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Russia-America tensions flare up over adopted boy
Source: Agencies |
February 22, 2013, Friday
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THE US ambassador to Moscow and a top Russian lawmaker traded verbal blows yesterday over the death of a Russian child adopted in the United States, in a row that threatens to overshadow upcoming talks with the new US secretary of state.
The emotionally charged exchange came after US ambassador Michael McFaul refused to show up in the Russian parliament's lower house to answer questions about recent deaths of Russian children adopted by American parents.
"By refusing to come to the State Duma to discuss the deaths of our children the US ambassador has shown that they are not ready for a serious dialogue on this problem," Alexei Pushkov, the head of the Duma committee on international affairs, wrote on Twitter.
McFaul countered that he was "always happy" to meet Russian officials to discuss adoptions but parliament was not the proper place to do so.
"As a norm, US ambassadors do not participate in hearings of foreign parliaments," he tweeted. "Do Russian ambassadors?"
Irina Yarovaya, the chairperson of the Duma's security committee, issued an even stronger diatribe, accusing McFaul of preaching democracy but ignoring the deaths of Russian children.
"Apparently, he believes it is undemocratic to acknowledge inaction of the US authorities over the violence and abuse of small children," she said in remarks posted on the website of the parliament's lower house.
Since Putin's return to the Kremlin for a third term in May, Russia and the US have been at odds over a growing number of issues.
Late last year, Russia banned all adoptions by American parents, a measure that came in reprisal for US legislation that targets Russian officials deemed to have committed rights abuses.
Tensions flared again earlier this week over the January death in the US of a three-year-old Russian boy, Maxim Kuzmin. Russian investigators said the boy was murdered by his adoptive American mother.
The little boy's death will be among key topics of a meeting next week between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and new US Secretary of State John Kerry, the foreign ministry's human rights envoy Konstantin Dolgov told Russian lawmakers yesterday.
If the ongoing investigation proves the US parents murdered their adoptive Russian son, they will be severely punished, he said in comments posted on the website of the ruling United Russia party.
"They will not be released in court as it happened before, it will not be a five or two years' suspended sentence. It will be an adequate, severe punishment," Dolgov was quoted as saying.
The emotionally charged exchange came after US ambassador Michael McFaul refused to show up in the Russian parliament's lower house to answer questions about recent deaths of Russian children adopted by American parents.
"By refusing to come to the State Duma to discuss the deaths of our children the US ambassador has shown that they are not ready for a serious dialogue on this problem," Alexei Pushkov, the head of the Duma committee on international affairs, wrote on Twitter.
McFaul countered that he was "always happy" to meet Russian officials to discuss adoptions but parliament was not the proper place to do so.
"As a norm, US ambassadors do not participate in hearings of foreign parliaments," he tweeted. "Do Russian ambassadors?"
Irina Yarovaya, the chairperson of the Duma's security committee, issued an even stronger diatribe, accusing McFaul of preaching democracy but ignoring the deaths of Russian children.
"Apparently, he believes it is undemocratic to acknowledge inaction of the US authorities over the violence and abuse of small children," she said in remarks posted on the website of the parliament's lower house.
Since Putin's return to the Kremlin for a third term in May, Russia and the US have been at odds over a growing number of issues.
Late last year, Russia banned all adoptions by American parents, a measure that came in reprisal for US legislation that targets Russian officials deemed to have committed rights abuses.
Tensions flared again earlier this week over the January death in the US of a three-year-old Russian boy, Maxim Kuzmin. Russian investigators said the boy was murdered by his adoptive American mother.
The little boy's death will be among key topics of a meeting next week between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and new US Secretary of State John Kerry, the foreign ministry's human rights envoy Konstantin Dolgov told Russian lawmakers yesterday.
If the ongoing investigation proves the US parents murdered their adoptive Russian son, they will be severely punished, he said in comments posted on the website of the ruling United Russia party.
"They will not be released in court as it happened before, it will not be a five or two years' suspended sentence. It will be an adequate, severe punishment," Dolgov was quoted as saying.
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