Poland and Baltic countries – Lituania, Latvia and Estonia – have announced their intention to retire from the Ottawa Convention that prohibits antipersonnel mines, as announced by the four countries, which border Russian territory.
“With this decision we send a clear message: our countries are prepared and can use all the necessary measures to defend our security needs,” says the countries of defense of the countries in a joint statement, in which they explain that they have taken “unanimously” the decision to recommend the withdrawal arguing that the security situation in the region “has significantly deteriorated” since the ratification of the treaty.
Formally called ‘Convention on the prohibition of employment, storage, production and transfer of antipersonal mines and about its destruction’, the treaty opened to the firm in 1997 and entered into force in March 1999 as part of the international response to the suffering that these weapons produce, which do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
The International Red Cross Committee denounces that antipersonnel mines continue to cause amputations and deaths even after armed conflicts, and they are usually civilians who suffer from their consequences.
The treaty has been ratified by more than 160 nations. Some of the main producers and current users of mines such as the United States and Russia have not signed it.
Leaving the treaty will allow Poland and the three Baltic countries, nations that are part of the European Union, re -storing terrestrial mines.
In their statement, the ministries point out that “military threats to border NATO Member States with Russia and Belarus have increased significantly.” “In the light of this unstable security environment marked by the aggression of Russia and its continuous threat to the Euro -Atlantic community, it is essential to evaluate all measures to strengthen our deterrence and defense capabilities.”
“We believe that in the current security environment it is essential to provide our defense forces flexibility and freedom of choice to potentially use new armament systems and solutions that reinforce the defense of the vulnerable eastern flank of the alliance,” says the declaration.
“Despite our withdrawal, we will continue to be committed to international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians during an armed conflict.
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