In early December, the United States and Russia have finalized the fifth round of negotiations, reaching consensus on most disputed issues regarding international adoption, according to a spokesman of the Ministry of Education and Science. As such, the parties reached an agreement as to the mutual recognition of court rulings on adoption, and devised a procedure for protecting the rights of children for a period up to the time when they receive the citizenship of their adoptive parents. The two sides also reached consensus on the coordination of Russian and American regulatory agencies tasked with ensuring the welfare of adopted children and controlling the process of adoption.