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Russia Cancels Exchange Program After a Student Seeks U.S. Asylum Russia Cancels Exchange Program After a Student Seeks U.S. Asylum
(about 2 hours later)
MOSCOW — Russia has pulled out of a longstanding American high-school exchange program after a teenage Russian boy who befriended a gay couple sought asylum in the United States on the grounds that he faced persecution at home as a homosexual.MOSCOW — Russia has pulled out of a longstanding American high-school exchange program after a teenage Russian boy who befriended a gay couple sought asylum in the United States on the grounds that he faced persecution at home as a homosexual.
Russia officials accused the United States of endangering the welfare of a child, while American officials suggested that the Kremlin was using the case as a pretext to further impair diplomatic relations.Russia officials accused the United States of endangering the welfare of a child, while American officials suggested that the Kremlin was using the case as a pretext to further impair diplomatic relations.
Pavel A. Astakhov, Russia’s presidential ombudsman for children’s rights, called it “an outrageous case” in announcing that Russia would no longer allow several hundred high-school students to spend an academic year in United States under the annual Future Leaders Exchange, or FLEX, program.Pavel A. Astakhov, Russia’s presidential ombudsman for children’s rights, called it “an outrageous case” in announcing that Russia would no longer allow several hundred high-school students to spend an academic year in United States under the annual Future Leaders Exchange, or FLEX, program.
Jen Psaki, the spokeswoman for the State Department, which underwrote the program through a nongovernmental organization, expressed “regret” over the decision.Jen Psaki, the spokeswoman for the State Department, which underwrote the program through a nongovernmental organization, expressed “regret” over the decision.
As details surrounding the case emerged all week, it generated indignation in Russia, feeding the government line developed by President Vladimir V. Putin that the country remains the last pillar of moral values in the face of the increasingly decadent West.As details surrounding the case emerged all week, it generated indignation in Russia, feeding the government line developed by President Vladimir V. Putin that the country remains the last pillar of moral values in the face of the increasingly decadent West.
Konstantin Dolgov, the top Foreign Ministry official for human rights, issued a statement saying that Russia did not oppose exchange programs, but he called it “unacceptable” that an American court could overrule an agreement reached with the State Department that all Russian children on the FLEX program return home. Konstantin Dolgov, the top Foreign Ministry official for human rights, issued a statement saying that Russia did not oppose exchange programs, but he called it “unacceptable” that the American legal system could allow an exception to the agreement reached with the State Department that all Russian children on the FLEX program return home.
Mr. Dolgov said the idea that under-age children could “choose on their own and without their parent’s permission the place to live or whether to be adopted” violated Russian law. In terms of protecting children, the case also contradicted the “moral and ethical principles of Russian society,” he said.Mr. Dolgov said the idea that under-age children could “choose on their own and without their parent’s permission the place to live or whether to be adopted” violated Russian law. In terms of protecting children, the case also contradicted the “moral and ethical principles of Russian society,” he said.
According to reports in the Russian media, the boy, 16, was living with an American family in Michigan when he met a gay couple at church. According to reports in the Russian media, the boy, 16, was living with an American family in Michigan when he met a gay couple, both military veterans, at church.
An article by the state-run news agency TASS quoted unidentified Russian diplomats in Washington as saying that the couple persuaded the boy that he should stay in the United States by promising to support him, including paying his tuition at Harvard University. An article by the state-run news agency Tass quoted unidentified Russian diplomats in Washington as saying that the couple persuaded the boy that he should stay in the United States by promising to support him, including paying his tuition at Harvard University.
The article said that the boy had decided to seek asylum on the grounds of his sexual orientation, and that the gay couple had guaranteed to a court that they would support him financially. The article suggested that the court made the couple his guardians, but left unclear with whom he was living.The article said that the boy had decided to seek asylum on the grounds of his sexual orientation, and that the gay couple had guaranteed to a court that they would support him financially. The article suggested that the court made the couple his guardians, but left unclear with whom he was living.
The Russian diplomats said that they sought help from the police, but that the police declined to investigate.The Russian diplomats said that they sought help from the police, but that the police declined to investigate.
The TASS article depicted the outcome as the work of a gay cabal, saying that when the bereft mother flew to the United States to plead with her son to return home, she was forced to hold the meeting in the presence of his two lawyers who were “also of nontraditional sexual orientation.” The Tass article depicted the outcome as the work of a gay cabal, saying that when the bereft mother flew to the United States to plead with her son to return home, she was forced to hold the meeting in the presence of his two lawyers who were “also of nontraditional sexual orientation.”
Susan Reed, the supervising lawyer with the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, who is representing the boy, declined to provide many details about the case. But she said that “things we have seen reported in the Russian press are completely inaccurate or serious distortions of the facts.” Susan Reed, the supervising lawyer with the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, who is representing the boy, declined to provide many details about the case, citing privacy concerns. But she said that the account in the Tass article was “a gross distortion of the facts and the legal process.”
The lawyer said that the boy was 17, not 16, and that he “was afraid to go home” and therefore had been put in federal custody through the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement.The lawyer said that the boy was 17, not 16, and that he “was afraid to go home” and therefore had been put in federal custody through the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement.
The boy, Ms. Reed said, has been placed by the government into foster care. “The sexual orientation of that foster family is irrelevant,” she said.The boy, Ms. Reed said, has been placed by the government into foster care. “The sexual orientation of that foster family is irrelevant,” she said.
An American official, who was not authorized to comment on the case and so spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the basic details outlined in the Russian accounts were correct. Ms. Reed also noted that she was married to a man and was a practicing Roman Catholic with two children, in contrast to the description of the lawyers in the Tass account.
In Russia, officials expressed exasperation that a child with a family at home would remain in the United States under a court order. An American official, who was not authorized to comment on the case and so spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that the boy had been on the FLEX program, then chose not to return home and sought asylum on the basis of his sexual orientation. But the official would not discuss the smaller details of the Tass account.
“A child with a mother in Russia was illegally put up for adoption and the boy was handed over to a homosexual American couple,” Mr. Astakhov was quoted as saying by TASS. “The boy is healthy and comes from a good family, so it’s not clear under what arguments the United States is operating.” In Russia, officials expressed exasperation that a child with a family at home would remain in the United States because of a legal proceeding.
“A child with a mother in Russia was illegally put up for adoption and the boy was handed over to a homosexual American couple,” Mr. Astakhov was quoted as saying by Tass. “The boy is healthy and comes from a good family, so it’s not clear under what arguments the United States is operating.”
The issues of adoption and gay rights have both been sore points in relations between the United States and Russia in recent years.The issues of adoption and gay rights have both been sore points in relations between the United States and Russia in recent years.
Russia banned all adoptions of Russian children from the United States in 2012, and recently extended that policy to all countries that allow same-sex marriage. It also passed a law in 2013 making it illegal to promote a homosexual lifestyle to children, which Western human rights groups said had been used to harass and even physically abuse homosexuals. Russia banned all adoptions of Russian children from the United States in 2012, and recently extended that policy to all countries that allow same-sex marriage. It also passed a law in 2013 making it illegal to promote a homosexual lifestyle to children, which Western human rights groups said had been used to harass and physically abuse homosexuals.
The United States Embassy in Moscow announced the cancellation of Russia’s participation in the 21-year-old FLEX program, which is run by the Washington-based American Councils for International Education, quietly on Tuesday, putting a statement by the new American ambassador to Moscow, John F. Tefft, up on its website. The American Embassy in Moscow announced the cancellation of Russia’s participation in the 21-year-old FLEX program, which is run by the Washington-based American Councils for International Education, quietly on Tuesday, putting a statement by the ambassador, John F. Tefft, on its website.
“These young Russians have served as cultural ambassadors, representing the best of Russia, to millions of Americans throughout all 50 states,” it said, calling the program the largest between the countries.“These young Russians have served as cultural ambassadors, representing the best of Russia, to millions of Americans throughout all 50 states,” it said, calling the program the largest between the countries.
Although it was advertised as an exchange program, no Americans come to Russia. More than 8,000 Russian high school students have been sent to the United States and over all, 24,000 students from the former states of the Soviet Union have participated in the FLEX program. Although it was advertised as an exchange program, no Americans come to Russia. More than 8,000 Russian high school students have been sent to the United States, and over all, 24,000 students from the former states of the Soviet Union have participated in the FLEX program.
The statement did not mention the reason for the cancellation. The United States Embassy would not comment further.The statement did not mention the reason for the cancellation. The United States Embassy would not comment further.
With the annexation of Crimea six months ago, President Putin has sought to depict Russia as a powerful world player that does not need ties with the West. The Ukraine crisis strained the relationship with the United States, which is at its lowest point in decades. With the annexation of Crimea six months ago, Mr. Putin has sought to depict Russia as a powerful world player that does not need ties with the West. The Ukraine crisis strained relations with the United States, which are at their lowest point in decades.
Some diplomatic analysts suggested that Russia was using the Michigan case as part of that political agenda.Some diplomatic analysts suggested that Russia was using the Michigan case as part of that political agenda.
“They have taken this one case and have used it to shut down a program that has historically been very successful,” said Steven Pifer, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a former ambassador to Ukraine. “The big losers are going to be the Russian kids who can’t come and spend a year in an American high school. There seems to be a trend to try to separate Russia from the rest of the world.”“They have taken this one case and have used it to shut down a program that has historically been very successful,” said Steven Pifer, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a former ambassador to Ukraine. “The big losers are going to be the Russian kids who can’t come and spend a year in an American high school. There seems to be a trend to try to separate Russia from the rest of the world.”
There are currently 238 Russian students in the United States, chosen from a pool of 14,000 applicants, but they will be the last group, the State Department official said. Successful applicants were chosen on the basis of numerous criteria, including their academic success, ability to live with others and English skills.There are currently 238 Russian students in the United States, chosen from a pool of 14,000 applicants, but they will be the last group, the State Department official said. Successful applicants were chosen on the basis of numerous criteria, including their academic success, ability to live with others and English skills.
High-profile alumni of the program include Margarita S. Simonyan, editor in chief of the English-language satellite network RT and the state-owned news agency Rossiya Segodnya, both of which promote the Kremlin viewpoint internationally.High-profile alumni of the program include Margarita S. Simonyan, editor in chief of the English-language satellite network RT and the state-owned news agency Rossiya Segodnya, both of which promote the Kremlin viewpoint internationally.
Younger students who aspired to join the program and some veterans began organizing an online petition asking to Russia resume participation. Younger students who aspired to join the program and some veterans have begun organizing an online petition asking Russia to resume its participation.