Estonia to withdraw from anti-personnel mines convention

TALLINN - The Estonian parliament on Wednesday passed a law to withdraw from the convention prohibiting the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of anti-personnel mines and requiring their destruction -- known as the Ottawa Convention -- due to the deteriorated security situation.

Altogether 81 MPs voted in favor of withdrawing from the treaty.

The explanatory memorandum to the draft stated that since Estonia ratified the Ottawa Convention more than 20 years ago, the security environment in Europe and the Baltic Sea region has deteriorated significantly and the military threat to NATO member states has increased. At the same time, Russia is continuing its military aggression against Ukraine and is in serious breach of its international obligations, including international humanitarian law. Russia is not a party to the Ottawa Convention and is making extensive use of anti-personnel mines in the war against Ukraine.

The Baltic states, Poland and Finland have discussed whether, alongside other measures to strengthen their defense capabilities, they should also consider re-introducing anti-personnel mines and withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention, and all five countries have now initiated the legal procedures necessary to withdraw from the convention. According to the explanatory memorandum, the countries on NATO's eastern flank are sending a clear message that they are ready and able to use all necessary measures to protect their territory and freedom.

According to the explanatory memorandum, withdrawal from the convention will give the Estonian defense forces greater flexibility and freedom to choose the weapon systems and solutions to be used when necessary. Withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention will take effect six months after the relevant notification, provided that the state party is not involved in an armed conflict at the time of withdrawal.

The Ottawa Convention entered into force in 1999 and Estonia acceded to it in 2004.