Interfax: Demographic situation in Russia among reasons behind U.S. adoption ban – Astakhov

MOSCOW. Nov 13 (Interfax) – One of the reasons why Russia has banned U.S. citizens from adopting Russian children is the demographic issue, Russian children’s rights commissioner Pavel Astakhov said.

“We have a demographic forecast: the infant population in Russia will be about 22 million by 2025. And the United States will have 105 [million] by 2025. Is there a difference? And now let’s proceed from here: why should we give our children to Americans in a situation like this?” Astakhov said when speaking to law students at Moscow State University on November 12.

U.S. citizens eagerly adopt foreign children due to many reasons, including the fact that the adoption of a child born in the United States is often considerably more difficult due to U.S. laws, the commissioner said.

Russia should learn a responsible attitude toward children from the United States, Astakhov said. “The most important thing for me is that they clearly realize they are responsible to future generations for their country and for their children. They should learn this. They love children very much and respect their rights,” he said.

This is where “the enigma of the U.S. soul” is, Astakhov said.

“I have a firm belief that if it is said today that all world countries are ready to give their children – just to give, take as many as you want! – Americans would find a way and would come and take all of them. This is the enigma. There is the enigma of the Russian soul and there is that of the Americans,” Astakhov said.