CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT DISCUSSES PREVENTION OF AN ARMS RACE IN OUTER SPACE

The Conference on Disarmament this morning held a meeting to discuss the prevention of an arms race in outer space as one of its core items and in response to the proposal made by the President of the Conference, Ambassador Wegger Strommen of Norway, to hold four public plenaries to address the four main issues identified in the "food for thought" paper submitted at the beginning of the session by Ambassador Chris Sanders of the Netherlands.

The meeting heard statements from twenty-two members of the Conference who outlined their Governments' positions on establishing an Ad Hoc Committee within the Conference to advance the issue of the question of an arms race in outer space and with a view to possible negotiations on the conclusion of an international agreement on the prevention of an arms race in outer space (PAROS) in the Conference.

While reference was made to the existing legal instruments regulating the peaceful uses of outer space, namely the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, the majority of the representatives addressing the Conference this morning expressed their support for establishing the Ad Hoc Committee while others questioned the need for an additional treaty. Several argued that the 1967 Treaty was limited in that it failed to address the deployment of weapons in outer space other than weapons of mass destruction. Some speakers emphasized the need for a moratorium on the testing of all kinds of weapons and on the deployment of weapons in outer space.

Several speakers this morning expressed support for the non-paper tabled earlier this month by the delegations from China and the Russian Federation entitled "Possible elements for a future international legal agreement on the prevention of the deployment of weapons in outer space, the threat or use of force against outer space objects", as well as the different non-papers on aspects relevant to a possible future agreement which could be used as a basis for further substantive discussion on this subject.

One speaker compared a PAROS treaty to that of the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, which ensured that the region would only be used for peaceful purposes and placed a prohibition on any activity of a military nature. Outer space, he stated, was an "equally unique environment" to that of Antarctica.


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At the onset of today's meeting, the President of the Conference paid tribute to Ambassador Volker Heinsberg of Germany who was leaving the Conference after having served as his country's representative in the Conference on Disarmament.

Representatives of Germany, France, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Canada, Ethiopia (on behalf of the Group of 21), the United Kingdom, Peru, China, Brazil, the Russian Federation, Pakistan, Sweden, Italy, New Zealand, Argentina, Mexico, the Republic of Korea, Syria, Malaysia and Cuba addressed the meeting.

The next plenary of the Conference on Disarmament will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 7 July, when members will discuss the last of the four main issues proposed for discussion in plenary – Negative Security Assurances (NSA).

Statements

VOLKER HEINSBERG (Germany) said rapid technological development and the political changes of the past years had made outer space an important area of preventive arms control; the importance of the civil and commercial use of outer space as well as the dependence of highly industrialized societies on systems based in outer space, especially in the spheres of communication, navigation, environmental protection, weather forecast and monitoring, was growing. At the same time, military use of outer space played a growing role, too. Germany had declared itself, together with the overwhelming majority of the United Nations Member States, against deploying any kind of weapon in outer space and was in favour of starting discussions and possibly negotiations on the conclusion of an international agreement on the prevention of an arms race in outer space (PAROS) at the Conference on Disarmament as soon as possible. Moreover, Germany reiterated its support for the establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee to deal with the prevention of an arms race in outer space as contained in the revised "A5" proposal. Germany welcomed any effort in this regard, including the Russian-Chinese working paper entitled "Possible elements for a future international legal agreement on the prevention of the deployment of weapons in outer space, the threat or use of force against outer space objects", as well as the different non-papers on aspects relevant to a possible future agreement which could be used as a basis for further substantive discussion on this subject.

JEAN-MICHEL DESPAX (France) said there was a need to prevent an arms race in outer. France believed that the Conference on Disarmament, as the sole multilateral negotiating disarmament forum, should pursue the issue of the prevention of an arms race in outer space. Moreover, France supported the establishment of a subsidiary body within the Conference on Disarmament to agree on a mandate for prevention of an arms race in outer space (PAROS) and had been in favour of the peaceful use of outer space since the beginning of the debate on the subject which remained essential for international security. The non-militarization of outer space had been contained during the Cold War and that practice should be maintained today. All States had the right to free access to outer space for peaceful purposes, but while doing so should maintain the safety of satellites in orbit and take into account the legitimate defence interests of States. The effort made by the Russian Federation and China was significant for the debate on PAROS as was the "food for thought" paper submitted by Ambassador Chris Sanders.

GLAUDINE MTSHALI (South Africa) said as a demonstration of its concern on the issue of prevention of an arms race in outer space (PAROS), South Africa had actively participated in many activities of the Conference on Disarmament dedicated to this question. This included participation in the consideration of the document presented in 2002 by China and the Russian Federation. On an ongoing basis, South Africa continued to lend its support to the United Nations General Assembly resolution on PAROS as a testimony of its commitment against the weaponization of outer space that would lead to an arms race in outer space if not curbed. It was with this in mind that it was now more than ever imperative that the Conference on Disarmament

agreed, without delay, on its programme of work that would pave the way for further discussions on PAROS. South Africa believed that the Member States of the Conference on Disarmament should not lose sight of the fact that the primary aim was to encourage the Conference to adopt a programme of work which would anchor its obligation to negotiate disarmament measures.

SARALA FERNANDO (Sri Lanka) noted that over the past 35 years, a number of treaties and agreements had been concluded to protect assets in space, among which, the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 concluded in the early years of space exploration, remained the most important. As the 40th anniversary of the signing of this treaty was approaching, Member States of the Conference on Disarmament should be urged to work towards universalizing the Outer Space Treaty, which currently had 98 States parties. Sri Lanka would argue that there was a need for ever increasing common endeavours among all Member States to prevent weaponization so as to preserve space as a sanctuary for peaceful purposes for the benefit of all peoples. The world could not afford an expensive competition in outer space when there remained so many challenges before the international community such as poverty, hunger, disease and deprivation. It was recalled that Sri Lanka and Egypt traditionally introduced at the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly a resolution entitled "Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space" which called for the recommencement at the earliest of the PAROS negotiations at the Conference on Disarmament. Over the years, the resolution had been gaining support, which was a reflection of the growing international interest in finding a collective way to keep space peaceful.

MARY WHELAN (Ireland) said the prospects of an arms race or the weaponization of outer space were already adding a new dimension to both nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation. The expanding range of space applications in the technical, civil and military fields had a potential for conflicting interests about which there was a growing inevitability. With every increase in space access there were increased concerns about security and dual usage. Ireland, therefore, wished to see the Conference on Disarmament embark without delay on a process which could lead to an agreement on the non-weaponization of outer space. The Government of Ireland continued to support efforts at the Conference on Disarmament and elsewhere aimed at creating forward momentum on prevention of an arms race in outer space ((PAROS) and welcomed the initiatives which had been taken by delegations to resolve this issue with transparency and security. Ireland considered that the Conference on Disarmament should now take these more firmly into account and seek to advance them by marshalling the relevant technical expertise while building up the necessary confidence for a political consensus.

PAUL MEYER (Canada) said Canada's position that all space-based weapons should be banned and that a legal instrument to give effect to this comprehensive ban should be negotiated without further delay had not changed for more than two decades. However, he wanted to express the growing concern of the Canadian authorities at the apparent reluctance of the Conference to take action in this regard, a reluctance that was drawing some to consider alternative means to achieve the widely-shared goal of the non-weaponization of outer space. No advances would be made unless capitals exhibited the willingness to address the core issue head on. Canada's clear preference continued to be for a prevention of an arms race in outer space (PAROS) Ad Hoc Committee to be set up in the Conference with a mandate as provided for in the revised Five Ambassadors proposal and the "food for thought" non-paper. As a positive step forward in the meanwhile, Canada supported the scheduling of a series of single topic plenary discussions in the absence of a programme of work, or through a similar focused discussion in a group of experts as previously suggested. Members of the Conference might also explore and evaluate various ideas for complementary action involving political commitments or undertakings relating to space security. Canada stood with those who supported the immediate commencement of discussions on PAROS. Canada was ready to negotiate, to exchange new ideas, and to help marshal the necessary support from the world's nations to prevent an arms race in outer space and to keep this vital environment weapons-free.


FISSEHA YIMER (Ethiopia), on behalf of the Group of 21, said the Group of 21 stressed that the programme of work of the Conference on Disarmament, the sole multilateral negotiating forum on disarmament, should reflect the interests and priorities of all its members and should be responsive to the issues on its agenda. The Group of 21 reaffirmed its proposal in Documents Conference on Disarmament/1570 and Conference on Disarmament/1571 on the programme of work and a draft decision including a mandate for the establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee on prevention of arms race in outer space to negotiate specific and concrete measures for the prevention of such a race in outer space. Furthermore, in a spirit of flexibility, the Group of 21 reiterated that the Five Ambassadors proposal was a viable basis for the programme of work and that further consultations on this matter should be pursued. The Group of 21 also reiterated that outer space was a common heritage of mankind and must be used, explored and utilized for peaceful purposes and for the benefit and interest of all mankind in a spirit of cooperation. The Group of 21 was deeply concerned over the negative implications of development of anti-ballistic missile defence systems and the pursuit of advanced military technology capable of being deployed in outer space which had contributed to the further erosion of an international climate conducive to the promotion of disarmament and strengthening of international security. Lastly, the Group reaffirmed that the prevention of an arms race in outer space had assumed greater urgency because of legitimate concerns that existing legal instruments were inadequate to deter an arms race in outer space.

JOHN FREEMAN (United Kingdom) said that since the launch of the first man-made satellite in 1957, major advances had been achieved in space exploration and use. All States had the right to explore the use of outer space and make the most of opportunities for scientific, economic, environmental and communication advances. As more countries became involved in space activities it was essential that misperceptions and mistrust be avoided by promoting clarity and cooperation. Operating equipment in space could be hazardous; risks were posed by radiation, natural meteoroids, and debris from human space activities. The right of each State to use outer space was a universally accepted principle, yet it was the concern of each State to make sure that these rights were realized in the interests of maintaining international peace and security. The cornerstone of international space law was the 1967 Outer Space Treaty to which the United Kingdom was a depository and continued to be a firm supporter. This commitment was echoed by its commitment to the resolution passed by the first committee on the subject last October. As national security activities in space had grown, so had the concern by some States about the risk of an arms race in outer space. Some States would wish to see additional and more extensive arms controls measures.

The United Kingdom acknowledged concerns that there was no international consensus on the need for further treaties and further legal codification of the use of space would be difficult both to agree on and verify, he said. The Chinese and Russian delegations laid out some interesting thoughts in their non-paper issued earlier this month. There were differing views on whether weapons used for the defensive or peaceful use of space would be classified in the same way as "offensive" space or anti-space abilities. Moreover, space represented both challenges and opportunities for verification of any arms controls agreements. It was recalled that the United Kingdom suggested last year that it might be a useful idea to think about adopting "rules of the road" in space, similar to those which already existed at sea. They might have benefits such as reducing the risks of accidental collision, preventing accidents and promoting safe passage for satellites.

JOSE LUIS SALINAS (Peru) recalled that when the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space was set up in 1969, a number of programmes were assigned to aim to use outer space for the peaceful benefits for all. Peru fully respected these principles. There was considerable complexity for the international community in the issue of prevention of an arms race in outer space (PAROS). For Peru the militarization of outer space could only have a negative impact on peace and security and it believed it was appropriate to draft a legally binding instrument to
prohibit the weaponization of outer space. Peru expressed the support for the A5 proposal, particularly with regard to the principle of setting up an Ad Hoc Committee to advance PAROS. Peru also expressed its appreciation for the China-Russia proposal which aimed to uphold the principle of the peaceful uses of outer space.

HU XIAODI (China) said that the Chinese delegation had always attached great importance to the issue of prevention of an arms race in outer space (PAROS). It had been actively advocating for the negotiation of an international legal instrument or the conduct of substantive work by the Conference on Disarmament on this issue. China did so basing itself on the following major factors. Firstly, outer space was the common heritage of mankind and its importance was growing with every passing day.
Along with the further progress of the human society, the importance of outer space to our life would be further increasing. Secondly, the prevention of the weaponization of and an arms race in outer space had become ever more urgent because, among other things, the rapid development of science and technology had provided material conditions for outer space to become "warfare platforms". Thirdly, the deployment of weapons in outer space would bring about a series of grave and negative consequences, including disrupting strategic balance and stability, undermining international and national security and harming existing arms control instruments. Fourthly, the existing international legal regime on outer space had inherent lacunae. In view of these factors, there should be no delay on conducting substantive work on the prevention of an arms race in outer space to close the loopholes in the existing international legal regime on outer space.

Ambassador Hu said the prevention of an arms race in outer space could be promoted by several factors. Firstly, the increasing and extensive attention by the international community to the issue of weaponization of outer space was the basis of the work. Secondly, various proposals and suggestions on PAROS, including those of China and Russia, were "food for thought" in the work. And thirdly, the re-establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee on PAROS in the Conference was the platform for the work.

CARLOS DA ROCHA PARANHOS (Brazil) said Brazil saw the pursuit of nuclear disarmament as a fundamental task of the Conference on Disarmament and believed that preventive disarmament in outer space was to be understood in this perspective. In this context, Brazil favored the establishment in the Conference on Disarmament of an Ad Hoc Committee to deal with prevention of an arms race in outer space (PAROS). The Ad Hoc Committee should, at least, be framed, as a minimum acceptable basis, in accordance with the revised A5 proposal. Brazil also was of the view that the Conference on Disarmament should embark, through the establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee on PAROS, on a process which could eventually lead to an agreement on the total prohibition of the "weaponization" of outer space, including conventional and new types of weapons. Moreover, Brazil welcomed the non-paper prepared by the delegations of China and the Russian Federation. This and other relevant suggestions and initiatives, including those that were promoted by the delegation of Canada, highlighted the need for the establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee on this subject.

LEONID SKOTNIKOV (Russian Federation) said the prevention of an arms race in outer space (PAROS) was a matter of priority for the Russian Federation at the Conference on Disarmament. The Russian Federation coherently stood for the earliest agreement on the programme of work of the Conference on Disarmament, which had accumulated a vast experience of dealing with PAROS, which would allow the Conference to re-establish the Ad Hoc Committee on PAROS and begin substantive work on the new agreement regarding non-weaponization of outer space. In order to help to reach consensus on the Conference on Disarmament's programme of work, Russia had stated that it was prepared not to object to well-known compromise initiatives providing for establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee on PAROS with a "to deal with" rather than a negotiating mandate. The Russian Federation has stated that at present and for the near future it did not intend to develop and place into space any weapon systems and strictly observed the moratorium on testing of anti-satellite systems. In 2004, Russia declared that it would not be the

first to place weapons of any type in outer space. In the view of the Russian Federation, there was no fatal technological inevitability of space weaponization; the Russian Federation wanted to prohibit the placement in outer space of any type of striking weapons and had already proposed concrete definitions of the terms "deployment" and "weapons".

The Russian Federation had initiated some important confidence building measures in outer space and expected that States which had outer space programmes would follow its example, he said. Attention was drawn to the fact that last week, Heads of State of the Collective Security Treaty Organization member countries – Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian Federation and Tajikistan - made an official statement that they would not be the first to place weapons of any kind in outer space. The Russian Federation considered the Conference on Disarmament to be the most appropriate forum for the work of PAROS. As a result of major forthcoming steps made by the Russian and Chinese delegations in order to ease a compromise on the Conference on Disarmament's programme of work, the mutually acceptable mandate of an Ad Hoc Committee on PAROS had been practically agreed. Attention was drawn to the report, prepared by the UNIDIR, of the international conference "Safeguarding Space Security: Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space". The Conference, which was held in March 2005, was organized by the Russian and Chinese delegations together with UNIDIR and the Canadian Simons Foundation and it was believed that the aforementioned report in that regard was very useful for the work of the Conference on Disarmament on PAROS.

TEHMINA JANJUA (Pakistan) said with the technological revolution introducing phenomenal human achievements, the dependence on the peaceful uses of outer space was increasing. At the same time, there was a growing apprehension about the possible weaponization of outer space. The 1967 Outer Space Treaty reflected international consensus on the "common interest of all mankind in the progress of the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes". This multilateral legal regime for outer space, however, banned only introduction of weapons of mass destruction in outer space. There was a need to address new sophisticated weaponry that had immense potential for destruction. Pakistan shared the view that existing international legal instruments were inadequate to prevent weaponization of outer space as they did not prevent test, deployment and use of weapons other than those of mass destruction and did not deal with the threat or use of force from earth against outer space objects, and lacked universality. Moreover, Pakistan supported the A5 proposal, as a compromise, that established an Ad Hoc Committee on the prevention of an arms race in outer space with the mandate to identify and examine proposals for confidence building or transparency measures, general principles, treaty commitments and the elaboration of a regime capable of preventing an arms race in outer space, including the possibility of negotiations of a relevant international instrument.

ELISABET BORSIIN BONNIER (Sweden) said the threat posed by the weaponization of outer space and the risk of a subsequent arms race were of great concern to the Government of Sweden which wanted to see a clear regime capable of preventing such threats to the common security on earth and to the peaceful uses of outer space. In this context, Sweden welcomed the unilateral declaration of the Russian Federation not to deploy weapons in outer space first. Sweden had long supported the establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee in the Conference to deal with prevention of an arms race in outer space (PAROS) as outlined in the Five Ambassadors and the "food for thought" proposals. Due to the urgency of the matter, informal technical meetings to discuss PAROS, which Sweden had suggested last year, were not enough. Forward-looking deliberations had to aim at a mechanism or instrument or a clear-cut prohibition of the weaponization of outer space. At the same time, the Conference must take care not to complicate in any way the important work of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. In the absence of an early commencement of substantive discussions on PAROS in the Conference, other possible venues and formats for such deliberations should be considered, including such that could be established by the UN General Assembly. Sweden still hoped though to bring this issue forward in the Conference.

RAFFAELE DE BENEDICTIS (Italy) said on a question of the magnitude of the prevention of an arms race in outer space (PAROS), Italy felt fully bound by the position, strategy and interests of the European Union. The Union was actively engaged in civilian space programmes and depended increasingly on outer space for its economic and industrial development as well as for its security. Outer space was not a new issue and scholars had enumerated at least seven principal treaties covering space and six international fora addressing space issues. Italy recognized the growing convergence of views on the elaboration of measures to strengthen transparency, confidence and security in the peaceful uses of outer space. It also believed that space security was closely linked to a discipline of ballistic missiles launching. For the operational purposes of the Conference, Italy stood ready to support the establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee on PAROS in conformity with paragraph 4 of document CD/1693/rev.1. According to this document, the Ad Hoc Committee should identify and examine, without limitation, any specific topics or proposals, including confidence building or transparency measures, general principles, treaty commitments and the elaboration of a regime capable of preventing an arms race in outer space, as well as the possibility of negotiating relevant international legal instruments.

TIM CAUGHLEY (New Zealand) said in 1959 the determination of States to protect Antarctica had resulted in the Antarctic Treaty, which ensured that the region would only be used for peaceful purposes and placed a prohibition on any activity of a military nature. Outer space was an equally unique environment, the weaponization of which would surely serve mankind no better than the militarization of Antarctica. New Zealand strongly supported consideration of the treaty on the prevention of an arms race in outer space (PAROS) and welcomed the recent work by Canada, the Russian Federation and China to take this issue forward. The legal framework for a treaty on PAROS was set out in the Outer Space Treaty of 1967. The building upon that legal framework would help allay a number of major international concerns, including the increased funding and research of missile defence that incorporated weapons system in outer space and the concerns to prevent an arms race that could only be costly and destructive to international security, among other things. New Zealand looked forward to increased engagement on PAROS. The consequences of an arms race in outer space for all mankind was demonstrably an issue in which all nations had a stake. New Zealand stood ready to get down to work on this core issue in the Conference on Disarmament. Mutual forbearance in the interests of global, rather than national security, and international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space, as in the case in the Antarctic Treaty, must surely be the touchstone of the Conference on Disarmament.

MARCELO VALLE (Argentina) said Argentina was committed to the use of outer space for peaceful purposes and in that regard had set up a national committee in 1991 which ultimately devised a plan through which a State policy for space affairs for established. Argentina had signed several cooperation agreements with other Governments on the issue of peaceful uses of outer space and supported the setting up of an Ad Hoc body within the Conference on Disarmament capable of preventing an arms race in outer space on the basis of the A5 proposal and the "food for though" paper. However, Argentina was in favour of de-linking the themes of these two proposals which, it believed, should be addressed separately and not in connection with other themes in the programmes of work of the Conference.

PABLO MACEDO (Mexico) said Mexico was of the strong view that the utilization of outer space should be conducted exclusively for peaceful purposes to the benefit of all counties without diminishing the security of any State and in compliance with the 1967 treaty. Mexico had made convictions on this theme in the General Assembly as well as in the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and attached great importance to the efforts taken to prohibit the weaponization of outer space. Mexico was also concerned that scientific and technological advancements and the unilateral deployment of weapons in outer space might lead to an arms race in outer space. It believed that there was a need for more international approaches and understanding to this issue and associated itself with the statements made by other delegations about the urgent need to improve transparency on the issue of the peaceful uses of outer space

based on a spirit of cooperation. In this sense, while it was considered that there was a need to pursue negotiations in the Conference on Disarmament, Mexico supported the discussion to take place under the guidance of the A5 proposal. It was also hoped that other counties would follow the example made by the Russian Federation.

IN-KOOK PARK (Republic of Korea) said the Republic of Korea had repeatedly supported the United Nations General Assembly resolution on prevention of an arms race in outer space (PAROS) that emphasized the need for consolidation and reinforcement of measures to prevent an arms race in outer space and called on countries with major space capabilities to maintain the peaceful uses of outer space. Based on this principle, the Republic of Korea was ready to participate in the discussions within the Conference on Disarmament to consider whether the existing space treaties were sufficient and to explore what kind of further measures might be employed under a practical and flexible formula, including Ambassador Sander's "food for thought" initiative. Given the complicated nature of the issue related to outer space, the Republic of Korea believed that gradual and pragmatic approaches were desirable at this stage. Even before a programme of work was agreed on in the Conference on Disarmament, the Republic of Korea wished to focus on developing confidence building measures in outer space or any viable interim measures to enhance the existing treaty regimes with a view to
strengthening the security of space activities while preventing the military use of and promoting cooperation for civil and scientific purposes in outer space.

HUSSEIN ALI (Syria) said Syria associated itself with the statement made on behalf of the Group of 21 and was amongst the countries which supported the Chinese and Russian working paper which contained the basic elements to prevent the weaponization of outer space and promote its peaceful uses. Achieving a new convention on the peaceful uses of outer space had become an urgent need for all of mankind. Syria reiterated its call for the need to establish an Ad Hoc Committee on prevention of an arms race in outer space under the basis of the A5 proposal in the Conference on Disarmament.

WAN YUSRI WAN RASHID (Malaysia) said Malaysia associated itself with the statement made earlier on behalf of the Group of 21. Since the first human mission to outer space in 1961 and to the moon in 1965, a number of developments had taken place in space technology including those of defence and military purposes. In view of the current development of intensifying research on space-based weapons, there was a pressing need for the Conference on Disarmament to address the issue of an arms race in outer space. Malaysia was of the view that while existing international legal instruments on outer space prohibited the deployment of weapons of mass destruction in outer space, none of them completely banned the testing, deployment and use of other weapons or weapons systems. The existing measures were inadequate to prevent an arms race in outer space and Malaysia firmly believed that only a legal instrument prohibiting the deployment of weapons in outer space and the prevention of the threat or use of force against outer space objects could eliminate the threat of the weaponization of outer space. Malaysia reiterated its support for the re-establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee in the Conference on Disarmament to address this matter further. Moreover, as a confidence building measure, there should be a moratorium on the testing of all kinds of weapons and on the deployment of weapons in outer space.

OSCAR LEÓN GONZÁLEZ (Cuba) stated that Cuba fully endorsed the statement made on behalf of the Group of 21. For Cuba it was important to ensure that the problems the international community was facing on the ground were not transferred to outer space. Cuba had always been opposed to an arms race in outer space, or anywhere else, and maintained that the exploration of outer space should be for peaceful purposes and for the benefit of all countries. Outer space was a common heritage of all humankind. It was of concern that there was no legally binding instrument that banned weapons in outer space other than weapons of mass destruction. Some would argue


that there was no need for an additional treaty since there was currently no arms race in outer space, although there were a number of developments which could lead to such a race. The

implementation of an anti-ballistic missile system could give rise to an arms race and an increase in nuclear weapons as well. Cuba supported the setting up of an Ad Hoc Committee in the Conference on Disarmament to pursue the question of an arms race in outer space.