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Klobuchar Works to Reopen Vietnam Adoptions with U.S.

Vietnam's Prime Minister Says country will take steps to improve adoption process

April 7, 2009

Minneapolis, MN – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar urged the Prime Minister of Vietnam to take steps to reform the way Vietnam handles adoptions with the United States.  During a meeting with Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, Klobuchar discussed how important this issue was to many Minnesota families who were deeply disappointed when the agreement allowing U.S. families to adopt children from Vietnam was terminated in September 2008.

“These babies and their adoptive families are caught in the crossfire of bureaucratic and political disputes,” said Klobuchar.  “Many families in Minnesota are devastated, having come so close to adopting.  I am optimistic that today’s meeting was a good first step toward addressing the situation and I look forward to the U.S. and Vietnam working together on this important issue.”

Klobuchar raised the importance of reestablishing a bilateral relationship to allow inter-country adoptions between the U.S. and Vietnam.  She also urged the Prime Minister to take appropriate steps for Vietnam to become a member of the Hague Convention on InterCountry Adoptions, which would establish safeguards and a standard system for international adoptions.
 
At the meeting, the Prime Minister thanked Senator Klobuchar and said he completely agreed with her comments. He said that at a recent meeting of the government council, Vietnamese leaders agreed that Vietnam should join the Hague Convention.  He also said that Vietnam would be moving forward with taking the steps necessary to become a Hague member in the near future.

The Vietnamese government abruptly announced last year that it will stop taking adoption applications from American families.  At the time of the Vietnamese government’s action, Senator Klobuchar wrote to then U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urging her to do everything possible to facilitate ongoing adoption efforts in Vietnam for families in Minnesota and across the country.  Klobuchar also wrote to Michael Michalak, the U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam.

Minnesota is a long-time leader in international adoptions, with the nation’s highest per capita rate of international adoptions.  In 2007, Vietnam was sixth in the world in international adoptions by American families. 

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