MOSCOW, August 2 (RIA Novosti) - Russian parliament member Yekaterina Lakhova is proposing a moratorium on the adoption of Russian children by citizens of those countries where violence against Russian children was reported, including the United States.
Lakhova, Chairwoman of the State Duma Committee on Women's Issues, the Family and Youth, is well known for her high-profile stance on adoption of Russian children by foreign nationals.
"Thirteen Russian children were killed in the United States ... Nothing of the kind happened in European countries. It is necessary to set a moratorium on the country," Lakhova said Monday.
Court hearings on the case of Peggy Sue Hilt, charged with killing her Russian adoptive daughter, begin in the United States on Tuesday.
However, Lakhova oppose any limits on the adoption of Russian children.
"Adoption must be on behalf of a child," she said, adding that dual citizenship should be maintained by adopted Russian children, as it would allow for the controlling of those children's living conditions abroad.
Lakhova said it is necessary to dispel common opinion that foreigners adopt mainly disabled children, stressing that only 2% of adopted Russian children are disabled.
She said criminal and civil liability must be stricter for intermediary agencies that deal with adoption in Russia.
Russian parliament members are concerned that the number of children adopted by foreign nationals surpassed the number of those adopted by Russians in 2004.
According to Lakhova, foreign citizens adopted 9,600 children from Russia in 2004, compared to 7,400 adopted by Russians.
