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AP Photo

Putin has put off meeting Elton John to talk about gay rights

The popular singer is due to meet the Russian leader at some stage to discuss matters in Russia.

RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR Putin is unable to meet Elton John for a long-planned discussion of gay rights when the singer performs in Moscow next week, the Kremlin spokesman said today.

“Unfortunately this time it won’t work out,” Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists, asked if Putin would manage to meet the star when he gives a concert in Moscow on Monday.

“The schedules don’t fit,” Peskov said.

That doesn’t mean such a meeting won’t happen next time.

Peskov said he “had been corresponding a couple of weeks ago” with the musician over a possible meeting.

“As you know, there was indeed an agreement that if their schedules fitted, there would be a meeting, President Putin expressed readiness to do this,” Peskov said.

Putin is set to travel to Greece later this week to meet Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and visit an Orthodox Christian holy site, although it was not clear if this was the reason why he could not meet the singer.

The British music legend, who is gay and is a prominent fundraiser for AIDS charities, said in September last year that he wanted to talk about gay rights with Putin.

“I’d love to meet him,” he told the BBC, saying he would tell the Russian leader: “Don’t isolate and be prejudiced against gay people.”

Putin in 2013 signed a hugely controversial anti-gay law banning the promotion or display of homosexuality to minors.

A pair of Russian pranksters shortly afterwards rang the singer pretending to be Putin and convinced him that the Russian leader wanted to meet.

Putin then responded with a genuine call, saying he was ready to meet for a discussion, but since then nothing more has been said of this.

Monday’s concert, when John may voice his views on gay rights in Russia, comes as Moscow city authorities have banned a gay pride event planned for Friday and Saturday, the sixth such ban under current mayor Sergei Sobyanin.

© AFP 2016.

Read: Putin’s party launches a ‘flag for straights’ to combat ‘gay fever’

Read: Elton John wants to talk to Vladimir Putin about gay rights over a cup of tea

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    Mute Gus Sheridan
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    Oct 1st 2014, 8:41 AM

    If you are going to make a mistake MAKE A BIG ONE

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    Mute neeneee
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    Oct 1st 2014, 8:56 AM

    Dislike tesco,their products and staff

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    Mute Emily Elephant
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    Oct 1st 2014, 9:12 AM

    It was much more than a mistake though. They made a deliberate decision to book revenue from suppliers at a particular stage. Even if that didn’t break the rules, it’s the sort of aggressive policy that rarely ends well.

    And the bigger story is that more than a fifth (possibly even more) of Tesco’s profit comes from payments from *suppliers*. That is only sustainable while you dominate the consumer end. Real trouble ahead.

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    Mute Linda Hughes
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    Oct 1st 2014, 11:24 PM

    Me to the staff are rude, unhelpful, surly and they do not smile, continue doing what they are doing when a que is building up and then have an attitude when they have to serve you. I stopped shopping in Tesco a long time ago and would never go back

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    Mute Deirdre Mallin
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    Oct 1st 2014, 8:44 AM

    Aldi people know now every lidl helps!

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    Mute Darren Mullen
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    Oct 1st 2014, 10:09 AM

    They should be under the microscope for the outrageous prices they charge.

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    Mute Jill Antrop
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    Oct 1st 2014, 9:16 AM

    One of their butchers must have been doing the accounts so

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    Mute Andy
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    Oct 1st 2014, 11:57 AM

    Tesco is sh*t. Their meat is crap, I won’t say the staff are rude, I just don’t think they care. Their prices are absolute nonsense, 30 quid gets you a barely half full bag of shopping – ridiculous!

    If you’re not a major fan of lidl or aldi, and sick of Tesco using your hard earned golds to fill their accounting holes then Dunnes is your man!

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    Mute Grainne Gavin
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    Oct 1st 2014, 11:08 AM

    In fairness Tesco prices are very high, and people just cant afford to shop there anymore, i only go to Tesco for washing powder, and if they have a deal on something other than that wouldn’t go near the place.

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    Mute Jim
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    Oct 1st 2014, 8:46 AM

    You can get everything you want under the tree at Spar

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    Mute Sheik Yerbouti
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    Oct 1st 2014, 8:55 AM

    The person who stands up and says, “This is stupid,” either is asked to `behave’ or, worse,
    is greeted with a cheerful “Yes, we know! Isn’t it terrific!” FZ

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