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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">June 27, 2005 <i>(5:30 EDT)</i><br>
No. 120</span></span></span></p>
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<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">CANADA SIGNS ADOPTION AGREEMENT WITH VIETNAM</span></span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew today announced an agreement that will allow
Canadians to adopt Vietnamese children for the first time since January 2003. The
signing ceremony took place in Ottawa following a meeting between Prime Minister
Paul Martin and Prime Minister Phan Van Khai.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“Canada is pleased to cooperate with Vietnam to help children in need,” said Minister
Pettigrew. “This agreement will help to ensure that children’s safety and rights are
protected in the adoption process.”</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">The agreement establishes safeguards so that inter-country adoptions are carried out
in the best interests of children. The system of cooperation between Canada and
Vietnam will help to ensure that these guarantees are respected and will aid in the
prevention of abduction or trafficking of children.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Revelations of adoption-related corruption and child trafficking prompted the
Government of Canada to recommend, in August 2001, that provinces and territories
suspend adoptions from Vietnam until safeguards could be implemented. Following the
Canadian suspension, Vietnam implemented its own moratorium in January 2003.
Adoptions were stopped pending new agreements with partner countries. </span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Canada negotiated this agreement in close consultation with all provinces and
territories, which have jurisdiction for adoption and child welfare. Although the signing
of this agreement is an important first step, adoptions can only resume after its
ratification by both countries and after provinces and territories have signed and
implemented Understandings with Vietnam, a process which could take some months.</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Canada is the seventh country, along with France, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Sweden
and Ireland, to reach an adoption agreement with Vietnam.</span></span></p>
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<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">- 30 -</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">For further information, media representatives may contact:</span></span></p>
<br>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Sébastien Théberge<br>
Director of Communications<br>
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs<br>
(613) 995-1851</span></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Media Relations Office<br>
Foreign Affairs Canada<br>
(613) 995-1874<br>
</span></span><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070220184157/http://www.international.gc.ca/"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #0000ff"><span style="text-decoration: underline">http://www.international.gc.ca</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #000000"></span></span></span></p>
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