IMPORTANT NOTICE
VIETNAM: Intercountry Adoption Negotiations

• A Department of State delegation met in Hanoi, Vietnam March 11-12 with a Government of Vietnam delegation to discuss a draft instrument on intercountry adoptions.

• The Department of State delegation included representatives of the Office of Children's Issues from the Bureau of Consular Affairs, the Legal Adviser's Office, the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi and the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City. The Vietnamese delegations included representatives of the Department of International Adoptions, the Ministries of Justice, Public Security and Foreign Affairs, and Offices of the President and Government.

• In the interest of providing the option of intercountry adoption to Vietnamese children in need of a permanent family placement, the U.S. has sought since late 2002 to conclude a bilateral document on adoptions with the Government of Vietnam.

• Vietnamese legislation requires that Vietnam sign an international treaty on adoptions in order to permit intercountry adoptions between Vietnam and another country. Vietnam has not signed the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoptions, a multilateral treaty that the U.S. has signed but not yet implemented.

• The discussions proceeded in a cordial atmosphere and resolved a number of issues of mutual concern. In the course of discussions the two sides identified several issues that require additional discussion in their respective capitals. The discussions concluded on March 12 without reaching a final agreement on a text. The United States and Vietnam are committed to continuing dialogue with a view toward reaching agreement on a bilateral document as soon as possible.

• We do not comment on ongoing negotiations, so we cannot say anything further about issues that have been resolved or need further discussion.

• We do not know when further negotiations might take place. That will depend upon further communications between our governments.