A delegation of U.S. experts is to arrive in Moscow on Tuesday for the forth round of talks on child adoption, the U.S. Department of State has said.

During three days of talks, the U.S. delegation will "pursue an agreement that provides greater safeguards for children and families in the adoption process between the two countries," the department said in a statement.

Russia is one of the largest sources of adoptions for U.S. families, accounting for about 10% of foreign adoptions, but the issue has become controversial in recent years following several incidents involving the mistreatment of Russian children in the United States.

In a recent incident, a 7-year-old boy was put on a plane alone to Moscow with a note from his U.S. adoptive mother, who claimed he was "psychopathic."

At least 17 children have died at the hands of their adoptive parents in the United States since the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the issue has seen repeated calls for a ban on foreign adoptions of Russian children. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said Russia could freeze child adoptions by U.S. citizens until the countries sign a formal agreement regulating them.

The third round of talks on a new child adoption deal took place in Washington in June. The U.S. Department of State then said the sides had not come to an agreement, but there was "steady progress" in the talks.

The first two rounds of talks were held in Moscow this spring. The U.S. side had already received a draft agreement from Russia, and returned an amended text in early June.

"Working with their Russian counterparts, the delegation will review the latest draft of the adoption agreement, making every effort to ensure that it addresses the legal and policy concerns of both countries," the statement said.

WASHINGTON, July 20 (RIA Novosti)