Fourth Committee, without a Vote, Approves Draft Resolution on Outer Space after Russian Federation’s Late Withdrawal of Competing Text

The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) concluded its general debate on international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space today with the approval, without a vote, of a draft resolution on that topic, following the late withdrawal of a competing text.

By the terms of “International cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space” (document A/C.4/78/L.8), the General Assembly would take note of the latest report of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (document A/78/20) and request that the Committee consider ways and means to maintain outer space for peaceful purposes.  It would also agree that the Committee continue to consider the broader perspective of space security and associated matters.

Through the text, the Assembly would urge all Member States, particularly those with major space capabilities, to contribute actively to preventing an arms race in outer space.  It would also consider it essential that Member States pay more attention to the growing probability of collisions between space objects, especially those with nuclear power sources, and space debris.

Among other things, the Assembly would urge those Member States that have not yet become parties to international treaties governing the uses of outer space ‑ including the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, also known as the Outer Space Treaty ‑ to consider ratifying or acceding to those instruments.

Introducing the draft resolution, the representative of the United Arab Emirates, Chair of the Working Group of the Whole on International Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, said that the Working Group agreed to the text as a whole, but with the insertion of a new operative paragraph 19.

By the terms of that paragraph, the Assembly would decide to convene a joint half-day panel discussion of the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) and Fourth Committee to address possible challenges to space security and sustainability during its seventy-ninth session.  He also noted that the Russian Federation, in a spirit of consensus and compromise, was withdrawing a draft resolution that it had put before the Committee, titled “Space technology for promoting peace” (document A/C.4/78/L.5).

Elaborating, the Russian Federation’s representative said that his delegation chose to withdraw “L.5” due to significant differences among delegations on its procedural and substantive aspects.  This is in the interest of retaining the perennial practice of approving outer space resolutions by consensus, he said, emphasizing, however, the need to consider the use of civilian and commercial space systems for military purposes. Silence in the Assembly on that issue would mean that it moves to another dimension and goes before the Security Council for consideration, he added.

During the general debate, the United Kingdom’s representative said that humanity is on the cusp of returning humans to the Moon and establishing a permanent presence there.  The utilization of mineral resources in space will not be far behind, he said, calling for the ongoing implementation of the Outer Space Committee’s 21 long-term sustainability guidelines, consensually agreed in 2019.

Bahrain’s delegate put a spotlight on the potential of space technology to impact environment, marine and coastal ecosystems, climate change and disaster risk reduction, while the Philippines’ delegate provided an example of such cooperation:  a European Union-supported initiative to mobilize space data for disaster risk reduction and climate action in his country.

The representative of the Republic of Korea, meanwhile, said that a satellite launched by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea was “anything but peaceful use of outer space”.  Any launch using ballistic missile technology by that country can contribute to further technological advancement towards delivering nuclear weapons, she said. 

Speaking in exercise of the right of reply, the representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea asserted his country’s legitimate right to conduct satellite launches for self-defence.  He also drew attention to military exercises by the United States in the region, which he said intrude into the airspace over waters under his country’s jurisdiction. 

Also speaking today, the Observer of the Holy See urged Member States to act “as responsible custodians of the cosmos”. The common good of humanity must take precedence over narrow national and commercial interests, he said, adding that it is the collective duty of all spacefaring States to safeguard both low earth orbit and the more remote regions of outer space.

The Fourth Committee will reconvene at 3 p.m. on Monday, 30 October, to begin its comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects.