Pakistan has urged for steps to prevent the weaponization of outer space, claiming that such actions will avoid a serious threat to international peace and security.
Ambassador Munir Akram warned the UN General Assembly on Monday that “threats to security in and from outer space have escalated sharply in recent years.” This is obvious from the placement of weaponry in space, as well as its growing designation as the next frontier in major powers’ military programmes and doctrines.
Last month, the 193-member Assembly debated Russia’s veto in the Security Council, which blocked a draft resolution aimed at preventing a new interplanetary arms race.
Due to Russia’s negative vote, the 15-member Council failed to accept last month’s draft, which received 13 votes in favour with China abstaining. The United States and Japan introduced the draft resolution, which was co-sponsored by more than 60 countries.
In his remarks, Ambassador Akram stated that the US-Japan draft resolution correctly recognised that preventing an Outer Space arms race would avert a serious threat to international peace and security. He emphasised the relevance of the Outer Space Treaty and the Geneva Conference on Disarmament as the sole multilateral disarmament negotiating platform.
Pakistan, he stated, has always held the principled position that resolutions on global disarmament issues should be deliberated and concluded in an inclusive and transparent manner within the appropriate forums — the Conference on Disarmament (CD), the UN Disarmament Commission, and the First Committee of the UN General Assembly, which deals with disarmament and international security issues.
The Pakistani envoy expressed sadness that there has been no progress on a Treaty to Prevent an Arms Race in Outer Space for almost four decades.
“Initially,” he continued, “some disregarded the notion of an interstellar arms competition. Then they said that it was too late to avoid its militarization and advocated for a concentrate on non-weaponisation solutions. They now want to focus on behaviour rather than capabilities, ignoring the inherent consequences of legitimising the weaponization of outer space.
Pakistan, according to Ambassador Akram, has advocated for a comprehensive approach that emphasises both capabilities and behaviour.
“We have repeatedly urged for immediate discussions on a legally binding PAROS instrument (Preventing Arms Race in Outer Space). In addition, we have actively contributed to non-legally enforceable measures such as Transparency and Confidence-Building Measures (TCBMs).
However, he stressed that TCBMs or other non-legally binding norms cannot fill the clear inadequacies in the international legal regime.
The Pakistani envoy expressed regret that a few states continue to block the start of such negotiations in the Committee on Disarmament (CD) on a legally binding instrument that prohibits the placement of weapons in outer space and prohibits the threat or use of force against outer space objects, claiming that they have failed to explain how such negotiations would jeopardise their security interests. “They have also failed to justify why definitional and verification issues cannot be taken up during negotiations – an approach that they advocate for another item in the CD.”
Ambassador Akram hoped that the topic of weaponization of outer space, which had been addressed in the Security Council, would be forwarded to the C.D. for further discussion as part of negotiations on a treaty to prevent an outer space arms race.
Previously, Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia stated why his delegation voted against the US-Japan draft resolution.
He claimed that, despite its “beautiful sounding title,” the document failed to fulfil its stated goal because it was already addressed by existing international accords, and expressed concern that the resolution could have had “far-reaching consequences” for disarmament procedures.
“During the negotiations on this draft, we attempted in vain to get an answer from the authors on why they were trying to use the Security Council to reaffirm already existing international obligations in the area of outer space exploration,” he said.
He referred to the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which expressly prohibits the deployment of weapons of mass destruction in space, and urged that debates on the subject be held in specialised forums open to all General Assembly members.
Ambassador Nebenzia criticised the proposal for attempting to impose new constraints through the Security Council that were not previously established in any international agreements, including the 1967 treaty, raising “serious legal concerns” about these new restrictions.
“Imposing such obligations without preliminary, expert, legal, and technical discussions is inadmissible,” he stated.
Japanese Ambassador Kazuyuki Yamazaki, for his part, asked delegates to consider the devastating repercussions of a nuclear weapon detonating in outer space, resulting in the loss of satellites and essential space infrastructure, as well as permanent impacts on people’s lives around the world.
“The draft Security Council resolution on weapons of mass destruction in outer space, co-drafted by the US and Japan, was intended to avoid such a nuclear catastrophe for humankind,” he stated.
He emphasised the draft’s broad support, which includes 13 votes in favour and 65 cosponsors.
“Regrettably, one permanent member decided to silence the critical message we wanted to send to the present and future people of the world: outer space must remain a domain free of weapons of mass destruction,” he mourned.
He stated that stopping nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass devastation in space “must remain our priority”.
“Outer space must never be an arena for a nuclear arms race,” he warned.
According to US Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood, the debate over Russia’s veto of the draft resolution provides an important opportunity to improve accountability and transparency among all permanent Council members.
He emphasised that the proposed resolution aimed to confirm all States parties’ commitments under the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, including the prohibition on deploying nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in outer space.
He also urged UN Member States not to build nuclear weapons specifically tailored for deployment in orbit, as this would reduce the chance of a nuclear incident in space while also preserving crucial satellites required for communication, security, and sustainable development.
“It should not be at all controversial or difficult for the Security Council to affirm the clear obligations of parties under the Outer Space Treaty nor should it be difficult to ask that States work together towards our shared interests,” he said.
Ambassador Wood stated that the penholders, the United States and Japan, took a thoughtful, transparent, inclusive, and flexible approach to the resolution, with the wording altering as a result of deliberations.
Regarding Russia’s new proposed draft resolution on the subject, he criticised it as a “diplomatic façade” hiding its “true intentions”.
He stated that Russia presently has multiple conventional anti-satellite weapons in space, citing a 2019 missile test and continuous threats to satellites.
“Russia’s actions cast significant doubt as to whether it will uphold its existing legal obligations under the Outer Space Treaty and raise concern about what this means for international peace and security,” he added.
Speaking on the subject, Chinese Ambassador Fu Cong emphasised that outer space is the “global commons and embodies the shared aspirations of all humanity”.
“Today, the globe is not peaceful. “The risk of outer space weaponisation is increasing, and developing countries’ access to space science and technology is being restricted,” he stated.
He stated that the international community should take initiatives to help all countries.
These include safeguarding outer space’s peaceful character, urgently improving international space governance institutions, and encouraging greater cooperation and dialogue.
“The previous draft resolution on outer space security proposed by the United States and Japan is neither comprehensive nor balanced, and China is unable to support it,” the Chinese envoy said, adding that Russia’s new resolution proposed at the Security Council is more balanced and comprehensive.
“China supports that [Russian] draft resolution and looks forward to its early agreement among Council members to jointly safeguard mutual trust and cooperation among all parties on the issue of outer space,” he added.
