Lithuania is officially leaving the convention on cluster munitions on Thursday. Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė says officials are also considering alternatives to this type of weaponry.
“Quite a lot of work has already been done in this area, but we’re looking into certain types of weapons that we’re acquiring – ones that are slightly different but would essentially perform the same function. This process is currently being coordinated and worked out,” she told the Žinių Radijas radio station.
According to the minister, leaving the arms control convention is not only about the types of weaponry Lithuania plans to acquire but also about the “strategic message” of being prepared “to use absolutely everything”.
“Of course, in practice, we’ll choose what’s most convenient, effective, and best compatible with our other weapons,” she said.
The parliament voted to withdraw from the convention last July, and Lithuania submitted the required depository documents to the United Nations in early autumn, marking the start of the six-month period for the decision to withdraw from the convention to take effect. This period ended on Thursday, March 6.
Lithuania is also considering exiting the Ottawa Convention which bans anti-personnel mines.
Šakalienė says she has met with her counterparts from other NATO countries in an effort to rally allied support for this move.
“I believe we’ll have a final decision in the spring, but at the same time, intensive discussions are ongoing from a military-technical viewpoint about the production, acquisition costs, and need for various types of mines – both banned and not banned under the Ottawa Convention,” she said.
The minister insisted it was important for all countries in the region to send Russia a message about their readiness to use whatever is necessary to ensure defence.
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