Madonna's publicist Liz Rozenberg has issued a statement denying that the singer is "skirting" legal issues with regard to her proposed adoption of Malawian child Mercy James.
As previously reported, critics have claimed that she will receive special treatment at the hands of Malawi's authorities on account of her celebrity status, and circumvent the country's adoption laws. There are a number of reasons why there are legal obstacles, not least the fact that Madonna is now a single parent, but there were legal obstacles over the adoption of her first Malawian child, David Banda, and that didn't stop her.
Rozenberg says: "The adoption process for Mercy began over a year ago when Madonna met her on one of her visits to Malawi. The connection was instant and profound. Madonna's desire to adopt Mercy is totally heartfelt. She is not skirting any legal issues in her application to adopt this child and is looking to provide a loving family environment and the best education and health care possible for a child who has been in an orphanage since her birth".
Madonna, as previously reported, returns to court in Lilongwe on Friday to find out if she has been authorised to take Mercy, aka Chifundo, out of the country.