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Tuesday, 15 September 2009

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Elton John’s adoption hopes dashed

Ukranian minister insists Elt is too old to adopt a child

Elton John married partner David Furnish in 2005 in one of England's first civil partnerships

Elton John has been told he and civil partner David Furnish are not qualified to adopt a Ukrainian chid.

At 62, the singer is deemed too old to become an adoptive parent.

Elton’s civil partnership with David, 47, is also not a recognised union in Ukrainian law.

‘Foreign citizens who are single have no right to adopt children,’ says Ukraine family minister Yuriy Pavlenko. ‘And the age difference between the adopter and the child cannot be more than 45 years.

‘The law is the same for everybody: for a president, for a minister, for Elton John.’

Elton and David, 46, showed an interest in adopting 14-month-old Lev after spending time with him in an orphanage for children with HIV-positive parents on Saturday.

‘Having seen Lev today, I would love to adopt him,’ Elton told reporters at a news conference in the Ukraine. ‘I don’t know how to do that but he has stolen my heart.’

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Lorraine Crowther