The corresponding initiative in the UN was supported by Belarus, Venezuela, China, North Korea, Nicaragua and SyriaUN, October 26.
/tass/. Russia, Belarus, Venezuela, China, the DPRK, Nicaragua and Syria advocate the development of a legally binding document on the prevention of an arms race in outer space. The joint statement of the countries was read on Tuesday by Konstantin Vorontsov, Deputy Director of the Department for Nonproliferation and Arms Control of the Russian Foreign Ministry, at a meeting of the First Committee of the UN General Assembly.
"Belarus, Venezuela, China, the DPRK, Nicaragua, Syria and the Russian Federation consider the proposal to make a political commitment not to test direct ascent anti-satellite missiles of destructive action as a step in the right direction, but insufficient to guarantee exclusively peaceful activities in outer space and to solve the problems of preventing an arms race in outer space," the diplomat said.
"We confirm the need to take practical measures to launch negotiations on a legally binding instrument of a comprehensive nature in order to prevent an arms race in outer space with guarantees of non-deployment of weapons in outer space, non-use of force or threat of force against space objects," he said. "We call on all UN member States to start developing such an instrument as soon as possible in order to preserve outer space as a peaceful environment for the benefit of all mankind."
Russia is ready to discuss the full range of space security issues with all interested states, Vorontsov said.
"We confirm our readiness to discuss the full range of space security issues with all interested states. We are convinced that the launch of negotiations on an international agreement prohibiting the deployment of any types of weapons in space, the use or threat of use of force against space objects or with their help is the right way to reduce tension and remove the concerns of states in the context of ensuring the safety of space activities," said the Deputy head of the Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
"From the very beginning of space exploration, Russia has maintained a consistent line to prevent an arms race in outer space and preserve outer space for peaceful purposes," he said. - In this regard, we consider it necessary to proceed as soon as possible to agree on an international legally binding instrument to prevent an arms race in outer space. There is a basis for such work. This is a Russian-Chinese draft treaty on the prevention of the deployment of weapons in outer space, the use of force or the threat of force against space objects."
"The agreement we propose could include a ban on the deployment of any types of weapons in space, as well as the use of force or threats of force in space, from space or in relation to space," the diplomat said. - We also call on States to undertake the following obligations: not to use space objects as a means of hitting any targets on earth, in the air and in outer space, not to destroy, damage, disrupt the normal functioning and not to change the flight path of space objects of other States, not to create, test or deploy space weapons of any kind based to perform any tasks, including including for missile defense, as anti-satellite means for use against targets on the ground or in the air, as well as to eliminate such systems already available to States."
