Norwegian social services, slammed for taking two Indian children from their parents in what has become a diplomatic row, said on Friday that they were considering placing them in the care of an uncle in India.
"The family has proposed that the father's brother should take over custody," read a statement from the municipality of Stavanger, in southwestern Norway, where the family lives.
"The Child Welfare Services in Stavanger are positive to considering the possibility of a placement within the biological family network in India," the statement added.
The case has attracted a lot of attention and emotion in India and took on a diplomatic dimension Monday when Indian foreign minister SM Krishna demanded that Norway "find an amicable and urgent solution to ensure that the children are returned to the biological parents".
Norwegian residents Anurup and Sagarika Bhattacharya lost custody of three-year-old Avigyan and one-year-old Aishwarya after the child welfare services deemed that the children were not receiving proper care.
On Indian television, the parents claimed that the child services objected to their feeding the children by hand and sharing the same bed -- common practices in India where they are seen as part of the bonding between mother and child.
{{/usCountry}}On Indian television, the parents claimed that the child services objected to their feeding the children by hand and sharing the same bed -- common practices in India where they are seen as part of the bonding between mother and child.
{{/usCountry}}The children were placed in foster care eight months ago.
The Child Welfare Services have refused to say why the children were removed, citing confidentiality, but have said such moves are made only in situations that endanger the child or where the child's needs are not sufficiently met.
While the two sides now appear close to reaching an agreement, it will at the end of the day be up to the Norwegian judiciary, which ruled the children should be removed from their parents in the first place, to reach the final decision.