Lithuanian Defense Minister Laurinas Kasciunas said that his country may withdraw from the Convention on Cluster Munitions, a decision to do so may be made in the near future. UNN reports this with reference to Lrytas.
"I hope that in the near future (the issue of withdrawal from the Convention will be considered - ed.). My time (mandate - ed.) is running out, so I have to deal with everything," Kasciunas said.
According to the minister, the Council of Defense of the State (CDS), which met on Wednesday, did not discuss this issue. However, he expects decisions to be made by the end of the government's term.
Kasciunas mentioned consultations with the authorities on a possible withdrawal from the Convention back in late January, when he was chairman of the Seimas Committee on National Security and Defense.
As Kasciunas pointed out, Lithuania "needs to reassess the provisions of this Convention for reasons of national security", as the security situation in the country has deteriorated significantly.
For reference
Cluster munitions are ammunition that, when exploded, scatter into a large number of small explosives. These explosives normally explode on contact with a hard surface, but a wet or soft covering stops this process. They can explode if stepped on or picked up. For this reason, this type of ammunition is considered dangerous to civilians.
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