On Wednesday, the Saeima adopted a law in its final reading on Latvia’s withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention, which prohibits the use, storage, and production of anti-personnel mines.
The draft law was considered under an expedited procedure in two readings.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is expected to coordinate the submission of the withdrawal documents to the States Parties of the Convention, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and the UN Security Council in cooperation with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Estonia and Lithuania.
The Convention was adopted in Oslo on the 18th of September 1997 and came into force in 1999. More than 160 countries, including most Western states, have joined the Convention. However, China, Russia, the United States, India, and Pakistan have not.
States Parties to the Convention commit never, under any circumstances, to use anti-personnel mines, nor to develop, produce, acquire, retain, stockpile, or transfer them directly or indirectly. They also commit not to assist, encourage, or induce anyone to engage in any activity prohibited by the Convention. Each State Party also undertakes to destroy all anti-personnel mines in accordance with the Convention’s provisions.
At the time Latvia joined the Ottawa Convention, there were no military, strategic, or security considerations not to join. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs notes that the security situation in the Baltic region has since changed.
The ministry emphasizes that in launching full-scale aggression against Ukraine, Russia has shown that it does not respect sovereign borders or international law. Therefore, it is essential for Latvia to retain the freedom of choice and flexibility to use various weapons systems and solutions to strengthen deterrence and national defence.
Referring to the war in Ukraine, the Ministry points out that the combination of non-guided anti-personnel mines with other mines and weapons systems increases the lethality of defence forces and helps delay or stop massive Russian movements. The ministry concludes that under current regional security conditions, the Ottawa Convention restricts Latvia’s defence options by completely excluding the use of anti-personnel mines as an effective military defence tool.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs adds that the issue of withdrawal from the Convention has also been raised in other countries in the region, opening up the possibility for a coordinated and unified decision.
The Convention allows each State Party to withdraw based on its national sovereignty. A withdrawal notification must be sent to all other States Parties, the UN Secretary-General, and the UN Security Council. Withdrawal becomes effective six months after the depositary receives the notification. After that, Latvia will have the right to use, acquire, or produce anti-personnel mines.
The ministry stresses that Latvia will continue to respect its international obligations, including humanitarian law, while ensuring its own security needs.
The Ministry also notes that any potential acquisition, deployment, or use of non-guided anti-personnel mines will depend on military logic and necessity, as well as defence capability development priorities and available funding.
Defence Minister Andris Sprūds has commented that following the withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention, Latvia could acquire such mines from Poland or Finland or potentially assemble them domestically.