Disarmament Diplomacy

Issue No. 89, Winter 2008

2008 First Committee Resolutions

Outer Space (Disarmament Aspects)

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63/40 (L.4)
Prevention of an arms race in outer space.

Introduced by Egypt.

This annual resolution, unchanged in previous years, reaffirms existing political and legal agreements including the Outer Space Treaty and the Final Document of the Tenth Special Session of the General Assembly. The preamble asserts that preventing an arms race in space "would avert a grave danger for international peace and security". It also recognizes that the conclusion of an international agreement to prevent an arms race in outer space "remains a priority task" of the ad hoc committee in the CD. The key provisions of the resolution 1. call upon states to not take any action contrary to preventing an arms race in space and 2. urge the CD to complete examining and updating its 1992 mandate and re-establish an ad hoc committee in its upcoming session.

First Committee: 167-1-1
General Assembly: 177-1-1

Following the tradition of previous years, the United States cast the sole vote against this resolution and Israel abstained. The European Union continued to fault the resolution for failing to take into account recent developments on the issue, including constructive discussions on the issue within the CD and progress toward achieving a compromise programme of work. The EU noted this year that it was working on drafting a non-binding code of conduct on space activities intended to "promote the security of space activities [through] voluntary confidence-building and transparency measures". The Japanese delegation also repeated its annual declaration that the work of the CD on this issue should progress without prejudice to any other issue.

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63/68 (L.44/Rev.1)
Transparency and confidence-building measures in outer space activities.

Introduced by Russia.

Virtually unchanged from resolution 62/43, like the annual resolution on PAROS this resolution reaffirms that prevention of an arms race in space "would avert a grave danger for international peace and security". It asserts measures should be explored to prevent an arms race in space, including weaponization. The only substantive modification notes the introduction in the CD by China and Russia of a draft treaty on the prevention of the placement of weapons in space. The key provisions of the resolution continue to 1. invite states to submit concrete proposals on international outer space transparency and confidence-building measures and 2. request the Secretary-General to submit a report containing these proposals to the next session of the General Assembly.

First Committee: 167-1-1
General Assembly: 180-1-1

Following the tradition of previous years, the United States cast the sole vote against this resolution and Israel abstained. The US delegation clarified that its vote should not be construed as detracting its support for transparency and confidence-building measures in outer space that focus pragmatically on space security. The US delegation again attributed its negative vote to the resolution's reference to PAROS, as well as to the Chinese-Russian draft treaty on the prevention of placement of weapons in outer space, both of which it opposes.