Whereabouts of Kazakh-born kids adopted by foreigners to be traced

ASTANA. KAZINFORM - The information on Kazakh-born children adopted by couples from the U.S. will be provided in the nearest future, chairperson of the Committee for children's rights protection under the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan Raisa Sher said at a press briefing in Astana on Monday.

Ms Sher commented on the statement of Prosecutor General of Kazakhstan Askhat Daulbayev on the lack of information about nearly 700 Kazakhstani children adopted by foreign parents.

"I believe it will take a couple of months to get that information. It all depends on Kazakhstani diplomats in the U.S. and reps of the U.S. Department of State who kindly agreed to help us in this case," Ms Sher told the Monday press briefing.

"Foreign agencies accredited in Kazakhstan will help us and the U.S. Department of State trace the whereabouts of the kids adopted from Kazakhstan prior to the ratification of the Hague Convention," she added.

In her words, a special working group was formed in order to collect information on Kazakh-born children adopted by the U.S. families and whose whereabouts are unknown.

According to the ministry, foreign parents adopted 8 806 children from Kazakhstan prior to 2012. 130 children were adopted both in 2011 and 2013.