By a vote of 138-0 (with two abstentions) the U.N. resolution entitled
"Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space" passed the General Assembly on November 1, 1999.
The two nations that abstained were the United States and Israel.
The resolution reaffirmed that the "will of all States that the
exploration and use of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial
bodies, shall be for peaceful purposes and shall be carried out for the
benefit and in the interest of all countries...."
The passage of the resolution is significant because it reflects the
growing consciousness that a global democratic debate must now ensue if we
are to keep space from becoming the next area of military war fighting
operations as the U.S. Space Command envisions.
The next step that is required from the U.N. is the strengthening of the
1967 Outer Space Treaty. Please make an effort to urge the U.N.
delegation from your nation to help make this happen.
Following is the list of all nations that voted for the resolution, and then the resolution itself:
Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia/Herzeg, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Dar-Salam,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica,
Cote D'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Dem PR of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany,
Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland,
Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lao Pdr, Latvia, Lebanon, Libyan AJ, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongola, Morocco,
Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Panama, Papua N Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Rep of Korea,
Rep of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland,
Sweden, Syrian AR, Thailand, Thefyr Macedonia, Togo, Trinidad-Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,
Uganda, Ukraine, U A Emirates, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zimbabwe.
Fifty-fourth session
Introduced by: Algeria, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussaiam, Chile, China, Cuba,
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Egypt, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Kenya,
Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Sri Lanka
and Sudan:
The General Assembly,
Recognizing the common interest of all mankind in the exploration and use of
outer space for peaceful purposes,
Reaffirming the will of all States that the exploration and use of outer
space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, shall be for peaceful
purposes and shall be carried out for the benefit and in the interest of all
countries, irrespective of their degree of economic or scientific development,
Reaffirming also the provisions of articles III and IV of the Treaty on
Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of
Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies,
Recalling the obligation of all States to observe the provisions of the
Charter of the United Nations regarding the use or threat of use of force in
their international relations, including in their space activities,
Reaffirming paragraph 80 of the Final Document of the Tenth Special Session
of the General Assembly, in which it is stated that in order to prevent an
arms race in outer space further measures should be taken and appropriate
international negotiations held in accordance with the spirit of the Treaty,
Recalling its previous resolutions on this issue, and taking note of the
proposals submitted to the General Assembly at its tenth special session and
its regular sessions, and of the recommendations made to the competent organs
of the United Nations and to the Conference on Disarmament,
Recognizing that prevention of an arms race in outer space would avert a
grave danger for international peace and security,
Emphasizing the paramount importance of strict compliance with existing arms
limitation and disarmament agreements relevant to outer space, including
bilateral agreements, and with the existing legal regime concerning the use
of outer space,
Considering that wide participation in the legal regime applicable to outer
space could contribute to enhancing its effectiveness.
Noting that the Ad Hoc Committee on the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer
Space, taking into account its previous efforts since its establishment in
1985 and seeking to enhance its functioning in qualitative terms, continued
the examination and identification of various issues, existing agreements and
existing proposals, as well as future initiative relevant to the prevention
of an arms race in outer space, and that this contributed to a better
understanding of a number of problems and to a clearer perception of the
various positions.
Noting also that there were no objections in principle in the Conference on
Disarmament to the re-establishment of the Ad Hoc Committee, subject to
re-examination of the mandate contained in the decision of the Conference on
Disarmament of 13 February 1992,
Emphasizing the mutually complementary nature of bilateral and multilateral
efforts in the field of preventing an arms race in outer space, and hoping
that concrete results will emerge from those efforts as soon as possible,
Convinced that further measures should be examined in the search for
effective and verifiable bilateral and multilateral agreements in order to
prevent an arms race in outer space, including the weaponization of outer
space,
Stressing that the growing use of outer space increases the need for greater
transparency and better information on the part of the international
community,
Recalling in this context its previous resolutions, in particular resolutions
45/55 B of 4 December 1990, 47/51 of 9 December 1992 and 48/74 A of 16
December 1993, in which, inter alia, it reaffirmed the importance of
confidence-building measures as means conducive to ensuring the attainment of
the objective of the prevention of an arms race in outer space,
Conscious of the benefits of confidence-and security-building measures in
the military field,
Recognizing that negotiations for the conclusion of an international
agreement or agreements to prevent an arms race in outer space remain a
priority task of the Ad Hoc Committee and that the concrete proposals on
confidence-building measures could form an integral part of such agreements,
1) Reaffirms the importance and urgency of preventing an arms race in outer
space, and the readiness of all States to contribute to that common
objective, in conformity with the provisions of the Treaty on Principles
Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space,
including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies;
2) Reaffirms its recognition, as stated in the report of the Ad Hoc
Committee on the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space, that the legal
regime applicable to outer space by itself does not guarantee the prevention
of an arms race in outer space, that this legal regime plays a significant
role in the prevention of an arms race in that environment, that there is a
need to consolidate and reinforce that regime and enhance its effectiveness,
and that it is important to comply strictly with existing agreements, both
bilateral and multilateral;
3) Emphasizes the necessity of further measures with appropriate and
effective provisions for verification to prevent an arms race in outer space;
4) Calls upon all States, in particular those with major space capabilities,
to contribute actively to the objective of the peaceful use of outer space
and of the prevention of an arms race in outer space and to refrain from
actions contrary to that objective and to the relevant existing treaties in
the interest of maintaining international peace and security and promoting
international cooperation;
5) Reiterates that the Conference on Disarmament, as the single multilateral
disarmament negotiating forum, 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;
6) Invites the Conference on Disarmament to complete the examination and
updating of the mandate contained in its decision of 13 February 1992 and to
establish an ad hoc committee at the earliest during the 2000 session of the
Conference on Disarmament;
7) Recognizes, in this respect, the growing convergence of views on the
elaboration of measures designed to strengthen transparency, confidence and
security in the peaceful uses of outer space;
8) Urges States conducting activities in outer space, as well as States
interested in conducting such activities, to keep the Conference on
Disarmament informed of the progress of bilateral and multilateral
negotiations on the matter, if any, so as to facilitate its work;
9) Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-fifth session
the item entitled "Prevention of an arms race in outer space".
First Committee
Resolution
22 October 1999