THE Lord Provost of Glasgow has rejected calls for her to cancel a trip to Russia amid outrage over the country's policies on homosexuality.

Her comments came as a second Scottish council confirmed it had no plans to sever ties with its twin city in the country.

Activists urged Lord ­Provost Sadie Docherty to postpone her planned trip to Glasgow's twin city of Rostov-on-Don in a show of solidarity to the gay community (LGBT) in Scotland and Russia.

The Equality Network is to hold a rally outside the Russian ­consulate in Edinburgh from 4pm today to protest against a law passed by the country's lower house of parliament allowing heavy fines to be imposed on people providing information about homosexuality to under-18s.

The legislation has been widely condemned by the international community and blamed for a spate of violent attacks on gay rights activists in Russia.

Ms Docherty is due to travel to Rostov-on-Don on behalf of Glasgow City Council from September 12 until September 16.

However, Nancy Clench, a ­Glasgow-based drag queen who has been leading the campaign calling on Glasgow City Council to end its twinning agreement, said Ms Docherty should postpone the trip until Rostov-on-Don's Mayor could provide assurances about the safety of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in the city.

She said: "She must come out in solidarity with a community that is rightly angry and distressed by their treatment in Russia, and postpone her visit.

"Glasgow must lead the way, and ultimately end the twinning agreement, while joining with LGBT organisations in the province to provide support and solidarity. I hope Councillor Docherty can do the right thing by standing by the LGBT Community. She has the opportunity to speak for us all, against vicious attacks on our friends and loved-ones."

However, Ms Docherty said it would not be "grown up" to cut ties with Rostov-on-Don, with which Glasgow has been twinned for 27 years, adding it was better to exert influence "face to face" and from within a partnership.

Ms Docherty said: "It is not practical for cities, countries or states to dissolve long-standing and beneficial relationships because one party does not agree with another's stance on a particular issue. I have written to the mayor of Rostov-on-Don and made my position clear on the country's anti-gay legislation."

Manchester City Council, twinned with St Petersburg, has also urged its partner city to drop the law.

However, a spokesman for Perth and Kinross Council, twinned with the Russian city of Pskov, said no-one from the council had been in touch with colleagues in Russia to raise concerns.

He added: "Perth's twinning links with Pskov have been established for well over 20 years and are based on a relationship with Pskov residents. In that time there have been many positive changes within Russia which the people of both Pskov and Perth and Kinross have benefited from.

"The twinning has made a ­valuable contribution to the cultural life of Perth and Kinross; provided educational opportunities for both our young and older people in terms of exchanges and new initiatives; and supported the council's commitment to recognising equality and diversity."

The UK Government has said it is "greatly concerned" over growing restrictions on the LGBT freedoms in Russia.

Meanwhile, US president Barack Obama said this week he had "no patience" for countries that tried to treat gay and transgender people in ways that intimidated them or were harmful to them.