 octobre 2009
French 'boy sex' minister defiant
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1 commentaires:
shame with this government and this minister which say that this business n' is not important, against l' opinion of the citizens.
The majority of the French is revolted acts of this individual but the government seems autistic with l' public opinion. Worse, the government of Sarkozy shows the citizens d' to be excessive!!!
1 Mitterrand supported Polanski the rapist.
2 Mitterrand défens to have had sexual relationships with minors but in his book he speaks d' explicitly; children in French current langage " gosses"
3 Mitterrand defended two rapists while going moral guarantee in their favour in a rape case in meeting on minors.
From now on the French are reduced by it to count on the international pressure to get rid of this patient, so much president Sarkozy and the government makes fun of l' public opinion and of the democracy.
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