Dear Ambassador Otunbaev,
On the occasion of National Adoption Month in the United States, I wish to extend my warm gratitude to the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic in the United States for your continued partnership with our country and the Department of State on intercountry adoptions. The State Department takes great pride and care in the exercise of our responsibilities for intercountry adoption and we are fortunate to have such an excellent working relationship on this issue with the Kyrgyz Embassy in Washington, DC and its kind, professional staff.
I want to personally take this opportunity to thank you for the efforts of the Embassy in hosting events for children adopted from the Kyrgyz Republic. While U.S. families open their hearts and homes to children from the Kyrgyz Republic, we recognize that it is still vital for adopted children to maintain a connection to their heritage. Without your efforts, it would be more difficult for American parents interested in celebrating their child’s country of origin and making it part of their family story. We look forward to continuing our joint efforts to ensure that intercountry adoption remains a viable option for vulnerable children from the Kyrgyz Republic, while still providing a means for adopted children to understand and appreciate the traditions of Kyrgyz culture. We value the commitment of the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic in furthering that effort.
The Department of State is committed to the best interests of children, adoptive families, and birth families through facilitating transparent and ethical intercountry adoptions that comply with the Hague Convention on Adoptions. We welcome the opportunity to continue working with the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic to advance the best interests of children.
Respectfully,
Jonathan Henick, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Central Asia Affairs
