VILNIUS - Finland's decision to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel landmines boost the desire of other countries in the region to withdraw from the treaty, Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene says.
"Our countries have not only taken the initiative individually, but have also made a joint regional decision in response to growing security threats. Today, this decision is reinforced by Finland's choice, which is a clear sign that the region is serious about strengthening its defense and deterrence measures," Sakaliene said in a Facebook post today.
"Military threats to countries bordering Belarus and Russia have increased significantly over the past year and real action is needed to ensure security," she dded.
As BNS reported earlier, the defense ministers of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland announced in mid-March their intention to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention as the existing security situation in the region has "substantially deteriorated" and as military threats to NATO member states bordering Russia and Belarus have "increased significantly", the ministers said in their joint statement.
The Finnish government announced its intention on Tuesday to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention and increase its defense budget.
"The long-awaited and negotiated regional solution is now complete as NATO countries bordering Russia are taking all necessary measures to ensure that the dirty boot of a Russian soldier will never again cross our border," Sakaliene underlined.
The decisions to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention still need parliamentary approval.
All EU member states are members of the Ottawa Convention, while China, Russia, the US, India and Pakistan are not.
Lithuania ratified the Ottawa Convention in 2003.
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