Finland voted to withdraw from anti-personnel mine ban convention

Finland’s parliament has approved the country’s withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention banning landmines. The Defence Forces will be allowed to use such weapons in the future.

Bloomberg writes about this.

157 deputies voted to leave the agreement. 18 voted to stay in the agreement. No one remained. 24 deputies were absent from the vote.

According to the publication, Finland protects half of the land border of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization from the alliance’s main adversary.

However, to withdraw from the ban on anti-personnel mines, confirmation from Finnish President Alexander Stubb and the submission of the withdrawal document to the UN Secretary-General are still required.

Background: The Ottawa Convention, signed in 1997 in Canada, is an international agreement banning the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of anti-personnel mines. It aims to protect civilians from the dangers posed by these explosive devices, especially after armed conflicts. The convention was an important step in the global movement to humanize war.

Russia has reportedly begun actively rebuilding its military infrastructure near the border with Finland, and this is already causing concern among NATO countries. Satellite images show the emergence of new warehouses, the repair of air shelters, and the construction of bases that were previously unused.

Also follow “Pryamy” on Facebook , Twitter , Telegram and Instagram.