Lukashenko ‘sorry’ for offending openly gay Westerwelle

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko apologized on Friday for criticizing openly homosexual German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle for his sexual orientation.

“I told [Guido Westerwelle] honestly, eye-to-eye, that he had to lead a normal life”, the Belarusian president said, without saying exactly when he made the remark. Westerwelle was in Belarus in November.

Foreign media reports claimed Lukashenko had said he would gladly send gays to a collective farm.

“My words offended him,” Lukashenko said at a meeting with Russian journalists. “I am still repenting my words. I wonder what made me speak up.”

Lukashenko reiterated however that he condemns homosexual relations.