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French 'boy sex' minister defiant | French 'boy sex' minister defiant |
(10 minutes later) | |
A French politician has refused to quit over comments that he enjoyed paying for "young boys" in Thailand. | A French politician has refused to quit over comments that he enjoyed paying for "young boys" in Thailand. |
Frederick Mitterrand, the culture minister, denied that passages of his book, The Bad Life, described sexual encounters with underage boys. | |
Interviewed on French TV, he condemned sex tourism, paedophilia, and said he paid for sex with men his own age. | Interviewed on French TV, he condemned sex tourism, paedophilia, and said he paid for sex with men his own age. |
Mr Mitterrand, nephew of late President Francois Mitterrand, faced criticism from left and right in recent weeks. | |
His book returned to the headlines after he made an impassioned defence of film director Roman Polanski, who was recently arrested in Switzerland on child sex charges. | His book returned to the headlines after he made an impassioned defence of film director Roman Polanski, who was recently arrested in Switzerland on child sex charges. |
Condemnation | Condemnation |
Mr Mitterrand appeared on a French TV news programme on Thursday evening visibly angry and far from apologetic. | |
He insisted he retained the confidence of current President Nicolas Sarkozy and said he had not offered to resign over the controversy. | He insisted he retained the confidence of current President Nicolas Sarkozy and said he had not offered to resign over the controversy. |
"I absolutely condemn sexual tourism [and] I condemn paedophilia in which I have never in any way participated, and all the people who accuse me of that type of thing should be ashamed," Mr Mitterrand said. | |
His comments were little-noticed when the book was written four years ago, before Mr Mitterrand joined the government. | |
Instead of generating controversy Mr Mitterrand's work received few comments other than literary praise. | |
When he was appointed to the French government in June 2009 Mr Sarkozy described his new minister as "talented and courageous". | When he was appointed to the French government in June 2009 Mr Sarkozy described his new minister as "talented and courageous". |