Russia, U.S. must agree 4 key points to complete adoption talks - ombudsman

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Russian Children's Rights Ombudsman Pavel Astakhov

13:56 03/12/2010

© RIA Novosti. Grigory Sysoev

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Russia and the United States have to work out a common position on four remaining points concerning child adoption in order to complete long-standing talks and conclude an intergovernmental adoption agreement, Russian Children's Rights Ombudsman Pavel Astakhov said on Friday.

"Four points, the most complicated, have yet to be agreed. These are acquisition of citizenship, control over the relocation of children, 'post-adoption,' when the first adoption is abolished and a second comes into force, Astakhov said.

"The fourth point is the ratification of the agreement itself," he continued.

The fifth round of talks between Russian and U.S. experts on the ratification of the child adoption agreement started in Washington on Wednesday.

"Everything should come to an end today. If the Americans accept all our stipulations, this will be the last round of talks," he said.

Astakhov said earlier that he might push for a freeze on adoptions of Russian children by U.S. citizens if Russia and the United States fail to seal an adoption agreement by early 2011.

Russia is one of the largest sources of adoptions for U.S. families, accounting for about 10 percent of foreign adoptions. The mistreatment of Russian children adopted in the United States has attracted public attention in recent months as a result of a number of highly publicized incidents.

In April, a 7-year-old boy was placed alone on a one-way flight to Moscow by his U.S. adoptive mother with a note claiming he was "psychopathic."

Following the case, Russia threatened to prohibit child adoptions by U.S. citizens until the countries sign an intergovernmental agreement guaranteeing the rights of adopted children.

MOSCOW, December 3 (RIA Novosti)