Russian delegation to visit Norway to discuss seizures of children from Russian families - Astakhov
MOSCOW. Nov 14 (Interfax) - Russia intends to send its representatives to Norway to resolve the problem of seizure of Russian children from their families in Norway, Russian presidential children's rights ombudsman Pavel Astakhov said.
"We offer to pay several visits. Specifically, the Russian Foreign Ministry, the human rights ombudsman [Ella Pamfilova] and the presidential children's rights ombudsman are ready to leave for Norway in the nearest future," Astakhov told reporters on Friday.
"I think such a visit will take place in February," Astakhov said.
Astakhov said a number of meetings are planned with the Norwegian child protective services, municipal child protective services, and the Norwegian Social Security Ministry, as well as "top officials at the level of deputy ministers" are planned.
"We are hoping that we can meet to discuss the current situation and eventually find a solution," Astakhov said.
The Norwegian custody policies have been criticized in Russia over the past few years due to the seizure of children with Russian citizenship from their Russian-speaking families.
The most recent such case, when a family from Russia's Pskov region, who had come to Norway to work, reported the seizure of their five-year-old son in October. This drew a broad public response. The child was seized from the family after he said in school that his mother had pulled out one of his baby teeth.
