Moscow: Russia on Thursday confirmed it had
suspended adoptions by US citizens following a scandal over a
seven-year-old boy who was sent back to Russia by his US
adoptive mother.
The foreign ministry said the freeze would stay until
an agreement is reached on terms specifying responsibilities
for US families adopting Russian children.
"Future adoptions of Russian children by US citizens
-- which are currently suspended -- will only resume after
such an agreement," ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko told
reporters.
There has been a media storm in Russia over the boy,
Artyom Savelyev, who was sent back alone on a plane to Moscow
by his adoptive mother along with a note saying she could not
keep him because of his behavioural problems.
The boy, also known as Artyom Justin Hansen, is
currently in a Moscow clinic and is in "satisfactory"
condition, Russian television reported today.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said last week
Russia would freeze adoptions by US citizens.
The US consul general in Russia, Richard Beer, met an
official at the Russian education and science ministry on
Wednesday to discuss the adoption issue, the ministry said in
a statement.
They agreed that talks on an adoption agreement would
be held next Tuesday, the ministry said.
PTI
