According to RIA Novosti, Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said Thursday the adoption agreement between the two countries had not expired.

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It could also help speed the adoption of a global agreement amongst airlines to reduce emissions via the U.N.

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But it has been complicated by a bilateral agreement on adoption.

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It added that the growth of the internet and adoption of mobile phones meant the existing agreement - signed in 1998 - needed to be updated.

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Mr Peskov said on Thursday that the agreement between Russia and the US on adoption regulations "remains in effect" and, under its terms, must do so until January 2014.

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We also talked in detail about the follow-up activities to the Cheonan incident, and also we agreed on the adoption of the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement, as well.

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