RIGA - Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania on Saturday officially withdrew from the Ottawa Convention, an international treaty that bans the use of anti-personnel landmines.

Diana Eglite, press secretary of the Latvian Foreign Ministry, said Latvia had submitted its withdrawal documents from the mine ban treaty to the UN secretary-general six months ago.

Lithuanian Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas said, "The decision to leave the Ottawa Convention was driven by the need to strengthen deterrence and defense capabilities."

The three Baltic nations officially submitted their withdrawal notices from the Ottawa Convention to the UN secretary-general on June 27. They cited evolving national security needs as the primary reason for their coordinated decision to exit the Convention.

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Under the treaty's rules, withdrawal becomes effective six months after each country's formal notification is received by the UN secretary-general.

The Ottawa Convention was signed in 1997 and entered into force in 1999. Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia joined the Convention in 2003, 2004 and 2005, respectively.