Withdrawal from Ottawa Convention needs to be discussed on regional level - Lithuanian prime minister

RIGA - The issue of withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention, which bans the use of anti-personnel landmines, should be discussed on a regional level, believes Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas.

Paluckas met with Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina (New Unity) in Riga on Thursday. Asked what has changed in Lithuania since the country's Defense Ministry proposed withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention, even though the three Baltic prime ministers decided against this during a meeting in Riga a year ago, and how he would encourage Latvia to take such a step, Paluckas said that he would not take it upon himself to advise the Latvian prime minister.

"We, the Defense Ministry, have our own opinion, and this issue can only be discussed on a regional level, and this discussion will continue," said Paluckas, pointing out that Lithuania was investing in its defense capacities.

Prime Minister Silina said after a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday that Latvia alone would not withdraw from the Ottawa Convention.

NATO has stationed a multinational brigade in Latvia, led by Canada, therefore Latvia has to respect NATO relations, said Silina.

Defense Minister Andris Spruds (Progressives) told LETA last week that Latvia's possible withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention was on the Defense Ministry's agenda.

The Defense Ministry's position is that this decision should be carefully weighed and not rushed, the minister said, acknowledging that the question about the Ottawa Convention is on the ministry's agenda.

Late last year, the Finnish authorities also said that Finland was considering reintroducing anti-personnel mines into its defense arsenal, which are currently banned by the international convention.

The Ottawa Convention, signed by over 160 countries, including most Western nations, prohibits the use, development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, retention, and transfer of anti-personnel mines.

China, Russia, the United States, India and Pakistan are not parties to this convention.