Adoption between Cambodia and the United States will not resume on January 1, as announced by the government this week, the US Embassy said yesterday.

In a statement released after a two-day visit by US Ambassador Susan Jacobs, Special Adviser for Children’s Issues, the US Embassy poured cold water on Monday’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announcement that adoption with the US would begin with the new year.

The US “has made no decision or commitment about the timing of inter-country adoptions between our two countries to resume”, the embassy statement read.

The US suspended adoption relations with Cambodia in 2009, citing lack of regulation.

“Cambodia has made good progress on implementing its law on inter-country adoption and related regulations on alternate care for children, but there remains work to be done,” the embassy stated.

Secretary of State Long Visalo, who made the government’s announcement, could not be reached.

To contact the reporter on this story: Rosa Ellen at [email protected]