SPEAKERS IN FOURTH COMMITTEE STRESS NEED TO MONITOR AND RESOLVE SPACE DEBRIS PROBLEMS
Press Release
GA/SPD/73
SPEAKERS IN FOURTH COMMITTEE STRESS NEED TO MONITOR AND RESOLVE SPACE DEBRIS PROBLEMS
19951107 Speakers in the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today stressed the importance of monitoring and finding solutions to the problem of space debris, when it continued debate on international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space.The representative of China said the militarization of outer space was still a matter of concern. International space law should be formulated within the United Nations system to strengthen law and order in space. A third United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space should be held at an appropriate time and preparations should be solid. The work of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space should not be weakened.
The representative of Bulgaria said international conditions were now favourable for more effective and productive work by the Committee on Outer Space and for a consensus on many long-standing problems and new challenges. It should pay special attention to the minimizing of the potentially adverse impact of space debris and the possible contamination of the Earth and space environment from space objects with nuclear power sources.
The representative of Argentina said the holding of a third UNISPACE conference should not be an end in itself but rather part of a process to strengthen international cooperation in outer space activities. The widely used geostationary orbit should not be saturated with space debris; as a limited resource, it deserved special attention. Its access and use, and risk of accidents, should be studied and defined. He urged continued support for United Nations sponsored seminars and training courses on space applications.
The representative of Brazil said debate on the geostationary orbit had clarified many outstanding issues. However, the review of principles regarding the use of nuclear power sources in outer space proved premature. Both of the Outer Space Committee's subsidiary bodies should begin to address the question of space debris. Resources for the United Nations Programme of Space Applications should be increased.
The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 9 November, to conclude its debate on the peaceful uses of outer space and to take action on a draft resolution on the issue.
Committee Work Programme
The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) met today to continue its general debate on international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space. The Committee has before it the report of the Outer Space Committee (document A/50/20) and a report by the Secretary-General on implementation of the recommendations of the Second United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (document A/50/384). (For details, see press release GA/SPD/725 issued on 6 November, when the Fourth Committee began consideration of the question.)
Statements Made
WANG XUEXIAN (China) said new achievements had been made in space during the past year and more countries, including developing nations, were paying more attention to the uses of space technology. United Nations sponsored workshops, seminars and training courses were contributing to the promotion and coordination of space activities. China had launched a number of satellites during the past year and was promoting the conversion of military space technology to civilian use. In September last year, Beijing hosted the Ministerial Conference on Space Applications for Development in the Asia- Pacific region. The Government also co-sponsored the International Seminar on the Applications of Remote Sensing, which was a major activity to implement the recommendations of the UNISPACE 82.
While the military arms race in outer space was slowing down, he said, the prevention of militarization of space was still a matter of concern. International cooperation in the peaceful purposes of outer space should be increased to benefit all mankind and international space law should be formulated within the United Nations system to strengthen law and order in space. Also, coordination should be increased within the United Nations system so that limited resources could be put to better use.
He said China favoured a resolution by this session of the General Assembly, requesting the Committee on Outer Space to continue to consider, as a priority item, the ways to maintain outer space for peaceful purposes. The Outer Space Committee's subsidiary bodies should continue to consider the issue of space debris, which was an increasing matter of concern. China favoured holding a third UNISPACE conference at an appropriate time; and preparations should be solid. With rapid developments in space technology, the Outer Space Committee had a great role to play and its work should not be weakened.
IVAN MAXIMOV (Bulgaria) said international conditions were now favourable for more effective and productive work by the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and for a consensus on many long-standing problems and new challenges. The Committee's scientific, technical and legal
Fourth Committee - 3 - Press Release GA/SPD/73 17th Meeting (PM) 7 November 1995
work could play a major role in maintaining outer space for peaceful uses in the future. The Committee should pay special attention to the need to minimize the potentially adverse impact of space debris and the possible contamination of the space and Earth environment from space objects with nuclear power sources on board.
Regarding debris, he said the international community must take timely action to ensure safe and productive use of outer space. His Government supported the work plan adopted by the Committee for the measurement of space debris, the modelling of space debris environment, risk assessment and space debris mitigation measures. There was now a greater chance for finding a mutually acceptable solution of two other problems that could still create obstacles to efforts to strengthen the rule of law in space -- namely, the definition and delimitation of outer space and the character and use of the geostationary orbit. A well prepared third UNISPACE conference would help in the search for a mutually acceptable approach to many outstanding problems.
He said one of the primary challenges facing the Outer Space Committee was ensuring that all countries, particularly developing ones, shared the benefits of space technology, as that was essential to economic and social development.
ALEJANDRO VERDIER (Argentina) said his Government continued to reorganize its space programme to harmonize it with new international needs. It would make available to other countries data from the satellite SAC-C. Argentina had established a national register of objects launched into outer space in compliance with the Convention on registration of such objects. It supported the establishment of a regional training centre for outer space sciences and technology, and would participate in its activities and also set up a link between the centre and the Argentine Higher Institute for Outer Space Studies.
He said Argentina supported the Programme on Space Applications, and urged continued support for seminars and training courses. A third UNISPACE conference programme relating to science and technology for outer space should be defined to avoid polarization on the issue. Such a conference should not be an end in itself but rather part of a process of strengthening international cooperation in outer space activities. Argentina supported continued work on the issue of space debris. The widely used geostationary orbit should not be saturated with debris; as a limited resource, it deserved special attention -- its access and use, and risk of accidents should be studied and defined. Argentina supported drawing up a questionnaire to evaluate the scope of the present legal regime for outer space activities. Now was not the time to open up the question of the principle relevant to nuclear power sources in outer space.
Fourth Committee - 4 - Press Release GA/SPD/73 17th Meeting (PM) 7 November 1995
EDGARD TELLES RIBEIRO (Brazil) said that last year his Government had established the Brazilian Space Agency to coordinate its space programme. There had been a number of successful projects, including the first series of satellites manufactured in Brazil -- the SCD satellites -- which were dedicated entirely to environmental data collection. The Alcantara Launching Center, situated in northern Brazil, had been operational since 1994, and the series of CBERS project satellites for the remote sensing of earth resources -- a joint exercise between Brazil and China -- had made good progress.
The debate in the Legal Subcommittee of the Outer Space Committee had clarified many outstanding issues in the Geostationary orbit matter. However, the review of principles regarding the use of nuclear power sources in outer space had proved premature. It would be preferable for the Legal Subcommittee to start addressing, simultaneously with the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee, the question of space debris.
Resources for the United Nations Programme of Space Applications should be increased, he said. Brazil would maintain its traditional offer of 10 long-term fellowships for individuals from developing countries for research and training in several areas of space science and applications. The few outstanding difficulties regarding the establishment of a regional centre for space science and technology for Latin America and the Caribbean, which will be co-hosted by Brazil and Mexico, should be resolved shortly. His Government favoured the convening of a third UNISPACE conference in the near future.
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