Latvia

Cluster Munition Ban Policy

Last updated: 19 June 2019

Summary: Non-signatory Latvia says it is in de facto compliance with the convention’s provisions, but it has not taken any steps to accede. Latvia has never participated in a meeting of the convention, even as an observer. It abstained from voting on a key United Nations (UN) resolution promoting the convention in December 2018.

Latvia states that it has never used, produced, stockpiled, or transferred cluster munitions.

Policy

The Republic of Latvia has not acceded to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Latvia says it is in de facto compliance with the convention’s provisions, but it has not taken any steps to accede. In a July 2018 letter, Latvia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkēvičs told the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) that his country “fully shares the concerns” over the “indiscriminate use of certain cluster munitions” and “supports the objectives” of the ban convention. [1] He continued, “the position of the government of Latvia regarding accession to the Convention has not changed.”

Previously, in December 2016, Latvia said it was committed “to act in line” with the provisions of the convention and “fully shares the concerns relating to the disastrous consequences caused by the indiscriminate use of certain cluster munitions.” Latvia said that humanitarian concerns raised by cluster munitions need to balanced against “security concerns and strategic defense considerations.”

Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials have regularly communicated with Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor since 2010. [2] In May 2017, Latvia told the Monitor that its position on accession “has not changed” and committed to “act in line” with the convention’s provisions. [3]

Latvia participated as an observer in a couple of meetings of the Oslo Process that created the convention, including the Dublin negotiations in May 2008 and the Oslo Signing Conference in December 2008. [4]

Latvia has never participated in a meeting of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, even as an observer. It was invited to, but did not attend, the Eighth Meeting of States Parties in Geneva in September 2018.

In December 2018, Latvia abstained from the vote on a key UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution that urges states outside the convention to “join as soon as possible.” [5] Latvia has abstained from voting on the UNGA resolution promoting the convention since it was first introduced in 2015.

Latvia has voted in favor of Human Rights Council resolutions condemning the use of cluster munitions in Syria, most recently in March 2018. [6] It has also voted in favor of UNGA resolutions expressing outrage at the use of cluster munitions in Syria, most recently in December 2018. [7]

Latvia is a State Party to the Mine Ban Treaty. It is a party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW).

Use, production, transfer, and stockpiling

In July 2018, Minister of Foreign Affairs Rinkēvičs told the CMC that “Latvia neither produces nor possesses cluster munitions, nor does it store or use them. Furthermore, Latvia currently has no plans to acquire or use this type of munitions in future.” [8]

Latvia has stated several times that it has never used, produced, stockpiled, or transferred cluster munitions. [9]



 [1] Letter No. 32-1892 from Edgars Rinkēvičs, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia, to the CMC, 20 July 2018.

 [2] In a May 2015 letter, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official reiterated Latvia’s “firm support” for the convention and said the country “de-facto complies” with the convention’s provisions. The official said Latvia is not considering submitting a voluntary Article 7 transparency report for the convention, as suggested by States Parties. Letter No. 32/202-2010 from Amb. Baiba Braže, Director-General of Security Policy and International Organisations Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to Mary Wareham, Human Rights Watch (HRW), 11 May 2015. See also, emails from Martins Pundors, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 19 May 2014, and 30 July 2013; Letter No. 32/63-1434 from Amb. Baiba Braže, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 11 April 2012; email from Ieva Jirgensone, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 14 April 2011; and Letter No. 32/112-1697 from Kaspars Ozolins, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 23 April 2010.

 [3] Letter No. 32-11923 from Amb. Ingrida Levernce, Director-General of Security Policy and International Organisations Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to Mary Wareham, HRW, 11 May 2017.

 [4] For details on Latvia’s cluster munition policy and practice through early 2010, see ICBL, Cluster Munition Monitor 2010 (Ottawa: Mines Action Canada, October 2010), pp. 225–226.

 [5]Implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions,” UNGA Resolution 73/54, 5 December 2018.

 [6]The human rights situation in the Syrian Arab Republic,” Human Rights Council (HRC) Resolution 37/29, 23 March 2018. It voted in favor of similar HRC resolutions in 2014–2017.

 [7]Situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic,” UNGA Resolution 73/182, 17 December 2018. Latvia voted in favor of similar UNGA resolutions in 2013–2017.

 [8] Letter No. 32-1892 to the CMC from Edgars Rinkēvičs, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia, 20 July 2018.

 [9] It stated that, “Latvia neither produces nor possesses cluster munitions nor do we store or use them.” Explanation of Vote by Latvia, UNGA First Committee on Disarmament and International Security, New York, 4 November 2015. See also, Letter No. 32/202-2010 from Amb. Baiba Braže, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to Mary Wareham, HRW, 11 May 2015; email from Martins Pundors, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 30 July 2013; Letter No. 32/112-1697 from Kaspars Ozolins, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 23 April 2010; and email from Ieva Jirgensone, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 14 April 2011.