ASSEMBLY WOULD AGREE TO HOLDING OF THIRD UN CONFERENCE ON PEACEFUL USES OF OUTER SPACE IN VIENNA, JULY 1999, UNDER FOURTH COMMITTEE TEXT

6 November 1997

Press Release
GA/SPD/117

ASSEMBLY WOULD AGREE TO HOLDING OF THIRD UN CONFERENCE ON PEACEFUL USES OF OUTER SPACE IN VIENNA, JULY 1999, UNDER FOURTH COMMITTEE TEXT

19971106 Committee Approves Preparations for UNISPACE III: Stresses Problem of Space Debris, Need to Share Benefits of Space

The General Assembly would agree that the Third United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE III) shall be convened at the United Nations Office in Vienna from 19 to 30 July 1999, by a draft resolution approved this morning by the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) as it concluded its consideration of international cooperation in the peaceful uses of space.

By other terms of the text, the Assembly would encourage all Member States, United Nations bodies, other intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, and space-related industries to contribute actively to achieving the objectives of the UNISPACE III. The Conference would be held as a special session of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space according to the draft, which was approved without a vote, as orally amended.

The Assembly would also consider it essential that Member States pay more attention to the problem of collisions of space debris with space objects, including those with nuclear power sources. It would also emphasize the need to increase the spin-off benefits of space technology, particularly for developing countries.

Statements on outer space were made by representatives of Tunisia, Pakistan, the Russian Federation and Ukraine. Speaking on the draft resolution, which was introduced by the representative of India, were the representatives of China, Chile and Pakistan. The Director of the United Nations for Outer Space Affairs also spoke.

The draft resolution would also have the Assembly endorse a series of recommendations relating to the work programme of the Outer Space Committee and its subsidiary bodies. Among them, the Legal Subcommittee would begin a

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review of the five international legal instruments governing space. Similarly, the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee would continue its preparations for UNISPACE III, for which it serves as Advisory Committee.

The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. on Monday, 10 November, to begin its consideration of the comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations.

Committee Work Programme

The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) met this morning to conclude its consideration of international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space and to take action on a related draft resolution (document A/C.4/52/L.8). By the terms of that text, the Assembly would take action on a number of space-related issues, including the work of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.

The Assembly would endorse the 1997 report of the Outer Space Committee, including recommendations pertaining to its two subcommittees. It would endorse the recommendation that the Legal Subcommittee begin its review of the status of the five international legal instruments governing outer space and invite States which had not yet become parties to them to consider doing so. Other issues to be considered by that body include questions relating to equitable use of the geostationary orbit.

The draft would also have the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee continue its priority consideration of the following subjects: the United Nations Space Applications Programme; preparations for the Third United Nations Conference on the Exploration of Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE III), as its Advisory Committee; satellite remote sensing of the earth, including applications for developing countries; the use of nuclear power sources in space; and the question of space debris.

Also by the text, the Assembly would agree that UNISPACE III shall be convened at the United Nations Office in Vienna from 19 to 30 July 1999, as a special session of the Outer Space Committee, open to all Member States. It would encourage all Member States, United Nations bodies, other intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, and space-related industries to contribute actively to achieving the objectives of the Conference.

The Assembly would consider it essential that Member States pay more attention to the problem of collisions of space objects, including those with nuclear power sources, with space debris. It would call for continued national research on the question of space debris, for the development of improved technology to monitor such debris. To the extent possible, such information should be provided to the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee.

In addition, the Assembly would emphasize the need to increase the benefits of space technology in a manner favourable to sustained economic growth and development in all countries, particularly the developing countries. It would urge all States, particularly those with major space capabilities, to contribute actively to preventing an outer space arms race, as an essential condition for cooperation in the peaceful uses of space.

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Also by the text, the Assembly would endorse the new measures adopted by the Outer Space Committee with respect to its working methods of the Committee and its subsidiary bodies concerning the composition and election of their bureaus, their agenda structures and the duration of their sessions.

The draft resolution is sponsored by India and Austria, on behalf of the Forth Committee's Working Group on cooperation in the peaceful uses of space.

Statements

POKALATH VIJAY KUMAR (India) introduced the draft resolution on international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space.

EL WALID DOUDECH (Tunisia) said his country had a growing interest in space technology and wished to benefit from the peaceful uses of space in order to improve the living standards of its people. Tunisia was trying to enhance its national capacities in that area and had established a remote- sensing station to help detect and monitor potential environmental disasters.

He said his country relied on international cooperation in the uses of outer space. Citing the gap between developed and developing countries, he paid tribute to United Nations organizations which were acting on capacity- building. Space technology and information should be made available to developing countries at a reasonable cost.

Tunisia would welcome the opportunity to become a member of the Outer Space Committee, he said. It was hoped that at its next session, that body would consider expanding its membership.

BURHANUL ISLAM (Pakistan) said his country welcomed the decision to hold UNISPACE III at Vienna from 19 to 30 July 1999 and would extend its full cooperation in preparations for that Conference.

The peaceful and non-peaceful uses of outer space were inseparable, he said. The Conference on Disarmament was entrusted with preventing an outer space arms race, while the Outer Space Committee was responsible for promoting its peaceful uses. While their efforts were complementary, no formal channels of communication existed to coordinate their activities. There should be cooperation between those two United Nations bodies.

It was Pakistan's earnest desire that the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee continue its work on issues relating to space debris, he said. His country supported continuation of a multi-year work plan, particularly with respect to ways of handling thousands of fragments of satellite launchers that were hovering above the earth.

International cooperation in the applications of space technology for environmental monitoring and sustainable development should be promoted, he

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said. It was important that remote-sensing data be shared among Member States. Pakistan supported an institutional mechanism for providing both raw and processed data to all countries, particularly developing countries, at a reasonable cost and in a timely manner.

The spin-off benefits of space technology in many fields were substantial, he said. The developing countries should have access to those benefits to meet their socio-economic needs, in particular, in such arrears as industry, image and data processing, health and medicine, power generation and manufacturing.

VIKTOR TRASHCHENKO (Russian Federation) said his country's space programme continued to function on a stable basis and that as many launches were carried out this year as in the prior year. Unusual occurrences aboard the Russian space station earlier this year had provided invaluable experience that could be put to good use in future space station missions.

Addressing the issue of United Nations reform, he said the work of the outer space Committee should be improved, bearing in mind the growing universality of space activities. However, the Russian Federation could not agree with measures that might have a negative effect on multilateral cooperation in space. He added that UNISPACE III should be a showcase where advances in the exploration of outer space could be exhibited; any politicization of that Conference should be resisted.

VIKTOR O. SEMENENKO (Ukraine) welcomed the developments in space exploration, which implied a reduction in expenditures on military programmes and the reorientation of space activity towards the settlement of urgent problems facing humanity. His country sought to integrate its military space units and ground infrastructure into the civil structures of its national space agency. That process should be finalized by the year 2000.

The Outer Space Committee played an important role in promoting the peaceful exploration of space and in advancing international cooperation, he said. That applied as well to the exchange of scientific and technological information among developed and developing countries and to the coordination of regional and interregional cooperation mechanisms. In the ongoing United Nations reform, the Committee's activities and working methods must be further streamlined. It was hoped that increased coordination between the Committee and other United Nations bodies -- including those dealing with disarmament issues -- would be helpful.

An important element in Ukraine's cooperation with foreign space agencies was the development of aerospace monitoring to study the impact of ecological accidents on the environment, he said. His country's national facilities in that field had made it possible to determine with the greatest possible accuracy the degrees of territorial pollution over a wide area.

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N. JASENTULIYANA, Director of the Office for Outer Space Affairs, thanked the members of the Committee for their remarks and particularly for the appreciation expressed concerning the reform measures undertaken by the Outer Space Committee. The Committee would continue to seek to enhance its capacities.

Action on Draft Resolution

The representative of China, speaking in explanation of position, said his delegation supported the draft resolution. However, the text of paragraph 25 had changed since yesterday. It now read "Notes with satisfaction that, in preparation for UNISPACE III, Chile and Malayasia offered to host United Nations regional meetings on space technology and applications for development, and Tunisia has indicated its willingness, in principle, to host a similar regional meeting in Africa in 1998". In the earlier version, specific reference was made to the regions covered by those meetings.

Mr. JASENTULIYANA, Director of the Office for Outer Space Affairs, said the representative of China was correct. The words "for Latin America and the Carribean and for Asia and the Pacific, respectively," should be added after the word "development".

The representative of Pakistan asked for further clarification with regard to the ordering of the countries mentioned in that paragraph.

Mr. JASENTULIYANA, Director of the Outer Space Affairs Division, said that Tunisia had not as yet confirmed that it would host a meeting. That was why it was placed after the reference to Chile and Malaysia.

The draft resolution was approved without a vote, as orally amended.

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