Defence ministers of four countries called on their authorities to withdraw from Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention
The heads of defence ministries of four states have called on the leaders of their countries to withdraw from the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, TASS reports
According to the news agency, the heads of the defence ministries of Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Estonia made a joint statement, recommending that the leadership of their countries withdraw from the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention.
“Since the ratification of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (Ottawa Convention), the security situation in our region has deteriorated significantly. Military threats to NATO member states bordering Russia and Belarus have increased significantly,” the joint ministerial statement, cited by the Estonian Defence Ministry, reads.
The document notes that in the current circumstances, it is crucial to give defence forces flexibility and freedom of choice in the potential use of new weapons systems and solutions to strengthen the defence of NATO’s vulnerable eastern flank. “In light of these considerations, we – the defence ministers of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland – unanimously recommend withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention,” the defence ministers said in a statement.
