BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

24/08/2008

Exchange Student Won't Return to Belarus, Wants to Stay in CA

16-year-old Tatsiana "Tanya" Kazyra has touched off an international dispute after refusing to return to Belarus and applying for an extension of her visa. Kazyra had traveled to Petaluma, CA as part of a project for children affected by Chernobyl.

Kazyra's host parents, Manuel and Debbie Zapata, have hosted her nine summers in a row and have been trying to find a way to adopt her for the past few years. Kazyra was being raised by her Grandmother, who supports the girl's bid to stay in the US.

Relations between the US and Belarus have been strained in part due to violations of basic freedoms. The US Embassy is working with Belarus to accomplish her return to her home country, as is the project that originally brought her here on holiday.

Source:

http://www.shortnews.com/start.cfm?id=72935

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