The
Republic of Latvia has not signed the Mine Ban Treaty. On 31 January 2002,
Latvia reported, “Today, although having not yet signed the Ottawa Mine
Ban Convention, the Government of Latvia is fully aware of the global
humanitarian problem caused by the anti-personnel landmines (APM), it does meet
the requirements of the Convention and it welcomes the efforts of the
international community to stop the use of this weapon and, eventually, to
eliminate all planted and stockpiled APMs. Concerning the issue of APLs, the
regional context is very important to Latvia. The actual position of Latvia over
this issue is highly determined by positions of its neighboring
countries.”[1]
On 28 March 2002, the Baltic International Center of Human Education wrote to
the Minister of Defense encouraging Latvia to accede to the Mine Ban Treaty as
soon as it joins the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO).[2] On 26 April 2002,
the Baltic Center received the following response:
The Ministry of Defense in general supports human goals of the Ottawa
Convention. At this moment most suitable alternatives to antipersonnel mines
are searched and analyzed (e.g. antitank mines, controllable mines, antitank
missiles, mines of the distance mining systems, etc.) in order to secure
self-defense of the country.
When analyzing the readiness of Latvia to join the Convention, external
aspect also should be taken into consideration. At this moment, several
neighboring countries also have not joined the Convention, Russia among them
with its large stockpile of anti-personnel mines, Belarus, Estonia and Finland.
Acceding to the Convention (ratification) should be done in coordination with
our neighboring countries in the same geopolitical situation. Finland will
consider its eventual joining the Convention in 2006 (and ratifying in 2010) has
calculated that replacement of antipersonnel mines with alternative types of
arms will require significant financial investments.
As the gesture of a goodwill of Latvia in support of human ideas I would like
to mention the decision to ratify the Protocol II of the CCW... I would like to
emphasize that the Ministry of Defense continues to analyze military-strategic
and political aspects and also follows the international developments. Joining
the Ottawa Convention could be reconsidered after the NATO summit in Prague in
November this year.[3]
In February 2002, Lieutenant-Colonel Guntis Aizporietis, Chief of the
Engineering Branch of the Latvian National Armed Forces, told Landmine Monitor
that there would have to be a “thorough investigation” of the
consequences of Latvia’s joining the Mine Ban Treaty, with the involvement
of foreign and defense ministry representatives and also NGOs and economic
institutions involved.[4] He
subsequently informed Landmine Monitor in May that a study has been initiated of
the implications for national defense of
adherence.[5]
Latvia did not attend the Third Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban
Treaty in September 2001 in Managua, Nicaragua. However, Latvia associated
itself with the statement delivered by Belgium on behalf of the European Union,
which called for “worldwide application of the Convention.” Latvia
did not attend the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in January 2002 or
May 2002.
On 29 November 2001, Latvia voted in favor of United Nations General Assembly
Resolution 56/24M, calling for universalization of the Mine Ban Treaty. Latvia
has supported similar resolutions in previous years.
In December 2001, Latvia participated, as an observer, in the Third Annual
Conference of States Parties to Amended Protocol II of the Convention on
Conventional Weapons (CCW), and also attended the Second CCW Review Conference.
On 20 June 2002, Latvia’s Parliament ratified Amended Protocol
II,[6] but Latvia has not yet
formally consented to be bound by the protocol. Latvia is a State Party to the
CCW and its original Protocol II on landmines.
On 20-21 February 2002, a Canadian delegation visited Latvia to discuss with
Colonel Raimonds Graube, Commander, National Armed Forces, possible accession to
the Mine Ban Treaty. The Landmine Monitor researcher was invited to participate
at an informal session of the
meeting.[7]
PRODUCTION, TRANSFER, STOCKPILING, AND USE
Latvia has often stated that it has never produced
antipersonnel mines, and export has been prohibited since 1995 by several
different regulations and
laws.[8] New legislation on
weapons was adopted by Parliament in June 2002. Article 7 of the Law on the
Circulation of Arms prohibits the movement of weapons, in accordance with
international treaties and conventions binding on Latvia, except for their
movement for destruction. It also prohibits the export and transit of
antipersonnel mines. The law does not contain penal sanctions for
violations.[9]
Latvia inherited a small stockpile of Soviet antipersonnel
mines.[10]The Ministry
of Defense has told Parliament that it would take two to three months to destroy
the stockpile.[11]
No new use of mines in Latvia has been reported, but criminal use of
explosives continues, albeit at a reduced
rate.[12] According to the
Latvian State Police, “There were 16 cases in Latvia in 2001 when
explosives were applied to commit crimes, which led to 10 explosions, among
those eight were in Riga. There is a clear tendency to replace explosions by
other types of criminal
action.”[13]
LANDMINE/UXO PROBLEM
Latvia states that it “maintains no active
mine fields at the borders or elsewhere,” but acknowledges that there are
still “some 100,000 hectares of land (one billion square meters)
contaminated during World War II and post-war Soviet operations with mines and
other types of ammunition. Latvian Armed Forces detect and destroy about 3,000
pieces of this ordnance every
year.”[14]
A newspaper report in November 2001 reviewed the mine/unexploded ordnance
(UXO) contamination in Latvia. Some 3,000-5,000 items of explosive ordnance are
destroyed each year, mostly in the rural areas most affected during the war
(e.g. Blidene, Kursisi, Pampali, Zirni, and Zvarde). In 2001, in Saldus
district, 692 explosive items were collected and destroyed; these included
German and Russian shells from World War II, and Soviet shells found in the
ex-Soviet aviation target site in Zvarde. Explosives and an incendiary bomb
were found during construction work in Saldus, and three Russian shells and one
German shell were found in the yard of the Saldus local
newspaper.[15]
On 28 June 2001, a scrap metal shipment received at the premises of the
Liepajas Metalurgs steel producer was found to contain 51 artillery shells,
antivehicle mines and deep penetration bombs. Specialists from the
44th Homeguard Battalion were called in and they removed the
explosives and destroyed them at the former military site at Barta in Liepajas
district.[16]
On 28 August 2001, Leopolds Ozolins, a former member of parliament, found
seven antipersonnel mines and an aerial bomb while swimming in the Salaca river.
Local units of the armed forces removed and destroyed
them.[17] On 8 December 2001,
the discovery was reported of one ton of explosives from World War I and II in
forests in Ogre district, close to the Kegums-Sigulda
road.[18]
Despite the contamination, there have been no reports of casualties resulting
from mines/UXO in 2001 or 2002.
MINE ACTION FUNDING AND ASSISTANCE
The joint Norwegian-Latvian project for an
Explosive Ordnance Training Center has progressed, with building construction
having started in 2001. The center is now due to open in
2005,[19] a year later than was
originally envisaged.[20]
The Latvian Ministry of Defense claimed that following the pre-mission
training of an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) unit in Norway in 2000-2001, it
was planned to deploy Latvian EOD and demining specialists to Kosovo in July
2002.[21]
[1] Report to the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), 31 January 2002, pp.
1-2. [2] It is expected that Latvia,
together with a number of other Eastern European States, will be admitted to
NATO in November 2002. [3] Letter from
Janis Sarts, Deputy Secretary of State, Latvian Ministry of Defense, Riga, 26
April 2002. [4] Interview with Lt.-Col.
Guntis Aizporietis, Chief of Engineering Branch J3, Latvian National Armed
Forces Headquarters, Riga, 7 February
2002. [5] Email from Lt.-Col. Guntis
Aizporietis, Chief of Engineering Branch J3, Latvian National Armed Forces
Headquarters, Riga, 24 May 2002. [6]
Information provided by Gunta Iljuconoka, Attaché, Security Policy
Department, Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Riga, 10 July
2002. [7] Interview with Edgars
Svarenieks, Head of Section, Multilateral Relations and International
Organisations, Ministry of Defence, Riga, 28 March 2002, and with
representatives of the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International
Trade, Riga, 21 February 2002. [8]
Report to the OSCE, 31 January 2002, p. 3; see Landmine Monitor Report 2001, p.
892, and Landmine Monitor Report 2000, p.
830. [9] “Ieroču Aprites
Likums” (Law on the Circulation of Arms), adopted on 6 June 2002, and
officially announced on 26 June
2002. [10] Officials have previously
indicated a figure around 4,500, although the number may be lower now. See
Landmine Monitor Report 2000, p.
830. [11] Interview with Lt.-Col.
Aizporietis, Latvian National Armed Forces 7 February
2002. [12] See Landmine Monitor Report
2001, p. 893. [13] Information provided
by Iveta Gruberte, Press Center of the Latvian State Police, Riga, 8 July
2002. [14] Report to the OSCE, 31
January 2002, p. 3. [15] “Neticami
Piesarnota Zeme” (“Incredibly Contaminated Land”), Diena
(Latvian daily newspaper), 3 November
2001. [16] Ita Cermane,
“Spridzekli Apdraud Liepajas Metalurgu” (“Explosives Are
Endangering Liepajas Metalurgs”), Neatkariga Rita Avize (daily newspaper),
12 July 2001. [17] Kaspars Funts,
“Deputats Leopolds Ozolins Salacas Upe Atrod Kara Laika Spridzeklus”
(“Leopolds Ozolins, Member of Parliament, Finds War-Era Explosives in the
River Salaca), Vakara Zinas (evening newspaper), 26 August
2001. [18] Edgars Galzons,
“Kriminalas Vestis” (“Criminal News”), Diena, 8 December
2001. [19] Interview with Lt.-Col.
Aizporietis, Latvian National Armed Forces, 7 February 2002, and subsequent
clarification by email, 24 May
2002. [20] See Landmine Monitor Report
2001, p. 893. [21] Interview with
Lt.-Col. Aizporietis, Latvian National Armed Forces, 7 February
2002.