June 27, Lithuania handed the letter of denouncement of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (Ottawa Convention) to the Secretary General of the United Nations. The document will come into effect after six months from the presentation day.
“Lithuania is implementing an unprecedented regional decision hand in hand with other NATO borderline Allies. We have assembled a defensive coalition of regional partners which sends an unambiguous message of NATO’s eastern border being solid indivisible and defended in unison, using any necessary means,” says Minister of National Defence Dovilė Šakalienė.
Anti-personnel landmines are an efficient and cost-effective defensive tool for preventing the enemy’s advancement and to build a strong and resilient defence line to block out the intruder.
“In light of the unstable security situation marked by the russian aggression and persistent threat to the Euro-Atlantic community, we have to take stock of all potential means of strengthening our deterrence and defence capabilities. Our Armed Forces need to be flexible and at liberty to use whatever the can to ensure effective prevention of the aggression and to successfully defend the eastern flank of the Alliance,” says Minister.
Russia, the aggressor in the war against Ukraine, is not a signatory of the Ottawa Convention and keeps large stockpiles of anti-personnel mines, as well as uses it intensely against Ukraine, a party to the Convention.
Having denounced the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, Lithuania will still respect the norms and principles of the international humanitarian law applicable to military action and protection of civilians.
Lithuania is absolutely serious about it commitments concerning implementation of the Geneva Conventions and the Additional Protocols and will do everything required to mitigate any humanitarian implications of anti-personnel mine use. Potential harmful effect of the land mines might be mitigated if strict procedures and rules of use are set.
