Russia’s top children’s rights official says U.S.-Russia treaty to be drafted in coming months
By APFriday, May 14, 2010
Russia says adoption deal to be ready by mid-June
MOSCOW — Russia’s children’s rights ombudsman says Russia and U.S. officials will work out the final draft of a bilateral deal on adoptions in mid-June.
Russia had demanded such an accord after a 7-year-old Russian boy was sent back to Moscow last month — alone on a one-way flight — by his adoptive American mother, creating an uproar in Russia.
Pavel Astakhov said in a statement Friday that officials from both countries reached agreement on “all conceptual issues” and that the draft will be presented after a final round of talks in mid-June.
Astakhov said U.S. officials took the Russia-drafted deal and will come back with their amendments in two week’s time.
The ombudsman earlier said that the deal should be signed within the next two months.
