Disarmament Diplomacy

Issue No. 56, April 2001

Moscow Conference on Peaceful Use of Space

In Moscow from April 11-13, an international conference on the theme of 'Space Without Weapons - an Arena for Peaceful Cooperation in the 21st Century' discussed opportunities for, and the major military threats to, the peaceful use of space. The conference, organised by the Russian government and timed to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the first manned space flight, by Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, was attended by representatives from 105 states, plus numerous international and non-governmental organizations, business groups, academic institutions, and others. Opening the conference, Ilya Klebanov, Deputy Chairman of the Russian government, delivered a statement from President Putin:

"The whole international experience in space activities confirms the necessity of [maintaining] a careful and responsible approach to the exploration of outer space. By joint efforts, we are obliged to keep it peaceful for ourselves and succeeding generations. I am convinced that there should be no weapons in space. Most of the member states of the UN currently stand for averting an arms race in outer space. It is necessary to move to practical steps in this direction. Russia is ready to begin, even from today, to elaborate [such measures]... Expanding the scope of use of...space...for solving economic and social tasks of the world community...will have a great significance for preventing the militarisation of outer space." Klebanov's remarks were echoed by Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Mamedov (April 11): "We should take urgent steps now, because tomorrow may be too late... We do not want humanity to live in constant terror of what can happen...in the skies."

In a statement delivered to the conference (April 11), UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan stressed the need for the international community "to work to ensure that the possibilities offered by technology, both in outer space and here on earth, are used to foster tolerance, trust and shared values. They must not be allowed to become instruments of discord or division. We must guard against the misuse of outer space, and, in particular, against the creation of an arms race in outer space. The international community recognised early on that a legal regime for outer space was needed to prevent it from becoming another arena of military confrontation. It is important to find ways to reinforce the legal regime and enhance its effectiveness."

On April 19, reflecting on the conference in a written response to Reuters, the new Russian Defence Minister, Sergei Ivanov, stressed: "We are ready...to start working on practical steps...and call on other space powers to join this initiative..." Referring to the recent decision to establish the Russian Space Forces as a separate branch of the armed forces, Ivanov stated: "The Space Forces being set up now in Russia are to a significant extent aimed at solving tasks of a peaceful character and making economic and social progress..."

Note: see this issue for an expanded version of a paper delivered to the conference by Rebecca Johnson, Executive Director of the Acronym Institute.

Reports: On the work of the International Conference on Preventing the Militarization of Outer Space, Russian Foreign Ministry Statement, Document 625-11-04-2001, On the opening of the International Space Conference, Russian Foreign Ministry Statement, Document 627-11-04-2001, April 11; April 11; Russia - ban space-based weapons, Associated Press, April 11; Secretary-General says benefits of space exploration should not be limited to privileged few, United Nations Press Release SG/SM/7767, April 11; Russia steps up anti-missile campaign, BBC News Online, April 11; Russia wants to tighten ban on arms in space, Reuters, April 19.