A gay parade has been planned for the Belarusian...

"With this street protest we want to stress the importance of guarding the rights of gays and lesbians and call for tolerance for sexual minorities," the spokesman for the committee said.

The spokesman said the organizers plan to apply to the Minsk authorities to hold the parade.

"By allowing the event, the Minsk City Executive Committee will show less conservatism and intolerance than Moscow authorities who have never approved the holding of a gay parade," he added.

An opinion poll by GayRussia.Ru in March 2009 showed some 42% of citizens in Minsk would not be against a gay parade. Meanwhile, a similar opinion poll in Moscow said only 12.8% of Muscovites were in favor of a march.

Authorities in Moscow have consistently rejected official applications by gay parade organizers. Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov has branded gay parades "Satanic" and vowed that they will never be permitted in the Russian capital.

MINSK, April 5 (RIA Novosti)