As Debate on International Cooperation Begins, European Union Says Well-being of Humanity is Primary Factor
The principles of outer space activities must be derived from ethical
considerations, the representative of France said this morning, as the Fourth
Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) began its general
debate on international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space.
Speaking on behalf of the European Union and associated countries, he
said the European Union was pursuing an outer space policy of using scientific
projects to develop knowledge and applications in the service of
society, especially in the areas of telecommunications, environment
and knowledge of the universe.
Other important subjects for action included:
Semakula Kiwanuka (Uganda), Committee Chairman, noted that, at the
start of the space age, there had been international concern about a
"space race", dominated by a few countries. That concern had fostered international
cooperation that had resulted in numerous multinational projects that
would soon culminate in the launch of an international space station involving
16 countries. However, it was necessary to strengthen United Nations
efforts to ensure that the benefits of space activities were shared by developing countries.
Introducing the report of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer
Space, Raimundo Gonzalez Aninat (Chile), that body's Chairman, said
it was a scandal that available technologies were not being used to end
extreme poverty. The past decade's rapid increase in international
cooperation must be strengthened and broadened to promote greater use of outer space
applications to that end.
Also speaking this morning were the representatives of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and China.
The Fourth Committee will continue its general debate on
international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space when it
meets again at 10 a.m. tomorrow, 17 October.
Fourth Committee - 2 - Press Release GA/SPD/191 12th Meeting (AM) 16 October 2000
Committee Work Programme
When the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization)
began its general debate on the peaceful uses of outer space this
morning, it had before it the Secretary-General's report on implementation of the
recommendations of the Third United Nations Conference on the Exploration and
Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE III).
The report (document A/55/153) states that by its Vienna Declaration
on Space and Human Development, the July 1999 UNISPACE III identified
common goals to be pursued by the international community in carrying
out space-related activities for the benefit of humanity and
articulated measures to achieve those goals. Those measures include actions to be taken by
the Secretariat's Office for Outer Space Affairs, such as strengthening the United
Nations Programme on Space Applications. Others are building
partnerships with industry and non- governmental entities,
facilitating the participation of young people, establishing World Space Week each year from 4 to 10
October, and enhancing funding methods to support those activities.
According to the report, the Programme on Space Applications was
reoriented in conjunction with the recommendations of UNISPACE III,
by which it would promote, through international cooperation, greater use of
space technologies and data for sustainable development in developing
countries. That effort includes capacity-building to enable developing countries to
utilize space technologies, particularly in disaster management,
satellite communications (including distance education), positioning and navigation systems,
tele-medicine, natural resource management and environmental monitoring. In this
effort, the Office for Outer Space Affairs proposed to launch a
series of training modules and to provide assistance to initiate
demonstrations or pilot projects. It also proposed to strengthen technical advisory services
in astronomy and the planetary sciences, including support for
developing countries to participate in space research and observation. Many such activities,
planned for 2000 or already carried out, are described in Section III of the report.
The report states that the involvement of industry, in pursuing the
goals of UNISPACE III, has begun to be fostered in symposia between
representatives of satellite-service industries and the Scientific and Technical
Subcommittee of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space,
with further symposia planned. Young people participated in UNISPACE III through the Space
Generation Forum, organized by and for young professionals and
university students. To facilitate the implementation of various initiatives
proposed by that group, a Youth Advisory Council was formed by the
Subcommittee, which would be granted observer status on the Committee itself.
According to plans described in the report, the first World Space
Week would take place in the year 2000, with special events in Vienna
and United Nations Headquarters in New York that focused on the use of space
technology for the benefit of humanity. Panel discussions with
astronauts and cosmonauts would also take place. Spaceweek International Associates,
an independent non-profit organization, changed its preferred dates
for a space week to coordinate with the United Nations, and assisted in
encouraging worldwide celebration.
In order to help finance the activities recommended by UNISPACE III,
the General Assembly requested a change in the terms of reference of
the Trust Fund for the United Nations Programme on Space Applications. It also
requested the Secretary-General to invite voluntary contributions to
the trust fund, with activities in support of UNISPACE III outlined in a letter of invitation.
The report also describes developments in inter-agency cooperation
towards the goals identified by UNISPACE III, as well as enhancement
of the International Space Information Service. It concludes with the hope
that, by the year 2004, when the General Assembly appraises progress
toward UNISPACE III's goals, the expanded use of space science and
technology will have led to noticeable changes in the human
condition. In addition, the usefulness of space tools in addressing a wide range of social and
economic issues will have been recognized by major international forums.
Also before the Committee this morning was the report of the
Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (A/55/20). The report
summarizes the outcome of the Committee's latest session, as well as those of its
subcommittees -- the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee and the
Legal Subcommittee -- all of which took place during 2000 in Vienna. It
addresses the need to promote international cooperation in the
peaceful uses of outer space, taking into particular account the needs of developing
countries, through the Committee's scientific, technical and legal expertise.
In its discussions, the Committee recommended that, at its
forty-fourth session, in 2001, it should continue its consideration
of the agenda item entitled "Ways and means of maintaining outer space for peaceful purposes", on
a priority basis. It also considered the recent work of its subcommittees.
The Scientific and Technical Subcommittee reported on several topics.
Regarding the United Nations Programme on Space Applications, the strategy was
described as one which would concentrate on a few themes of major
importance for developing countries, establishing objectives that
could be reached in the short and medium term. Those themes were:
In these areas, the Committee noted progress made in the preceding
years and endorsed a list of conferences, training courses, fellowships and workshops
around the world. It also noted that the Programme had provided
technical advisory services involving regional space applications,
and had promoted cooperation in space science and technology. Dissemination of space
information and coordination of space activities regionally and
within the United Nations system were also discussed.
The Committee endorsed the recommendations of the Working Group of
the Whole concerning the implementation of the recommendations of
UNISPACE III, as contained in its report (A/AC.105/736, annex II,
paras. 3-37), along with its plans for World Space Week. In implementing
UNISPACE III, it recommended the following projects take priority:
In other areas of concern to the Scientific and Technical
Subcommittee, the Committee considered matters related to the remote
sensing of the earth from outer space, the use of nuclear power sources in outer space,
international cooperation in human space flight and geo-stationary
orbit for the benefits of developing countries. In the matter of space debris, the Committee
agreed that Member States should pay more attention to the problem, particularly as it
relates to collision of that debris with space objects, including
those with nuclear power. Space debris, geo-stationary orbit and activities to promote
education in space science and engineering were named single
issue/items for discussion in the draft provisional agenda for the
next session of the Subcommittee.
The Legal Subcommittee reported on its thirty-ninth session, at which
it reviewed the status of international treaties governing the uses
of outer space and information on the activities of international organizations relating
to space law. It also reported on efforts to delineate concepts for legal address of outer
space issues, such as the concept of the "launching state", and the
definition and delimitation of outer space itself. It reviewed work
devoted to ways and means to ensure the rational and equitable use of the geo-stationary
orbit without prejudice to the role of the International Telecommunications Union.
The Committee agreed that the item "Review and possible revision of
the Principles Relevant to the Use of Nuclear Power Sources in Outer Space"
should be retained as a single issue/item for discussion at the
fortieth session of the Legal Subcommittee, in 2001. The Committee
also agreed to endorse the recommendations, prepared by a working group within the
subcommittee, on measures to achieve the fullest adherence to the
five international legal instruments governing outer space.
In other matters discussed in the report, the Committee agreed that
spin- offs of space technology were yielding many substantial
benefits for human health, the world environment, natural resource exploration,
agriculture, hydrology, disaster monitoring, telecommunications and
transportation. In promoting spin-off benefits and effective space applications,
particularly in the case of developing countries, the Committee
agreed that capacity-building was of primary importance. Finally, the Committee considered
membership enlargement, the medium-term plan, meetings of the near
future and a proposed new agenda item entitled "Space and society".
Statements
SEMAKULA KIWANUKA (Uganda), Chairman, introduced the topic of the
peaceful uses of outer space, the consideration of which, he said,
began at the United Nations from the start of the space age after the
launching of Sputnik in 1957. At that time, international concern
about a "space race", dominated by a few countries, fostered international cooperation that
resulted in numerous multi-national projects culminating, very soon,
in the launch of an International Space Station involving 16 countries. The United
Nations played a key role in this cooperation by, among other activities, establishing the
international legal regime governing outer space, and by ensuring
that benefits of space activities be shared by developing countries.
However, he said, that latter effort needed to be strengthened. Space
applications could connect people, help manage exploitation of
natural resources, protect the environment and minimize the effects of natural
disasters. But to keep people from developing countries to benefit
from those uses, efforts should be increased to provide education, training, awareness raising
and assistance in obtaining technologies. The Third United Nations
Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, known as UNISPACE
III, came up with strategies to increase such efforts. Less than two
weeks ago, the first World Space Week -- as established last year by the General
Assembly following a recommendation of UNISPACE III -- was celebrated
from 4 to 10 October, in more than thirty countries. He said he hoped that
such a global celebration would lead to global appreciation of the
benefits of space activities for all humankind.
RAIMUNDO GONZALEZ ANINAT (Chile), Chairman of the Committee on the
Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, introduced that body's report, saying
its work had been essential in setting up an international legal
framework to regulate activities in outer space. UNISPACE III had
recommended measures to develop scientific understanding of outer space and protect the outer
space environment, as well as to promote education and training. It
was crucial to raise awareness because many people, despite being intellectually
sophisticated, continued to ignore the importance of outer space exploration.
He said the Committee's Scientific Subcommittee would continue to
evaluate the application of the recommendations of UNISPACE III. The
Committee had also examined the proposed action plan by the Office of Outer
Space Affairs, and recommended by the General Assembly, to strengthen
the Committee and its subsidiary bodies; to set up training programmes in
space law; and to involve the public, particularly young people, in
outer space activities. During the Committee's current session, its Legal
Subcommittee had reached a consensus agreement on the use of the
geostationary orbit. It had also set up a working group, which had heard several
presentations on new launch systems.
Stressing the importance of exchanging information, he said scientific and technological matters could not be considered
exclusive of human development issues. Outer space applications must be used to end extreme poverty.
The past decade had seen a rapid increase in international cooperation and now was
the time to strengthen and broaden that cooperation to promote
greater use of outer space applications. It was a scandal that the available technologies were
not being used to end poverty. The Committee must move forward on that issue.
PHILIPPE BOSSIERE (France), speaking on behalf of the European Union
and associated countries, said the European Union was pursuing a policy, in
the field of outer space, of using scientific projects to develop
knowledge and applications in the service of society, especially in the areas of
telecommunications, environment and knowledge of the universe.
Current projects deemed important involved navigation systems and monitoring systems
for environment and security.
The European Union, he said, welcomed the report of UNISPACE III and
its realistic recommendations. It was of the view that the most important
subjects for action were: the protection of the earth's environment
and resources; space applications for security, development and the
well-being of mankind; the furthering of scientific knowledge and the protection of
the outer-space environment; the strengthening of education and
training; and the promotion of international cooperation. That was, indeed, a vast
programme and required the mobilization of the international
community's energies, as well as greater cooperation with non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) and industry.
The principles of outer space programmes, he said, must be derived
from ethical considerations, which the Union felt should become more prominent in
the development of all scientific and technical progress. There were
two fundamental principles of outer-space activities. Those activities must contribute to
economic, social and cultural development while preserving the
natural environment. And access to outer space should be equitable -- taking into account
the needs of developing countries and not exacerbating technological
disparities. In addition, existing risks needed to be mitigated. He said available
measures to reduce the risks posed by space debris should be
implemented, as a matter of urgency. Costs should be borne in an equitable matter. Possible
environmental risks, especially those posed by nuclear energy sources, must be countered.
RI KYONG IL (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) said outer space
had become a field in which disparity between developed and developing
countries was most serious. A few countries possessing space technologies were commercializing the results of scientific study on
outer space, using their exclusive possession as a means of accumulating material wealth.
Those countries set out political conditions to avoid transferring technology to
developing countries and even hindered the self-supported activities
of those countries in outer space exploration.
He said that ever-increasing militarization of outer space evoked
great concern from the international community. Some States openly ignored
international laws stipulating peaceful exploration of outer space
for the welfare of humanity and did not hesitate to abuse outer space in seeking military
predominance. It was intolerable that certain countries were taking
issue with the launch of an artificial satellite by the Democratic
People's Republic of Korea with a view to justifying their own outer space militarization activities.
The rights of developing countries to the exploration of outer space
should be respected. Steps should be taken to ensure that all countries benefited
equally from the results of such exploration. Outer space was the
common property of humankind. The United Nations should respect the efforts of
developing countries in outer space exploration and pay attention to
international cooperation to that end. It should also try to make the scientific and
technological results of outer space contribute directly to sustainable development of developing countries.
He said an end to militarization was necessary for the success of peaceful exploration of outer space in the twenty-first century. The
dismantling of military satellites violating and menacing other countries'
sovereignty should be considered a priority. In particular, the "national missile defence system"
and the "theatre missile defence system" using satellites in outer space should not be allowed. The Office for Outer Space Affairs and
the Legal Subcommittee of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space
must give more attention to decisive measures to stop the militarization of outer space.
He said, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea had entered a new stage of self-supported development in outer space science and
technology following the successful launch of its first artificial satellite, "Kwangmyongsong I", on 31 August 1998. The launch was of a peaceful
nature, constituting the country's contribution to the development of outer
space science and technology across the world. The country would actively promote
technological cooperation and exchange with other countries, in order
to assure peaceful uses of outer space as well as to promote economic
development by further developing its own outer space and technology.
GUAN JIAN (China) said the development and testing of weapons systems in outer space and any other military use of outer space violated the
fundamental principles of the peaceful uses of outer space. Such activity was not conducive to the maintenance of international
security. In that connection, it was necessary to negotiate an international agreement on the
prevention of an arms race in outer space. The ultimate purpose of the exploration and
utilization of outer space should be to create a better environment for the survival and development of humanity.
In addition, he said, in order to build a more sound legal framework
for peaceful uses of outer space by mankind in the new century, the conclusion of a
comprehensive convention on space law undoubtedly merited the full
attention of the Committee. He said, the Chinese delegation stood ready to work on
such a convention. China had celebrated World Space Week with a
variety of activities throughout the country, which he hoped contributed to the commemoration of Space Week at an international level.
The Chinese space industry, he said, had made numerous advances in the past year, and China would work harder and contribute more to the
great cause of exploring and using outer space for peaceful purposes.
Felicity Hill,
The Programme would also promote capacity-building in enabling technologies -- such as the use of
Global Positioning Systems -- and other spin- offs of space technology, promoting the
participation of private industry in its activities.
Director, United Nations Office
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
777 UN Plaza, New York, NY 10017, USA
web: www.wilpf.int.ch www.reachingcriticalwill.org