26.03.09

The State Duma rejected on Wednesday Communist deputy Nina Ostanina's proposal to suspend adoptions of Russian children by U.S. citizens.

Ostanina's proposals were debated as an alternative to the State Duma's letter to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, initiated by the United Russia and Fair Russian factions and approved earlier on Wednesday. The letter urges the government to accelerate the signing of bilateral agreements on cooperation in child adoption.

Natalya Karpovich, first vice chairperson of the parliamentary committee for the family, women and children, and an author of the letter, told the press that the agreement on child adoption with Italy, to be submitted to the Duma for ratification, will "provide an example of what kind of agreements should be signed."

"All this will help guarantee the interests of the children adopted by foreign parents," she said.

Deputy Speaker Nadezhda Gerasimov of the United Russia faction told the press that 15 children, adopted by U.S. citizens died between 1996 and 2008.

"Despite this, most children find themselves in the homes of American foster parents. According to the Education and Science Ministry, 4,536 children were adopted by foreign parents in 2007, including 2,012 adopted by American families, and 6,689 children in 2006, including 3,468 adopted by American families," Gerasimova said.

The most recent official figures indicate that 12,320 children were adopted in 2008, including 3,962 by foreign citizens and 8,358 by Russian.

Effective international mechanisms must be developed to control potential foster parents after the children settle in a foreign country, Gerasimova said.

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Source: Interfax