The parliaments of the three Baltic countries – Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia – as well as that of Finland gave their green light at the exit of the so -called Ottawa Convention. Warsaw, where the same decision was made by the lower room of Parliament, is still waiting for the Senate vote.
“On June 27 in New York, Estonia presented to the United Nations the withdrawal instruments of the Ottawa Convention“Said a statement published on the site of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to this text, “The withdrawal of the convention follows from the security situation in the region, which has deteriorated due to the aggression of Russia against Ukraine, and is based on imperative national security considerations“.
The 1997 Ottawa Convention prohibits employment, storage, production and transfer of anti -personnel mines designed to be buried or hidden on the ground. Triggered in contact or close to a person, they can kill or cause serious injuries.
These devices often remain active after a conflict, thus preventing the return of populations. The decision will take effect six months from its notification to the UN.
