Text Box: Dear Parents: The U.S. currently has agreements regarding enforcement of child support orders with a number of countries to ensure that children receive the benefits they are entitled to under U.S. or foreign law. In many countries, hundreds if not thousands of children benefit from this financial support. We deliberately decided not to enter into such agreements if we had concerns about the other country's ability to return abducted children, under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, or to enforce court orders that provide parents meaningful access to their children. Although some U.S. states have their own bilateral agreements with such countries, the U.S. Federal Government — through the Department of Health and Human Services, which handles child support issues — has made it clear that the states are not obligated to collect child support on behalf of a foreign government from left-behind parents whose children are the victims of international parental child abduction. In taking this position, we have been Text Box: mindful of the heartfelt and valid concerns of left-behind parents. At the same time, our position has meant that children who are not the victims of an abduction do not receive child support in accordance with either U.S. or foreign court orders. We believe it is time to find a workable solution to this problem. We are now working closely with other countries on a new multi-country agreement governing the enforcement of child support orders. These negotiations taking place through the coordination of the Hague Conference on Private International Law will result in a Hague Child Support Convention. We believe this Convention, once finalized and ratified by member states, will provide an important benefit to children who are entitled to child support. We have made it very clear in our discussions with other countries, however, that special exceptions must be made to protect the interests of left-behind parents. We are also interested in pursuing new bilateral treaties with specific countries, subject to the same conditions. Text Box: We recognize that our position on this issue may not be supported by many foreign governments, and that we have a challenge ahead of us. Even if we gain support for our principle, the details of implementing such an exception will be difficult to work out. We are committed, however, to our goal of seeking financial support for children who should receive it, while simultaneously protecting the interests of left-behind parents. Both are important to us, and we know they are important to you. As always, you can contact us at askci@state.gov should you want to share your views on this or any other matter. Maura Harty Assistant Secretary Text Box: Child Support and Child Abduction

Office of Children's Issues

Overseas Citizen Services

Bureau of Consular Affairs

Volume 1, Issue 2

May 2004

Letter to Parents from Ambassador Harty

1

New FBI CACU Chief

2

The Faces of CI

2

Abduction in Progress: A Success Story

3

Documentary by

Dr. Glenn Gebhard

3

Civil and Foreign Service Working Together

3

Annual Compliance Report to Congress

4