Kremlin Spokesman Says Adoption Agreement With US Will Remain Valid Until 2014

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

MOSCOW (AP) -- The Kremlin said Thursday that an adoption deal with the U.S. will remain valid until 2014 despite a new Russian law banning the practice, but it's unclear whether it would keep the door open for more adoptions.

Last month, President Vladimir Putin signed a law banning Americans from adopting Russian children, part of a harsh response to a U.S. law targeting Russians deemed to be violating human rights.

--CLIP

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the state RIA Novosti news agency that the adoptions agreement will remain in force until Jan. 1, 2014. Under the agreement, it's valid for a year after one of the parties terminates it, which Russia did on Jan. 1.

Peskov's statement has ended controversy over the term of the agreement's validity. Russian rights ombudsman Pavel Astakhov has earlier claimed that the agreement became void on Jan. 1.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/kremlin-spokesman-says-adoptions-agreement-with-united-states-will-remain-valid-until-2014/2013/01/10/8e9502dc-5b4a-11e2-b8b2-0d18a64c8dfa_story.html

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Excellent news for those who were in the midst of completing adoptions.

[samsingh]

2. i don't know why they put the ban into effect