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PRESS RELEASE By the Delegation of China to the
Conference on Disarmament (29 May 2002)
On 28TH of May, the Delegations of China and the Russian Federation jointly
held a informal consultation meeting at the Chinese Mission in Geneva to brief
on a Sino-Russian joint working paper entitled Possible
Elements for a Future International Legal Agreement on the Prevention of the
Deployment of Weapons in Outer Space, the Threat or Use of Force against Outer
Space Objects (Draft, the text of which is attached herewith). China and
Russia intended to formally submit it to the Conference on Disarmament by the
end of June, and sought support and co-sponsorship to this document at this
meeting. All the delegations to the Conference to Disarmament were invited and
50 of them took part in the consultation. In addition to the briefing, initial
comments and relevant questions were expressed, generally in favor of giving the
document active consideration.
Outer space is the common heritage of the mankind. The exploration and
utilization of outer space for peaceful purposes is a universal aspiration and
demand of the international community. For more than half a century, the
development of space technology has enormously facilitated the economic,
scientific and social progress of all nations. Meanwhile, it has also stimulated
the research and development of outer-space-related weaponry and military
technologies. Various combat theories and concepts related to space warfare have
been unveiled. Outer space is faced with the danger of weaponization and arms
race.
Such as scenario, if comes true, will destroy the tranquility of outer space,
undermine the international security, and hamper mankind’s activities in the
peaceful uses of outer space. This is not in the interests of any country, be it
a country with advanced space technology or a developing country. Therefore, the
prevention of the weaponization of and an arms race in outer space has become a
pressing task for the entire international community.
Over the years, a great deal of work has been done by the international
community, and a host of outer-space-related international treaties, agreements
and norms have been formulated. However, they are far from sufficient in
arresting the worrying slide towards the weaponization of outer space. Given the
current situation, it is our view that immediate action is needed to initiate
the negotiation on a legal instrument that can forestall this potent danger that
we are all faced with.
As the sole multilateral disarmament negotiating forum, the Conference on
Disarmament (CD) in Geneva established an Ad Hoc Committee on the Prevention of
an Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS) for ten consecutive years in the past and
accumulated rich experience. Therefore, the CD is an ideal forum for negotiating
such a legal instrument. The UN General Assembly has for years passed
resolutions on PAROS, reiterating that “the Conference on Disarmament has the
primary role in the negotiation of a multilateral agreement or agreements, as
appropriate, on the prevention of an arms race in outer space in all its
aspects”. Most CD members have expressed their support of the CD to start
substantive work on outer space.
In view of the above, the Delegations of the People’s Republic of China and the
Russian Federation will submit to the CD this joint working paper. The paper
lays out the general framework and concrete contents of the future legal
instrument on outer space. The core of the new legal instrument is no deployment
of weapons in outer space and no threat or use of force against outer space
objects. China stands for the early re-establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee on
PAROS at the CD, so as to start substantive work on the negotiations of such a
legal instrument. This move taken by China and the Russian Federation is solely
for the purpose of maintaining peace and stability in outer space through
multilateral and constructive cooperation.
The Delegations of China and the Russian Federation hope that all other
delegations will carefully study, support and co-sponsor this paper. We are
prepared to join hands with all sides to push for the early conclusion of a new
international legal instrument on outer space.
This
material is produced independently for NTI by the James Martin
Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of
International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the
opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or
its directors, officers, employees, agents. Copyright © 2007 by
MIIS.
