Riga [Latvia], May 9: Lithuania has withdrawn from an international agreement banning anti-personnel mines, becoming the second Baltic state after Latvia to do so in light of Russia's war against Ukraine.
The parliament in Vilnius on Thursday approved the government's decision to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention with 107 votes in favour, none against, and three abstentions. The decision will take effect six months after the withdrawal declaration is submitted to the United Nations.
The Seimas, Lithuania's parliament, followed a joint recommendation from the defence ministers of the Baltic States and Poland. Russia's war against Ukraine is seen as a direct threat to national security in the four states, all of which are members of NATO and the European Union, that border Russia.
Finland, another EU and NATO-member state bordering Russia to the east, later joined the initiative. Lithuania justified its withdrawal by citing the security situation in the region, which has "fundamentally deteriorated" according to the joint declaration, since the country joined the Ottawa Convention in 2003. (DPA)
Source: Qatar Tribune
