Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland “close” to an agreement on their withdrawal from the treaty prohibiting anti -personnel mines
Poland, the three Baltic countries and Finland, all border workers in Russia, “Are close” From an agreement on their withdrawal from the treaty prohibiting anti -personnel mines, the Lithuanian Defense Minister, Dovile Sakaliene said on Thursday.
“We are in very intense discussion with our partners in the region so that the five countries with a border with Russia – Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland – are able to make a common decision and send a common strategic message”said the Lithuanian minister in Warsaw during a common press point with her Polish counterpart, Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz.
“It is necessary to make such a decision”estimated the latter, adding that he was “Particularly important for us to present a common position” on this question.
The five countries, all particularly worried about their security since the Russian aggression against Ukraine, had already pointed out that they had initiated a reflection on their withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention.
Last week, in a speech in Parliament, the head of the Polish government, Donald Tusk, announced that he was going “Recommend a favorable opinion for the withdrawal of Poland from the Ottawa Convention” on anti -personnel mines.
More than 160 countries and territories recognize the Treaty of Ottawa, including Ukraine, but not the United States and Russia. The text prohibits signatory countries the acquisition, production, storage and use of anti -personnel mines. kyiv accused Moscow of leading “Genocidal activities” Using anti -personnel mines in Ukraine.
The Legal Chef of the International Committee of the Red Cross (CICR), Cordula Droege, said it was very worried Thursday in the face of the European rearmament context, after the withdrawal of the Lithuania from the convention prohibiting submunition bombs and discussions in Poland on the anti-personnel mines treaty: “There is a little panic in Europe at the moment, and I think states make very thoughtless decisions”she said.
Source: Lemonde