Lithuania leaves convention banning cluster munitions

Lithuania will withdraw from the Convention banning cluster munitions, the Seimas decided on July 18, Report informs referring to LRT.

In total, 103 MPs voted in favor of denouncing the Convention on Cluster Munitions, one was against, and three abstained.

The country’s authorities argue that the international legal restrictions limit the defense capabilities and combat power of Lithuania and its allies operating on its territory and reduce the effectiveness of deterrence.

“It would be very wrong for a country, when preparing for its defense, to immediately say what capacity it would not use for its defense. Now, we can neither buy cluster munitions, nor can we train, nor can we even allow the transfer to allies who have not ratified this convention,” Defence Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas told the Seimas on Thursday.

“I can assure you that nowadays, this capability is being used much more responsibly. There are much more modern technologies. It is much more efficient. They are much safer,” he added.

Lithuania’s plans to withdraw from the Convention on Cluster Munitions have been criticized by the Cluster Munition Coalition, and concerns have also been raised by Human Rights Watch, an international human rights organisation, and the Mines Advisory Group, a UK-based NGO that disposes of mines, cluster munitions, and UXO.

Of the NATO member states that share a border with Russia, only Lithuania and Norway are currently parties to the convention.

By withdrawing from this agreement, Lithuania intends to acquire cluster munitions together with its allies.

Lithuania joined the Convention on Cluster Munitions in 2011.

The agreement prohibits the use, production, and acquisition of cluster munitions and sets out specific obligations to address the humanitarian consequences caused by these weapons.

A cluster munition is an air-dropped or ground-launched explosive weapon that ejects smaller submunitions.