Finland now has to remove all anti-personnel land mines from its stocks by 2016. The treaty obliges signatories to give up the weapons within four years of signing it.
Finnish defence forces have already started preparing for the removal of land mines from the country's arsenal. The strategic function of the mines will be replaced by surveillance planes and sensors. For the purchase of these replacement systems the country has reserved 200 million euros.
The chair of the Parliamentary Defence Committee, True Finns MP Jussi Niinistö, expressed opposition to the government’s decision to join the Ottawa Convention.
In his view, Finland’s long borders with few resources to defend them necessitated the need for anti-personnel mines.
The convention outlawing anti-personnel mines has been signed by 156 states to date.
