FOURTH COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS ADOPTION OF UNISPACE III'S GLOBAL STRATEGY

Press Release
GA/SPD/170

FOURTH COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS ADOPTION OF UNISPACE III'S GLOBAL STRATEGY

Space Technologies Would Be Harnessed for Sustainable Development Sputnik Launch, Space Treaty To Be Commemorated in World Space Week

The General Assembly would call for a renewed emphasis on space applications to address global challenges and a stepping-up of United Nations activities related to international cooperation in outer space, according to a draft resolution approved this morning by the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization).

That draft resolution, sponsored by India, is an endorsement of the conclusions of the Third United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE III), held at Vienna from 19 to 30 July 1999. It was one of two texts, both sponsored by India, that the Committee approved without a vote as it concluded its consideration of space issues. The other deals with international space cooperation generally, and the work of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.

By the UNISPACE draft (document A/C.4/54/L.7), the Assembly would urge governments, the United Nations system, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and the space industry to implement the Conference’s final document, “The Space Millenium: Vienna Declaration on Space and Human Development”. It would also proclaim an annual celebration of World Space Week between 4 and 10 October, recalling the launch of Sputnik I on 4 October 1957 and the entry into force of the Treaty on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space on 10 October 1967.

The Declaration, contained in the report of the Conference (document A/CONF.184/6) announces “the nucleus of a strategy to address global challenges” by means of space science and its technology. Areas for action include environmental protection and resource management; human security, development and welfare; advancing scientific knowledge and protecting the space environment; enhancing education and training opportunities; strengthening and repositioning space activities in the United Nations system; and promoting international cooperation.

Further by that text, the Assembly would offer a long list of activities, based on UNISPACE III recommendations, by which the United Nations would expand its space-related technical cooperation programmes,

Fourth Committee - 1a - Press Release GA/SPD/170 16th Meeting (AM) 29 October 1999

advisory services and public education programmes. The Secretary-General would be asked to recommend measures to ensure that the Office for Outer Space Affairs was provided with adequate resources to implement those activities, and to invite all States to contribute voluntarily to the Trust Fund for the United Nations Programme on Space Applications. The Assembly would also agree that the Committee on Outer Space should identify new and innovative funding sources for implementing the recommendations of UNISPACE III.

Focusing on an aspect of UNISPACE III that was repeatedly applauded during the Committee’s discussions, the draft would also draw attention to a document prepared by the UNISPACE III secretariat as a model for other United Nations entities seeking to organize a global conference using existing resources.

By the terms of the second draft (document A/C.4/54/L.6), on space cooperation, the Assembly would urge all States, particularly those with major space capabilities, to contribute actively to the prevention of an arms race in outer space. The Assembly would emphasize the need to increase the benefits of space technology and its applications and to contribute to space activities favourable to sustained economic growth and development in all countries, particularly the developing ones, and to the mitigation of the consequences of natural disasters.

Further by that text, the Assembly would request the Outer Space Committee to resume its consideration of spin-off benefits of space technology and review their current status. Taking note of the interest of developing and other countries in becoming members of the Committee, the Assembly would request continued examination of the subject of increased membership in the Committee.

The draft would also have the Assembly approve a programme of work for the Committee’s Legal Subcommittee, including the status of the five international instruments governing the use of outer space; the definition and delimitation of outer space as well as the character and utilization of the geostationary orbit, including ways to ensure its rational and equitable use.

The Assembly would likewise approve a programme for the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee, with attention to remote-sensing of the Earth by satellites, including applications for developing countries and monitoring of the Earth's environment; the use of nuclear power sources in space; international cooperation in human space flight; presentations on new launch systems and ventures; and space debris.

As the Committee concluded its debate on outer space issues, speakers continued to stress that peaceful use of outer space must be the cornerstone of all future space activities. The representative of Pakistan expressed concern that the threat remained that outer space would be transformed into yet another arena of military competition. Attempts by some countries to

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militarize outer space in pursuit of narrow interests could be perceived as being designed to achieve global domination, and could provoke a new strategic rivalry among the major Powers.

In the same vein, Iraq's representative expressed concern over United States’ plans to use lasers and anti-ballistic defence systems. If implemented, American plans would breach the Outer Space Convention. Iraq also urged the lifting of the sanctions imposed against it, in order to unleash the potential of Iraqi scholars to develop an effective space programme.

Speaking in exercise of the right of reply, the representative of the United States categorically rejected the suggestion that his country was violating any international treaties on the use of outer space.

Ecuador's representative stressed the importance of definition and delimitation of outer space, and of developing a legal regime to govern fair access to the geostationary orbit.

The representative of the Czech Republic said there was a question as to whether space debris should enjoy legal protection. Did it constitute valuable property of the launching State or fragments to be disposed of? The work of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee on that subject was a good basis for future work.

Also speaking in today’s debate were the representatives of Tunisia, Mexico, Israel, Ukraine, Philippines and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

The representative of India also spoke in explanation of position after the decision on the drafts, expressing the hope that the recommendations contained in the texts would be followed carefully.

When the Fourth Committee meets next, at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, 2 November, it will begin consideration of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

Committee Work Programme

The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) met this morning to conclude its debate on international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space.

It also expected to take action on two draft resolutions, the first relating to the peaceful uses of outer space (document A/C.4/54/L.6) and the second to the Third United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE III) (document A/C.4/54/L.7).

(For background information, see Press Release GA/SPD/168 of 25 October.)

Statements in Debate

ROKAN HAMA AL-ANBUGE (Iraq) said that States should observe the main principle that governed the use of outer space, namely, that it was the common heritage of humankind. He welcomed UNISPACE III’s adoption of the Vienna Declaration. He also supported the recommendation for the establishment of a voluntary fund to finance the implementation of the decisions of the Conference.

Outer space should be used only for peaceful purposes, he continued. He was concerned by steps the United States had taken to militarize it, including plans to use lasers and anti-ballistic defence systems in outer space. If implemented, American plans would breach the Convention on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, to which the United States had acceded in 1967.

Iraq was one of the founding members of the United Nations, and it participated in the work of many international bodies, including the Outer Space Committee, he said. The comprehensive sanctions that had been imposed on Iraq had inflicted immense damage on the country and also prevented it from effectively implementing its space programme. Those sanctions were a systematic campaign to keep a whole people in the dark. They ran contrary to all the principles of the Charter, which called for the promotion of socio-economic development of all nations. The lifting of sanctions would unleash the potential of Iraqi scholars to develop an effective space programme.

JAN KARA (Czech Republic) associated himself with the statement by Finland on behalf of the European Union. He described his country’s scientific missions in astronomy, geophysics and other space-related fields. It had participated in the INTEGRAL Mission of the European Space Agency and in a joint venture on a hard x-ray spectrometer with the United States. Its cooperation with other European countries had been enhanced by the conclusion of Agreement on Cooperation with the European Space Agency.

Noting that UNISPACE III’s Vienna Declaration incorporated both the recommendations of regional conferences and the Technical Forum, he said his country fully subscribed to it. Regarding the work of the Outer Space Committee and its subcommittees, he welcomed the present review of the status of existing international legal instruments. It could lead to the identification of new problems, as well as to the negotiation of additional agreements.

The term “space debris” did not appear in the United Nations space treaties, he observed. It had not been explicitly stated whether it should enjoy legal protection. The question was whether debris was valuable property of the launching State or merely fragments to be disposed of. The work of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee on that subject provided a good basis for future work by the Outer Space Committee. The Committee and its subcommittees could become more productive if their agendas could be restructured and their work methods improved. The two subcommittees should closely cooperate and strengthen mutual working contacts when considering similar issues.

MOHAMED SALAH TEKAYA (Tunisia) said UNISPACE III had been a historic event that had made it possible for intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and scientific bodies to exchange views and make constructive proposals on strengthening peaceful space cooperation and increasing the capacities of the developing countries. The conference had created the core of a strategy to meet the challenges facing the world, including that of sustainable development. Everything would depend on the practical application of its outcomes.

He said that, since independence, Tunisia had made the human dimension a major goal of its development activities. It had given education, science and technology an enhanced role so as to keep in step with developments in those fields. Tunisia had tried to strengthen national capacities for the exploration and peaceful uses of outer space within the framework of a comprehensive plan to harness space science and technology for the well-being of all.

He stressed the need to make outer space available to all nations and all peoples so that it could be used peacefully to guarantee the well-being of humankind as a whole. There was a huge technological gap between the developed and developing countries; the developing countries could not meet the challenges facing them in order to promote their own socio-economic development.

PABLO MACEDO (Mexico) agreed with the Vienna Declaration, particularly with regard to the need to prevent an arms race in outer space. Space technology must be used to benefit all humankind. Despite progress in international cooperation, there remained a great imbalance in the use of, and benefits from, outer space. That gap must be closed.

He said the use of satellites had enhanced the fields of information, weather forecasting, agriculture and mapping among others. However, it was necessary to regulate space activities. Consolidating the legal regime governing outer space would provide a legal framework for its peaceful uses in conditions of equality.

Mexico had launched five satellites since 1985, he said. They covered a broad spectrum of peaceful activities, meteorology, weather forecasting and others. Future regulation must guarantee fair access to outer space by all States, especially the developing ones.

SANTIAGO APUNTE-FRANCO (Ecuador) said that the exploration of space was a task that belonged increasingly to humanity as a whole. The Space Treaty of 1967 had established that the outer space should be harnessed in the service of all nations. Space was one of the areas where a gap between the developed and the developing countries was especially obvious. The benefits of outer space, which brought significant income and employment for a large number of people, should not be an exclusive prerogative of industrially developed countries.

He welcomed the outcome of UNISPACE III and fully supported its recommendations. In order to extend the benefits to humanity as a whole, the international community had adopted a consensus-based strategy, which –- if implemented -– would allow rapid progress in the use of outer space. He highlighted aspects related to assistance in provision of space technology, and the technology to promote early warning of natural disasters. Ecuador had offered to host a research centre to study the latter phenomenon. He drew attention also to a remote-sensing station situated in Ecuador, which could serve 25 Latin American countries.

He said the definition and delimitation of outer space was of particular importance. There was a need to develop a legal regime to govern fair access to geostationary orbits. The rights of all States must be taken into consideration in that respect, with particular attention to the needs of the developing countries. The Outer Space Committee should pay particular attention to that question.

AOUSEF LAMDAN (Israel) said that, because his country was participating in the exploitation and use of outer space for peaceful purposes, it followed the work of the Outer Space Committee with lively interest and had taken an active part in UNISPACE III. He welcomed the Declaration adopted by that meeting.

He reviewed Israel’s space activities since entering the space age in 1988. The first of eight Earth Remote Observation System (EROS) satellites would be launched at the end of 2000. Israel had also developed various remote-sensing applications.

Israel’s current collaborative activities included a micro-satellite launched by a Ukranian launcher in 1998 and a UV telescope built to be flown on the Russian international satellite in 2000, he said. It was involved with the Netherlands in a satellite project and an experiment to investigate the sloshing problem in fuel tanks, he said. It was also funding the development of a space electrical thruster and a small laboratory to test the survivability of components and sub-systems in environmentally hostile space conditions in collaboration with the French and United States space agencies. A feasibility study had been initiated with German companies on the development of a small commercial remote-sensing satellite. A Mediterranean/Israeli Dust Experiment would be launched on a National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States (NASA) space shuttle, accompanied by an Israeli astronaut in February 2001. Various advanced research projects and experiments were being carried out by Israeli universities in cooperation with institutions abroad.

BURHANUL ISLAM (Pakistan) noted that, during the past year, the Scientific and Technological Subcommittee had continued to consider the issue of space debris. It had made a substantial contribution to the measurement of space debris, modelling of the space debris environment, and risk assessment, as well as mitigation measures. Similarly, the Legal Subcommittee had achieved progress in reviewing the status of the five international legal instruments governing outer space and recommending ways to achieve the fullest adherence to those instruments. Efforts must continue to formulate an acceptable definition and delineation of outer space and of the character and utilization of the geostationary orbit.

He said outer space was a common heritage of humankind which should be used to realize humankind's shared goals. The spin-off benefits of space technology in many fields were significant and should be accessible to all Member States, particularly the developing countries. There should be no discrimination against States that lacked the resources to take advantage of those benefits themselves.

Pakistan remained concerned that outer space was under the threat of being transformed into another arena of military competition, he said. Despite the international community's growing concern, some countries were making efforts to militarize outer space in pursuit of narrow interests. Such attempts could be perceived as being designed to achieve global domination and could provoke new strategic rivalry among the major Powers. That dangerous tendency must be avoided. States with significant space capabilities could contribute to the collective goal of preventing an arms race in space. A comprehensive convention was needed to prevent an arms race in space.

VICTOR SEMENENKO (Ukraine) said his Government regarded the development of the national aircraft and missile-and-space technologies as a priority. Since the first years of its independence, Ukraine had consistently taken measures to develop and strengthen its aerospace capabilities. Today, its highly developed industrial, scientific and engineering infrastructure for space research were the core of its aerospace programme.

He said Ukraine's space policy was aimed at preserving and strengthening the scientific and engineering capacities of the space industry. Special attention was also paid to job-related training for the next generation of designers of space systems and researchers in leading educational centres.

Ukrainian recent participation in joint international space projects showed that it possessed the necessary capabilities to promote international cooperation on a broader scale, he said. The successful launch of the first commercial satellite by remote control, from a floating ocean platform within the framework of the International Sea Launch Programme, opened new prospects for the peaceful exploration of outer space.

ALAIN MAULION (Philippines) said that UNISPACE III had set out to ensure that the United Nations system and international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space were put to good use for all humanity. A key recommendation to that end was the establishment of a special United Nations voluntary fund for the implementation of conference recommendations. It was hoped that Member States would support the fund financially or in kind. Financing at the international level and from the private sector should also offer possibilities, in view of the increasing commercialization of outer space.

He said that for many nations, the greater challenge was increasing awareness among decision makers and the general public of the relevance of peaceful space activities for sustainable development and in improving the lot of the common man. If the new millennium was to be given a chance in truly exploring the peaceful uses of outer space for the new generation, the attention of children must be turned skyward, so that they may be better able to appreciate existence on Earth.

The Philippines looked forward to expanding international cooperation in the field of meteorological satellite applications for the enhancement of weather and climate forecasting, he said. That was also the case for the implementation of an integrated global system to manage natural disaster mitigation, relief and prevention efforts. Earthquakes that had hit Turkey, Greece and Mexico, as well as typhoons that had swept through Asia in the past few months, underscored the critical importance of international cooperation in that area. SLOBODAN TASOVSKI (The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) subscribed to the statement by the representative of Finland on behalf of the European Union. He said the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space should be complimented for its role in the organization of UNISPACE III. His country welcomed the positive outcome of the Conference, which had provided a unique opportunity for the international community to enhance international cooperation on the use of outer space and prevent its militarization.

Describing his country’s space policies, he said that it was important to pursue active space cooperation and apply the results of space development to all parts of society. It was necessary to address the issue of space debris and to preserve the environment in space. He urged support for the establishment of the space science and technology education network in Central, Eastern and South- Eastern Europe, which could play an important part in the dissemination of space science and technology.

Statement in Right of Reply

KENNETH O.HODGKINS (United States), speaking in exercise of the right of reply, said he was responding to the unfortunate remarks by the representative of Iraq. He categorically rejected the suggestion that his country was violating or was going to violate any international instruments on the use of outer space. His country was in full compliance with all relevant treaties.

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